Secret trial and the Moskvich-402: a candid look at early Soviet private mobility

We continue the material cycle dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the magazine “Za Rulem”.

Secret trial

The Moskvich-402 marked a new chapter in the thaw era, with production beginning in 1956. The project drew special attention because the car was aimed at private buyers and everyday motorists rather than state fleet use.

Its appearance stood in sharp contrast to its predecessor, the Moskvich-401, which carried the lineage of the 1938 Opel Kadett.

The Moskvich-402 introduced a completely redesigned body and interior. The engine, with a displacement of 1.2 liters, delivered about 35 horsepower, roughly one and a half times more than before.

Editors at Behind the Wheel were eager to test the new model, but there were no dealer test cars available. The concept of a “press park” was not understood by the magazine’s colleagues from the 1950s, which added to the challenge of arranging early drives.

Moskvich-402 production began in 1956.

In June 1956, a reader who owned a new Moskvich released less than six months earlier lent his car for two days to the publication’s journalists, to be thoroughly examined in the field. The two-day test route was set on the Moscow–Minsk highway and the roads nearby.

Moskvich-402 on factory tests, 1955

10 days and 27 failures

The car quickly developed its own story. The owner was reportedly connected to MZMA, since a factory newspaper later carried a piece about his vehicle. It described how, in the first ten days, the car endured as many as 27 breakdowns. The plant seemed to absorb all complaints, at least at first.

Rust appeared on chrome parts within the first month, journalists noted, a flaw that accompanied the car early in its life. Yet testers anticipated many other discoveries.

The Moskvich engine, with a 1.2-liter displacement, produced the expected 35 horsepower.

Watch and oil seal

Journalists often compared the 402 with the familiar Moskvich-401, even when not on site. The new model offered a far more comfortable fit and improved ergonomics. Visibility was superior to that of the 401 and the Pobeda.

Another highlight was the suspension, particularly on a country road beyond Smolensk, where the car displayed excellent manners despite some frame flex. The 402’s equipment also impressed, including a genuine radio. The journalists even teased that the owner of the Moskvich would be too busy listening to the radio to check the clock.

Folding seats were praised as a practical benefit for the growing interest in motor tourism, a trend not limited to the Soviet Union.

A private Moskvich owner, described by journalists as being “torn apart” by the test, faced more mundane issues. A half-shaft oil seal leaked, and oil smears appeared on the outer part of the brake disc. The owner commented that such faults were not new. Dust and rain also found their way into the cabin, and a notable gap between the body and door let the sky peek in from the back seat. On the road, the car tended to steer toward the right when braking, a trait considered acceptable by drivers of that era.

Records and failures

On a clear Minsk highway, the Moskvich-402 accelerated to 110 km/h, surpassing its official top speed of 105 km/h, and remained stable on the road without the vibrations that plagued earlier models. Nevertheless, performance issues soon surfaced, including carburetor instability that affected acceleration. The Lenkarz carburetor plant, its device briefly explained in the article, faced recall notes. Wiper blades also failed during heavy rainfall, and on-site repairs were impossible, forcing the team to operate the brushes manually.

Test photos show the Moskvich entering Smolensk in 1957, illustrating the car in real-world conditions.

Epilogue with prologue

“The many advantages of the Moskvich cannot overshadow the shortcomings discovered in it,” the article concluded, noting that the Moscow small car plant would need to make significant improvements. The first Moskvich-402s were far from flawless, yet quality soon improved enough for export to begin.

Even amid the DOSAAF framework and a veteran overseeing Behind the Wheel, the journalists documented the car and its flaws with honesty, sometimes with a sharp edge. In 1957, the test standard Behind the Wheel was established, and this genre began to take hold.

• All publications from the cycle “95 years ‘Behind the Wheel’”
• Archive of the magazine “Behind the Wheel”