AvtoVAZ has initiated a project to replace the Lada Largus minibus built on the Renault-Nissan B0 platform. The replacement will leverage the Lada Vesta undercarriage while preserving the original two-volume body silhouette. This plan surfaced through Sergey Tsyganov, who runs the Autopotok Telegram channel, and shared with socialbites.ca, citing his sources at the Volga car giant. Tsyganov noted that AvtoVAZ is quietly pursuing a crossover on the Vesta platform in parallel with the minibus, with supplier nominations already underway.
“The timing for the minivan project is not fixed yet, but there is a sense that all new AvtoVAZ initiatives should ship yesterday,” Tsyganov told socialbites.ca.
Maxim Sokolov, a former AvtoVAZ leader, stated in a Forbes interview that the factory plans to introduce a crossover on the Lada Vesta platform by the end of 2025.
what will they be
According to Tsyganov, the approach will reuse the Lada Vesta as the base for both vehicles with only minor body-shell changes while keeping a similar overall silhouette.
The crossover, still in deeper development, is expected to receive design approvals by August 2023 before moving into full-scale development. Then work on the project will intensify.
“Besides the minivan, a commercial version is also possible. If a complete replacement of the Largus is decided, there is little sense in producing two small pickups on the same line. In practice, these are not two parallel models like Granta and Iskra; they will replace the Largus,” Tsyganov added.
The body will prioritize maximum interior volume while the mechanicals stay compact. When production of the minivan begins, the plant would start manufacturing the 1.8-liter engine with about 122 hp, in addition to the 1.6-liter engines with 90 and 106 hp. Earlier statements from AvtoVAZ project chiefs suggested a stronger engine would rejoin the mass lineup.
The Vesta-based crossover is not planned to offer all-wheel drive, as the platform constraints do not support it. The changes required for all-wheel drive would be too extensive given market demand for such configurations.
It can be done more easily
Industry consultant Sergey Burgazliev, an independent automotive expert, believes a three-dimensional body design derived from the current Vesta station wagon could be a smarter path. He notes the cargo-passenger concept has circulated within the plant for some time, and it seems unlikely AvtoVAZ will cling to the old Largus platform.
Likely, AvtoVAZ will craft a two-volume body with a flat rear wall and a taller roof, enabling a minivan configuration. Burgazliev also anticipates a redesigned rear door while keeping the side doors close to the Vesta station wagon layout.
Maxim Kadakov, editor-in-chief of Za Rulem, suggests that a three-year timeline to develop a pickup and minibus based on the Lada Vesta is possible if the company pursues a new body concept. He cautions that the exact parameters remain undecided and could stretch over years.
Kadakov emphasizes that new body work, a fresh seating layout, suspension adjustments, and extensive testing, including passive safety with a longer wheelbase, would be required.
How much will it cost
Kadakov estimates the price will exceed that of the Lada Vesta due to increased material use. He notes that the Lada Vesta Cross wagon with a manual transmission and a 106 hp engine sits around 1.6 to 1.7 million rubles, while a minivan today could approach two million rubles.
Independent automotive consultant Burgazliev offers a different view. He believes the cargo version might be 7–10% cheaper than the wagon, but the minivan price would still rise by roughly 15–20%.