Short overhangs, impressive ground clearance - what is not an SUV! At least externally, Xray Cross creates complete confidence that it was created not only for asphalt. Although there is still no all-wheel drive here. But there is a Lada Ride Select system, and we were able to test it on asphalt, off-road and in snow.
Maxim Fedorov
Lada Xray Cross Price: from 729,900 rub. On sale: from October 2022
The plastic body kit is secured with clips (holes are punched in the body panels) and taped with double-sided tape for reliability.
Who was driving all-wheel drive there? Installing it is not a problem, because the Xray is based on the same B0 platform as the Duster. But can you imagine how much the price will skyrocket? But Xray Cross is not cheap even with front-wheel drive. Although even for that kind of money, the new AvtoVAZ product is more profitable than its classmates. Competitors are either more expensive or worse equipped, and more often than not, both. Not counting the body kit made of unpainted plastic, the “base” already has 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, a double-barreled stainless steel muffler, LED running lights, an alarm system with central locking and rear disc brakes - by the way, they are here from “ Vesta." Even the new tires are not budget-friendly: the 215/50R17 all-season Continental, welded to AvtoVAZ’s special order, is wider and taller than that of the Vesta Cross. It also lies in the trunk as a full-size spare wheel, and on the original alloy wheel.
Contrasting brown inserts in the interior can be replaced with less intrusive gray ones.
The rear sofa cushion was moved back to the trunk by 2.5 cm - this modification, which made it possible to add legroom, was also received by the regular Xray.
High-profile tires added 5 mm to the hatchback's 195 mm ground clearance, and another 15 mm was gained due to new springs and shock absorbers. Moreover, they cannot be installed so easily on a regular Xray - you will have to change the front arms and CV joints. But we strongly do not recommend doing this, since it is unknown how such a car will drive. After all, the Xray Cross chassis was tuned not only for the new suspension, but also for the new electric power steering, installed instead of the electro-hydraulic one, which made it possible to reduce the gear ratio in the rack: from lock to lock, the steering wheel now makes less than three turns.
— When creating the Cross, 170 new components were introduced into the Lada Xray design, and the list of changes itself is even longer! — Oleg Grunenkov, director of the Lada Xray Cross project, who went with us to Kazakhstan for the first test drive of the new product, was clearly proud of the work done.
Indeed, the list of improvements turned out to be large, and not all ideas were realized. Thus, although sound insulation has been improved, it is only on the wheel arches and sills: sandblasting is now inaudible, but the noise of the engine and tires quietly penetrates the interior. Although AvtoVAZ heard our complaint. But something remained unrealized due to the design features of the model. For example, no matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to make the car more spacious without increasing the wheelbase: new front seats with a deep recess for the knees, as well as a rear sofa moved closer to the trunk and slightly lowered down, only partially solved the problem of cramped conditions in the back row. With a height of 186 cm, I fit behind myself, although without any reserve in my legs. But now there are heated seats and a USB charging port - not every higher-class model can find this.
The trunk has a double bottom. Underneath is a full-size spare wheel on a cast wheel.
The driver’s seat has also become more comfortable: a central armrest has finally appeared, and the steering wheel has been adjusted for reach (for the first time among models on the B0 chassis!) and heated. Other innovations include heated front seats with three degrees of “roasting”, the buttons of which have moved from the side of the seat to the center console, and now it is clear in which mode it operates. There is also a button to turn on the heated windshield and the main feature of the new product - the regulator of the Lada Ride Select system, thanks to which the Xray behaves completely differently both on paved roads and off-road.
Rails appeared on the roof (an additional stamp had to be introduced to install them) and an antenna “fin”.
The system has four operating modes. The Sport button changes the speed of response to pressing the gas pedal, and also “unfolds” the stabilization system a little, allowing you to slide when turning. It was not possible to test sliding, but the more responsive accelerator was a great help both when driving in the city and when overtaking on the highway: with it, the 1.8 engine seemed to get a second wind (there would be another 6th gear!). There is also a regulator with icons indicating the “snow” and “sand” modes, although the first can be used not only in snow, but also in mud, and the second - on gravel. Both programs allow you to simulate differential locking by braking the drive wheels and limit the intervention of the stabilization system. If necessary, stabilization can be completely turned off, but, as in the first two cases, when accelerating above 58 km/h, the ESC system will “wake up”. However, you can lose control on slippery surfaces even at lower speeds, so you need to use these modes carefully.
