Volzhsky Automobile Plant advances its prototype crossover on the Lada Vesta platform
The Volzhsky Automobile Plant has begun testing initial driving prototypes of a forthcoming crossover that will ride on the chassis, engines, and components of the Lada Vesta. This update comes from Oleg Grunenkov, AvtoVAZ’s director of product programs and projects, in an interview with socialbites.ca.
Grunenkov explained that the team aims to build a crossover on the Vesta platform and plans to position it in the B+ segment. He stressed that no launch date is being announced at this stage. A design has already been created and is entering an approval process, while the supplier selection phase is underway. While the so‑called Mules are undergoing testing, Grunenkov noted that the company’s Vesta-based developments are prototypes by their standards. This reflects a careful, staged approach to validating the concept before moving toward production.
The conversation touched on several modernization efforts at AvtoVAZ. The company has adopted a new production preparation technology, with many operations now executed using computer modeling. Digital verification is applied across the board, and even the individual components are tested and adjusted in a virtual environment before any physical samples are produced. This digital-first workflow aims to shorten development cycles and improve accuracy in the final product.
Grunenkov stressed that physical samples of the final crossover will appear only after bodies are manufactured directly in production. Typically, prototypes and pilot runs materialize about a year before the official release as those bodies are produced. In this stage, the company plans to create specific prototypes and pilot series derived from the production bodies. All verification and certification cycles will then follow. At the time of the interview, AvtoVAZ indicated that these steps had not yet begun, signaling that the program remained in the progression phase rather than the final validation phase.
In late December 2023, Denis Manturov, the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, stated that production of a crossover based on the Lada Vesta was projected to start in 2026. The plan envisioned a front‑wheel‑drive chassis for the new SUV, with the upper body of the first model differing from the Vesta. There was also a hope that this vehicle would replace the once‑popular Renault Duster in the Russian market, signaling a push to maintain a local, capable compact crossover lineup even as global partnerships shift.
Earlier reports indicated that AvtoVAZ would introduce new options for the Lada Vesta, expanding its lineup to meet evolving customer needs. The ongoing development at Volzhsky, combined with AvtoVAZ’s digital production initiatives and staged testing regime, points to a methodical path toward a new family of crossovers that seeks to balance practical engineering with market demand.
Overall, the project underscores a strategic focus on leveraging the Vesta platform to create a compact crossover that emphasizes front‑wheel drive, modular design, and streamlined production. As the program moves from the testing of Mules to full‑scale prototyping and certification, stakeholders will be watching closely to see how digital tools and new workflows translate into a timely, cost‑effective path to market. The strategy reflects a broader trend in the automotive sector toward platform sharing, digital validation, and careful vendor integration as manufacturers aim to accelerate development while maintaining rigorous quality controls.