The new Russian crossover Lada X-Ray is equipped with modern gearboxes that were developed specifically for this model. From a technical and practical point of view, the new gearboxes are superior to previous versions that were installed by AvtoVAZ on other Lada models. The new gearboxes are receiving a lot of positive feedback from car enthusiasts who have tested them in practice in various driving situations.
Lada X-Ray is available to customers with three different gearboxes. Two of which were designed by French specialists, and the third was developed by AvtoVAZ. French gearboxes are five-speed manual shifters. The Russian transmission installed on the Lada Xray is a robotic automatic transmission. The Russian-made AMT transmission very quickly proved itself to be the best and is currently considered one of the most reliable and high-quality gearboxes of its kind. The robot allows the driver to switch from automatic to manual mode and back at any time.
More about the checkpoint
Lada X-Ray has three gearboxes of the following modifications:
- mechanics JR5518 is a French-made five-speed transmission with multi-cone synchronizers;
- mechanics JH3512 is a French-made manual gearbox with 5 gear levels;
- the VAZ-21827 robot is a Russian-made robotic transmission.
On the Lada X-Ray, manual transmissions are available in all vehicle configurations, from basic to top prestige. The robotic automatic machine on the Lada Xray is not available in all configuration options; it can only be obtained by purchasing Optima Comfort, Top and Top Prestige.
What has changed in the interior?
Xray has acquired a new multimedia system with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Now you can download Google maps and view not only SMS messages, but also messages in instant messengers. The updated multimedia, by the way, will also appear on Xrays with a manual transmission.
In general, the interior has not changed. Almost. The block of buttons for the heated steering wheel and windshield has moved to the center of the console, since instead of the washer of the Lada Ride Select system, a CVT selector with six quasi-speeds and the possibility of manual switching has appeared. For cars with a CVT, the function of selecting driving modes is not provided, which means you will have to do without it. We'll check whether this will affect the driving behavior - especially off asphalt.
Robotic gearbox
For strategic reasons of AvtoVAZ, the Lada X-Ray was equipped with an AMT instead of an automatic transmission. The first reaction of car enthusiasts in this regard was negative, but later in practice the robot proved its worth and met the expectations of management, earning trust and an excellent reputation among car owners. The Lada Xray is equipped with a Russian-made robot, which was able to surpass its foreign counterparts in quality.
The robotic transmission found on the Lada Xray has electronic components built into it that compensate for the clutch. German actuators are installed in the new box, and the clutch is manufactured by VALEO, a world-famous company. The robot operates in “automatic” and “manual” modes.
Characteristic features of the robot installed on X-Rey:
- there is protection against incorrect switching;
- availability of automatic/manual modes;
- Xray with such a transmission allows for fast acceleration;
- there is a gear reset mode;
- low fuel consumption (about 6.5 liters in the city);
- low oil consumption;
- does not require warming up even at very low temperatures, you can immediately turn it on and go;
- the automatic transmission installed on the Xray independently adapts to the driver’s driving style, while normalizing fuel consumption and increasing ride comfort;
- the robot lever on the Xray does not create vibrations, the box operates silently;
- thanks to the robot, the Lada Xray can tow other cars and transport trailers;
- Automatic gears shift quickly, without jerking or various twitches.
How does it behave off-road?
Xray with a CVT is inferior to versions with manual transmission outside the asphalt. And the point here is not the ground clearance - it just remained large enough. There is a noticeable absence of the control washer of the Lada Ride Select system, which determined the operating mode of the power unit and auxiliary electronic systems. Of course, electronics did not replace all-wheel drive, but it gave an advantage in certain situations by changing the damping of the accelerator pedal and the permissible degree of slipping of the drive wheels. The Xray with a CVT doesn't have all this. The electronics protect the variator and do not allow it to slip as much as you want - even with the traction control system turned off.