“Come on, come on, dear!” — I encouraged the Lada Xray Cross, whose wheels were polishing the snow-covered slope near the hotel in the foothills of the Tien Shan. But the wheels finally found a grip, and we crawled to the top, although until the last moment I didn’t believe that I could climb. Before this, we already had to retreat: with standard settings, the car could only climb up to the middle of the climb, but with the “snow” mode activated, everything went much more fun. The car was slipping, but it was moving! Of course, Lada Ride Select is not a replacement for all-wheel drive, but it is a fact that the system expands the vehicle’s capabilities and helps overcome difficult areas. In the dry riverbed riddled with potholes, along which we drove before the snowfall, the car’s passability was limited only by the protruding “lip” of the front bumper that clung to the ground. And yet, there will still be skeptics who will say that this is another “scam” by marketers. But AvtoVAZ does not force Lada Ride Select on anyone - you can take the Xray Cross without it.
It’s only a pity that the manufacturer does not provide the ability to choose an engine, and the 122-horsepower 1.8 has an increased appetite not only for gasoline (our average consumption was 12.4 liters - this is a lot even taking into account long periods of parking with the engine running), but also, judging by according to the owners' reviews, to the oil. And the list of transmissions at the start of sales will be limited: a version with an updated “robot” version 2.0 will appear later. Machine? Variable speed drive? No, we haven't heard. However, this will not scare our people: judging by the sales statistics of other Lada models, every second Xray buyer will choose the Cross version.
Technical characteristics of Lada Xray Cross 1.8 MT
Dimensions4171x1810x1645 mmBase2592 mmCurb weight1295 kgClearance215 mmTrunk volume361 lFuel tank volume50 lEnginepetrol, 4-cylinder, 1800 cm3, 122 l. With. at 6050 min-1, 170 Nm at 3700 min-1 Transmission5-speed, front-wheel driveTire size215/50R17Dynamics180 km/h; 10.9 s to 100 km/h Fuel consumption (city/highway/mixed) 9.7/6.3/7.5 l per 100 kmCompetitorsHyundai Creta - from 904,900 rubles, Kia Rio X-Line - from 824,900 rubles, Renault Duster - from 689,900 rubles.- Stylish appearance, excellent geometric maneuverability, well-tuned chassis.
- The engine is voracious, the manual transmission lacks a 6th gear, and the cabin has insufficient sound insulation.
| Driving Works great on asphalt, dirt roads and off-road. There are enough dynamics, but fuel consumption is high.
Salon The ergonomics of the driver's seat have been improved, the rear has become a little more spacious and heated.
Comfort The suspension does its job well, but the sound insulation does not.
Safety The “base” has two airbags and a stabilization system.
Price It’s not cheap, but you don’t have to take extra options.
Average score 7,6 |
Bottom line
The start of sales of the new Russian crossover Lada X-Ray Cross has once again been postponed and is scheduled for the end of 2022, but, alas, you should not expect all-wheel drive just yet.
The new Russian crossover will be sold at, in principle, a not very affordable price and it is unlikely that almost every car enthusiast will be able to purchase it.
Rumors that the X Ray Cross will only have front-wheel drive, and the 4x4 version will go on sale only in 2022, may be true - so far there is no such modification, which cannot but be frustrating. All-wheel drive was expected in the same way as a full-fledged crossover at an affordable price.
Verdict
“Cross” is not just an attempt to make a semblance of an SUV out of a regular hatchback. For AvtoVAZ, this is also “working on mistakes”, in which they tried to take into account the feedback and wishes of the owners of Xray. True, most of these improvements will remain “exclusive” to the Cross version and will not appear on the regular Xray.
