Test drive VAZ Kalina Sport since 2009 hatchback
Lada kalina / redder will no longer be
Kalina matured and, it seems, will no longer be red. On November 18 last year, serial production of the latest Russian model has officially started, and recently VAZ dealers received demonstration specimens. In the pictures you see a car under the serial number 342, which can be personally to see in April at the St. Petersburg exhibition of the world of the car - 2005.For AvtoVAZ, such agility is something out of the ordinary. From the first sketch to the conveyor - in ten years! Nothing that BMW during this time will have time to create two generations of seeds - for us such terms can be considered an achievement. The history of the car began in 1994, when the leadership of the Avva alliance announced the start of work on the VAZ-1116 folk car. Opel Corsa was taken for the reference point. However, it soon turned out that it was simply unrealistic to develop a platform, engines and gearboxes, and the future car decided to unify with families of 2108 and 2110, renaming it into the VAZ-1119.
In January 1998, the name of the car was announced - Kalina. The prototype of the hatchback was shown to the public at the 1999 Moscow Auto Show, and a year later a sedan, having an index of 1118, was brought to Krasnaya Presnya. The starts of starting, as we have, have traveled repeatedly: from 2002 to 2003, then for 2004 today it is clear today that at best, the first commodity viburnum will go to customers in July-August this year, or even later. It would be a miracle if the car was not outdated over the years of walking around the design bureau. Miracle, of course, did not happen. There are too many bio -designs in Kalina, who dominated the fantasies of stylists in the mid -nineties. The same picture is inside: everything is rounded and swollen. Strongly resembles Fiat Brava and the first Renault Megane. But for the first time on the vases, the salon is made of two -tone plastic, and it is no coincidence, as it happened on eights and nine, but completely intentionally. In combination with the light upholstery of the seats, the beige finish of the front panel looks very nothing. Until you start looking at her near. And nearby it turns out that the plastic here is the most cheap, on the verge of decency, and the assembly quality of the cabin leaves much to be desired. The steering wheel is adjusted in height with great effort, when shifting gears, the entire floor console goes. However, not everything is so bad - there are achievements.
The doors of the viburnum are closed softly, the trunk lid received a complex multi -link mechanism with gas shock absorbers. In the last fashion, the doors handle are made according to the exhaust scheme, under the natural grip. And how do you like the key with the remote control buttons of the central lock? Almost a foreign car! Only doubts are tormented: how long will all this work properly?
In principle, no criminal ergonomic misses. A simple dashboard is well read, the buttons of the glass electric drives are located in a successful zone. The central console, on which a plug under the air conditioner button, is left, is briefly arranged. The only thing that embarrassed was a small and bald fan velocity handle. The steering wheel lies well in his hands, although not very pleasant to the touch.
Sitting in Kalina is convenient both in front and behind. The front seats are softened to the detriment of side support, but this does not upset. In the second row of seats, it is really spacious, and this viburnum favorably differs from competitors of foreign brands. And perhaps only this.
A trip by car brought a bouquet of even more conflicting impressions. Easy steering wheel in the parking lot - thanks to the electric power - at high speeds suffers from a lack of feedback, depriving the driver of a part of important information. A large gear ratio (from the end to stops the steering wheel makes more than four revolutions) makes it difficult to maneuver. But the viburnum holds straight - just like a dozen. And in turns, it also falls, although the suspension works harder. Perhaps the shock absorbers need to sink a little, but the new viburnum excessively repeats the road profile in detail.
The dynamics pleased: the eight -valve engine is excellently pulling on the bottoms - despite the fact that the torque declared in the characteristics is rather weak for the modern engine of such a liter. At medium and, especially high speeds, the engine behaves vividly, quickly responding to the commands of the accelerator. The gear ratio of the transmission is selected successfully, although the clarity of the switching is lame. For the first time, a ring appeared on the VAZ cars on the gearbox lever, blocking the random inclusion of reverse. At the level were the brakes with their well -tuned drive and effectively working mechanics.
Of course, the main question is the price. A couple of years ago, a very seductive amount of $ 5,000 per viburnum in the basic configuration was called. As usual, then she jumped to $ 6,200, and then took a line of $ 7,500. Moreover, this is the vacation price of the plant, which does not include the interest of the dealer. How much viburnum will cost retail is still not known, and there are fears that a psychological mark of $ 8,000 will be crossed. Thus, Kalina is guaranteed to hit the Uzbek Daewoo and the upcoming Renault Logan - if it does not follow the example of Chevrolet Viva And it does not rise in price at the last moment. In the fall, the ranks of the opposition will replenish the Chevro-ott Spark. So the sweet life does not wait for Kalina. And this is its main difference from the predecessors.
Autography
Lada Kalina - 1118
Predecessor - VAZ -21099 (1990)
Prototype - VAZ -1119 Kalina (1999)
Premiere - August 2004
The body is a sedan
Engines - 1.6 l (81-89 l.
Production - Russia
Modernization - scheduled for 2007
Expected replacement - not defined
Text: Kirill Brevdo
Source: Wheel magazine No. 90 [04.2005]