You need to understand that the Lada XRAY Cross is a front-wheel drive hatchback with high ground clearance. The car is quite capable of overcoming a snowdrift, a small sand trap and a dirt road where good geometric cross-country ability is important - but nothing more. Therefore, when intending to drive the Lada Xray Cross on muddy ground, in autumn or spring thaw, first think carefully. And take a detour.
Reasons for Togliatti residents choosing a robot
The robotic gearbox at one time made a leap in the progress of the global auto industry. However, the experience of using this development by many foreign companies, as a kind of know-how, was not always clear-cut. In theory, this is a transmission option that is designed to create stubborn competition with automatics in terms of demand among consumers. But in reality, during many years of practice in introducing this alternative, even famous European concerns had not entirely successful cases of producing cars with semi-automatic devices.
There are many reasons for and against choosing such a transmission. And when choosing the optimal option for which system to be an alternative to mechanics, automobile factories compare many factors in favor of one gearbox or another. The robot has its own advantages and disadvantages. In the case of AvtoVAZ, there were the following reasons for introducing a semi-automatic gearbox.
- The production of a robot is less expensive than an automatic machine.
- The prototype for creating the robot was a mechanic from VAZ.
- One car combines both manual and automatic switching, which attracts more consumers.
Regarding the first advantage from the list, it can be noted that when using it, the manufacturer significantly reduces the cost of manufacturing a car. Due to this, AvtoVAZ was able to offer a competitive price on the market.
If the X-Ray was equipped with an automatic transmission (automatic gearbox), then we can confidently say that the car would cost 50-100 thousand rubles more.
The fact that the robot was developed on the VAZ platform is even more beneficial for the formation of a relatively low price. The third plus of X-Ray, as mentioned above, attracts both fans of automation and adherents of manual control. This advantage, in addition to simplifying pricing, makes the Xray model even more successful in terms of demand and marketing in general.
Disadvantages of the AMT robot on Lada Xray
On the one hand, the car received a new modern engine from AvtoVAZ (16-valve VAZ-21179, volume 1.8 liters, power 122 hp, torque 170 Nm.). It would seem that with such characteristics of an internal combustion engine paired with an adapted and tuned robot, the dynamics should be excellent. However, on the other hand, it is the shortcomings of the AMT box in this combination that are fully manifested.
Let us note right away that there is no fault of the ZF specialists who developed the gearbox and software. The main problem is that AMT boxes themselves, although cheap, are far from an ideal solution, which is confirmed by the sad experience of many manufacturers around the world.
AvtoVAZ also understands this very well, but the priority is to save money and reduce the cost of the car in any way in order to be able to compete. To be clear, single-disc AMT type robots are the cheapest type of robotic gearbox.
- Without going into details, immediately after their development, the largest automakers (European, Japanese, etc.) began installing them. As a result, such robots ended up under the hoods of budget models, as well as on cars from the middle segment produced in 2006-2009 (for example, Toyota, Ford, Honda, Opel, Peugeot, etc.).
Taking into account the fact that these automatic machines were positioned as an affordable replacement for “classic” automatic transmissions and advertising companies emphasized their advantages, many car owners purchased cars with such a robotic automatic transmission. However, it later became clear that AMT-type boxes are still very far from traditional automatic transmissions and CVTs.
First of all, thanks to the design features (automated mechanics), when driving, a driver who has switched from a “classic” automatic immediately notices jerks, delays and dips. The reason is a mechanical clutch instead of a gas turbine engine, as well as delays in the response of servomechanisms, since time is spent on turning the clutch on/off, selecting and shifting gears, etc.
We also recommend reading a separate article about what an AMT box is. From this article you will learn about the design of a manual transmission of this type, as well as what the pros and cons of an automated manual transmission have.
These disadvantages are in fact a more serious disadvantage than the advantages of AMT in the form of low cost, as well as good acceleration dynamics at the same time as better fuel efficiency.