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We have already devoted an article to the “regular” Lada Xray. The material turned out to be not very complimentary, we strongly criticized the car, but what can you do if the car turned out to be not very successful. Sales statistics confirm the conclusions; other AvtoVAZ models sell better. It seemed that Xray would suffer for another two or three years on the assembly line, and then quietly fade away. However, at the end of 2022, Tolyatti engineers managed to surprise by releasing the Lada Xray Cross - read a redesigned and corrected version of the regular Xray. The improvements turned out to be so global that an almost new model was released.
Lada XRay Cross
Firstly, the body received a plastic body kit. This is a feature of all Cross series cars. Some people think it’s prettier, others think it’s more practical, because the plastic doesn’t need to be painted if something happens.
Secondly, the suspension was redesigned, instead of A-shaped arms, which became the hallmark of the B0 platform, L-shaped ones were introduced, much like on Vesta. The engineers borrowed the front knuckles and brake discs from Vesta. Thanks to the modernization of the anti-roll bar, it was possible to increase the travel and energy intensity of the suspension, although they were already considerable.
Suspension Lada XRAY Cross
Thirdly, disc brakes appeared on the rear axle; the mechanisms were again taken from Vesta, but this is an epochal fact for the B0 platform. The changes to the suspension were completed by wheels measuring 215/50 R17. They decided to install the expensive Continental from the factory.
Disc brakes
But that is not all. Fourthly, instead of the traditional power steering, an electric booster has appeared, and the rack now used is not the same as on the “original” car. This made it possible to soften the impacts on the steering wheel on a bad road, which are well known to all owners of cars on the B0 platform, and slightly improve handling. Thanks to the new design of the steering column, it was possible to realize what many owners of cars on the Logan platform dream of - adjustable steering wheel reach. Yes, the range is small, but it is still there.
Fifthly, the interior was slightly redone, functions for heating the rear sofa and steering wheel appeared, the button for heating the front seats finally moved from the blind spot near the door to the dashboard.
Center console
A cool feature has appeared - folding the front passenger seat into a flat area, this allows you to transport long items even in a very compact car. The front seats, by the way, have also been modified, they have become more comfortable, and the rear sofa is installed differently, which allows us to gain some legroom for passengers.
Folding the front seat
And like the icing on the cake. Sixthly, the Lada Ride Select system has appeared, which allows you to control ESP operating modes. We have never seen anything like this on Lada cars. The system allows you to configure the differential lock simulation depending on the road situation (sand, snow), as well as enable the sport mode. However, we will talk about Lada Ride Select later.
Interior
Of course, Cross turned out to be more expensive than regular Xray. In comparable configurations, the difference reached 60-80 thousand rubles, and the maximum Cross generally exceeded the psychological mark of 900 thousand rubles. However, it is in this case that the additional payment seems quite appropriate to us. It’s hard to blame us for advertising (read our other materials about cars, we usually always criticize), but Cross is really better than the regular Xray and, in our opinion, it’s worth the extra payment. However, one should not assume that this is an ideal car. A number of its shortcomings migrated from the regular Xray, and some more appeared after modernization.
No budget packages
Xray Cross, even in the minimum configuration, costs 755 thousand rubles, and that’s a lot. Obviously, it would be possible to make a more affordable version of the car by abandoning some of the options and replacing the 1.8 engine with a 1.6. For some reason, AvtoVAZ doesn’t give buyers a choice – 1.8 and that’s it. Although 1.6 would allow saving both on purchase and maintenance.
We were about to accuse the Xray Cross of having no alternative, but two days before writing the article, news came that AvtoVAZ had started assembling the Xray Cross (and only that one for now!) with the Nissan HR16 engine (it was installed on the first Xrays, but then it was considered too expensive) and a variator. The long-awaited appearance of a continuously variable transmission should make the car more attractive in the eyes of buyers, although such versions will appear only at the end of the year (and the price, we assume, could approach a million rubles), for now there is no choice - only 1.8 and “mechanics” AvtoVAZ doesn’t even install its single-disc “robot” on Xray Cross.
