Lada Vesta, Granta and Largus will not offer all-wheel drive because the economics simply do not justify the added cost, according to AvtoVAZ’s Telegram channel.
Market analyses conducted over the years by different teams have repeatedly shown that four-wheel-drive versions in the budget tier do not generate enough demand to cover the extra manufacturing expense. The message is plain: there simply aren’t enough buyers willing to pay for AWD in class B cars in Russia, a conclusion foreign manufacturers in the same segment arrived at long ago. AvtoVAZ explained that the economics of AWD in this price range do not work out, and those firms know how to count money.
Earlier reports on the Telegram channel Russian car claimed AvtoVAZ intended to fit the upcoming HGH crossover with a panoramic roof sourced from China and to modify the body to accommodate the change. A luminous strip on the tailgate, described as a mono light that mirrors the brake light assemblies, was also mentioned. There were suggestions of equipping the crossover with a Chinese 150 hp turbo engine and related tuning work to the powertrain.
Evgeny Shmelev, AvtoVAZ’s First Deputy President, said the crossover developed on the Lada Vesta platform would feature an original design distinct from the current lineup. He noted that the company is concentrating its development on vehicles built on the Lada Vesta platform because it offers a high degree of localization and remains under AvtoVAZ’s direct control.
There has also been prior discussion in Russia about the ownership costs associated with the Lada Largus station wagon, a topic frequently revisited by automotive observers and potential buyers alike.