It should also be noted that in the future, the owners of the robots also encountered rapid wear of the clutch and breakdowns of the servomechanisms that control the box, already by 80-100 thousand km. mileage Many cars required regular clutch adaptation (every 15-20 thousand km), and the clutch itself lasted about 60-80 thousand km.
If we add to this the rather high cost of servomechanisms and their low maintainability, combined with the high cost of individual spare parts for AMT, then such robotic mechanics in terms of reliability turned out to be not at all the “indestructible” unit (by analogy with a manual transmission), as many expected.
As a result, major global manufacturers began to quickly abandon robotic gearboxes of this type in favor of “classic” automatic transmissions, CVTs or the latest preselective dual-clutch robotic gearboxes (DSG type).
- If we talk about the Lada Xray with a robot, even taking into account the modifications, the potential of a powerful engine cannot be fully realized with a gearbox of this type. The car nods when switching, unexpected dips and pauses occur.
In fact, the box operates more or less predictably only in quiet mode, but during dynamic driving you can forget about smoothness and instant responsiveness. Even the manual mode (similar to Tiptronic on an automatic transmission) does not help, since it is also semi-automatic.
Also, unlike an automatic transmission, with an AMT gearbox the car itself does not move forward after the driver releases the brake pedal. More precisely, the XRAY will only move off after the driver presses the gas, which clearly makes moving in traffic jams more difficult.
What gearboxes are installed on X-Ray
The choice is not very large - the manufacturer offered only two options in the line of available transmissions. However, the proposed types of boxes are quite capable of meeting the needs of any domestic driver.
Available for this model are: a five-speed robotic gearbox - AMT and a five-speed manual transmission. What they are needs to be explained in more detail.
5-speed manual transmission
A manual gearbox for the Lada XRay, according to many experts, will become one of the most popular vehicle equipment options. The manual transmission will be a French development, successfully used by the Renault concern, which in turn was provided to equip many Renault and AvtoVAZ models. The tall Lada XRay hatchback with front-wheel drive was no exception. This box shows good results and works like a clock.
The service life and resource of the box, previously used by the French manufacturer to equip the second generation Renault Logan, do not raise any doubts about its quality and durability. It is quite unpretentious to use and rarely requires major repairs.
Previously, this manual transmission was already successfully used in the assembly of the Lada Vesta, released for sale in November 2015. As reviews from Vesta buyers show, this unit does not cause any complaints in operation, so it will be a worthy choice for every Lada X-Ray buyer.
The only question that a potential buyer may have is some imbalance in the power of the motor. For some reasons, the designers created quite strict frameworks when assembling power units, so the manual transmission is used only in conjunction with two not very powerful engines. The Russian VAZ-21129 engine (1.6 liters, 106 horsepower) and the Japanese H4Mk (1.6 liters, 110 horsepower) are weaker than the VAZ-21179 engine (1.8 liters, 122 hp), which is only available with AMT. For example, in the most budget version of X Ray, the power is 106 hp. may not be sufficient to provide the required vehicle dynamics.
5-speed robotic automatic transmission (AMT)
As for the automatic transmission, AvtoVAZ used its own development – a robotic five-speed transmission with the ability to “intercept” control into manual mode. It will be possible to use the “robot” proposed by the developer to equip the Lada XRay only in the configuration of the power unit together with the VAZ-21179 engine, which has a volume of 1.8 liters and a rated power of 122 hp.
You can learn in more detail about how exactly the automatic transmission of a domestic manufacturer functions in numerous videos that were created by both independent experts and journalists from major automotive publications. In general, the performance of the variator was considered quite good, taking into account the latest adjustments from the manufacturer.
The disadvantages of AMT include the tendency to automatically downshift when climbing a steep slope. If the car begins to reduce power, there is a risk of losing momentum when overtaking on this hill (despite the built-in electronic stability control). The incorrect setting of the traction control system, which muffled engine speed when the load-bearing front wheels slipped, also contributed to this misunderstanding. Since these nuances were noticed during the first test drives, there is hope that the manufacturer corrected these shortcomings in time. As a last resort, it is recommended to take over manual control by switching the variator.