CVT JF015E
Cramped interior
This is the legacy of the B0 platform. Although VAZ engineers went to great lengths to install the rear seat, the entire gain was 25 millimeters, which is absolutely nothing. Xray was cramped for the inhabitants of the second row, and remains so . The trunk volume has also not increased, although its organization is quite interesting. In terms of cargo transportation, the only cool thing was the folding of the front seat; it’s convenient to transport long and bulky things in the car, but something large is no longer possible. As well as the tall passengers in the back.
The luggage compartment volume is 361 liters.
Tricks with ground clearance
Any AvtoVAZ car with the Cross prefix differs from the original in two things - a plastic body kit and increased ground clearance. Even the original Xray proudly looks at the world from a height of 195 millimeters, which is considerable for a passenger car. And the Cross has a stated clearance of 225 millimeters. This is more than almost all all-wheel drive crossovers and on par with cool jeeps! However, not everything is so simple; the first buyers measured everything with a tape measure and were disappointed. Under the crankcase protection, the clearance is really 225 millimeters, but in other parts of the bottom it does not exceed 190-200 millimeters , which, of course, is also decent, but no more than that of the original Xray. It turns out that all AvtoVAZ’s statements about increasing ground clearance are marketing nonsense.
Lada Xray Cross
Fuel consumption
Alas, nothing has changed here either compared to the “original” - Xray still consumes a little more than cars of the same size, weight and class . And the uncontested 1.8 engine only makes the situation worse. Again, no one can give a reasonable explanation, but measurement data from both journalists from various publications and ordinary drivers speak eloquently about this. I wonder what kind of consumption the Nissan 1.6 and the CVT will have? Only practice will tell.
Useless Lada Ride Select
The appearance on the Xray Cross of a washer that regulates the operation of ESP is a cool direction in equipping AvtoVAZ cars. It looks stylish, and in theory should significantly increase cross-country ability by selecting the optimal mode of the traction control system. Alas, the reviews from real owners were not as encouraging as expected. No, the washer itself works - in some modes slipping is not allowed at all, in some you can slip a little, in others the emphasis is on simulating differential locking. Many, however, and the “sand”, according to the logic of their work, would be better off swapping places, here the VAZ engineers were on to something. But that's not the problem. All real owners of the Xray Cross who tested the cross-country ability unanimously say that the best result is still obtained if ESP is completely turned off (there is also such a mode on the puck).
Lada Ride Select
No matter how you experiment with simulations and selector positions, the option to turn off ESP and with slippage is still the most effective. Where slipping leads to digging, you still need to go for a shovel or tractor; Lada Ride Select will not help here. So the washer itself looks cool and, perhaps, adds pride to the car owner for the Russian automobile industry, but in fact it is useless - in effectiveness it is comparable to a simple ESP disable button, which is found on almost all cars.
Total
Xray Cross is exactly the Xray that should have appeared on the assembly line right away. The engineers at AvtoVAZ had enough intellectual and material resources to transform the car and, albeit not completely, to heal some of the sores of the B0 platform that have been dragging on for decades. The best solutions with Vesta in Xray are a logical step, but bold by AvtoVAZ standards. Of course, this should have been done immediately as soon as Xray was launched into production, and not three years later, but better late than never. We won’t say about Xray Cross that it’s a clone of Sandero with a different design – the car turned out to be original. Yes, there are still a lot of rough edges and nuances, not all the new products have worked out, and the price has increased, but unlike the regular Xray, it’s already clear what to buy for the cross-country version. We don’t foresee an easy life for the car - its price is approaching a million rubles, and with such a budget there is already something to choose from. But AvtoVAZ is in the game, fighting for the buyer - and this is already pleasing.
Interior
The interior of the Lada X Ray Cross is diluted with orange inserts on the seats, dashboard and door panels. The front seats have been modified - the design of the cushion has been changed, and the backrests have received more pronounced lateral support.
Salon Lada X Ray Cross
There are also some changes in ergonomics. For example, the seat heating buttons were moved from the bases of the seats, where they were difficult to reach, to the center console.
The rest of the interior is pleasing. Sufficiently high-quality materials, nice design, good visibility, well-thought-out ergonomics, spaciousness - what more do you need?
