A Lada Vesta SW Cross station wagon was observed undergoing road tests in China, according to a report from the automotive portal Chinese Cars. The sighting has drawn attention from enthusiasts and analysts who track how Russian models are tested and developed for potential markets abroad.
The precise purpose behind sending the test vehicle to China remains undisclosed. Observers suggest the car could be evaluated with a Chinese-made automatic transmission as part of ongoing development work. This possibility aligns with the broader pattern of manufacturers testing transmissions and drivetrains in new regions to gauge performance, efficiency, and reliability under local conditions.
AvtoVAZ, the maker of Lada, has faced ongoing challenges in sustaining production of a vehicle variant equipped with an automatic transmission. Historically, the Lada Vesta lineup relied on a Jatco CVT system and engines that were developed in collaboration with the Renault-Nissan alliance. The current testing scenario may reflect a strategic effort to explore alternative powertrain configurations while maintaining production resilience for the Vesta family.
Since production resumed for the Lada Vesta, the government has periodically evaluated the localization level of the model. Evaluations from prior periods showed a decline in localization scores compared with pre-crisis figures. Specifically, a sedan with a manual transmission earned 3.2 thousand points across localization metrics, representing a drop of 135 points relative to the pre-crisis version. The station wagon variant saw an even larger reduction in points. Localization scores for the automatic-equipped version fell substantially, dropping by 600 to 655 points to roughly 1.9 thousand points in the latest assessments. These shifts reflect the evolving supply chain and production mix as the company recalibrates its domestic output in response to market demands and component sourcing realities.
Earlier reports indicated that approximately 12 thousand unfinished Lada Vestas remain stored at AvtoVAZ facilities. This inventory snapshot highlights the challenges and complexities involved in scaling production, managing the supply chain, and aligning assembly lines with evolving demand forecasts. The persistence of unfinished units points to strategic decisions about production pacing, supplier commitments, and the potential impact of regulatory or market fluctuations on the company’s manufacturing operations.