The second nuance is common to all automatic transmissions. One way or another, the electronics “slows down” a little with upshifts or downshifts, so there are some delays in the operation of the mechanism. An experienced driver with manual transmission control will receive significantly better vehicle acceleration performance than even the most advanced automatic.
The crunch of a Japanese bun: the first test drive of the Lada Xray Cross with a CVT
I remember that the Lada Xray - even without any Cross prefix - was already launched in Russia with the French H4M engine with a volume of 1.6 liters. The unit turned out to be too expensive: at the beginning of 2016, it was just being assembled in Togliatti, localization was shallow, and some parts had to be delivered from abroad by plane. According to the permanent head of the Xray project, Oleg Grunenkov, “it was a disaster.” Over time, Tolyatti introduced head and block casting with subsequent machining, began to produce crankshafts, and at the same time replaced import suppliers for some components. As a result, the unit not only became competitive in price, but also made it possible to avoid unnecessary costs when “automating” the Lada Xray Cross.
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Let us remember that the block of modern Togliatti engines is cast iron, and the 1.8-liter VAZ-21179 is no exception. Therefore, the French-Japanese power unit turned out to be heavier than the 1.8 + 5MT pair by only 13 kg, despite the fact that the variator itself weighs 71 kg. This allowed the engineers to make do with the Lada Xray with the very significant modifications to the chassis that they carried out when preparing the Cross version, which we wrote about in detail in the material devoted to the first test of the Zhiguli new product.
Meanwhile, it is the presence of a borrowed power unit from the Renault and Nissan models that determines the impossibility of transferring to other modifications of the Xray such a useful unit as the intermediate support for the drive shaft of the right front wheel, which makes it possible to install identical driveshafts with joints of equal angular velocities on both sides. Nobody will adapt the design to ordinary VAZ engines - it’s expensive. On the other hand, the Lada buyer is not demanding in terms of handling or, say, course stability during emergency braking. To be fair, on the Xray, different shaft lengths have less of an impact on the car's ability to stay straight when decelerating. But try to brake hard on the Grant: the car will “carry” from side to side, and the driver will not be able to do without correcting the trajectory with the steering wheel. The exhaust system that goes to the H4M engine is again not transferable to the “native” units, but it gives the best performance in terms of noise and vibration.
Meanwhile, the CVT itself, without a doubt, adds noise to the cabin. At least the low metallic sound from the movement of the set-up belt along the pulleys is very clearly audible in the cabin, and the more intense the acceleration, the higher its component.
The combination of a CVT with VAZ engines 21129 and 21179 is not provided. Structurally, there are no obstacles to this, although the variator cannot handle the torque of the 1.8-liter engine. On the other hand, the CVT version of the Xray Cross will not receive the Ride Select system, or, more simply put, a puck with a set of transmission mode settings that are more needed on the version with a “handle”. Hand on heart, this only causes one inconvenience for the owner of the Xray Cross CVT: the button to turn off the stabilization system is not on the washer located on the central panel, but on the tunnel under the handbrake - remember where the window lifters were located on the first Logan? So the right button is now dedicated to disabling ESP, and on the left side there is just a plug. This was a decision of the alliance, as well as the use of CVT by AvtoVAZ on B- and C-class models. In this sense, it is already clear that the upcoming compact crossover Lada, which is now being actively “thought about” in Tolyatti, will have CVT, but the next new product with a CVT will be Vesta. True, if earlier they strictly promised to present it to journalists before the new year 2022, now they say: “we will show it in the next few months.”
Let us recall that in the JF015E variator, to eliminate belt travel in the “border” zones - on the edge of the pulleys and at a small radius - there is a two-stage planetary gearbox, which, during smooth acceleration, switches to a higher stage at speeds from 40 to 60 km/h, but can also go back if the driver decides to push the gas all the way “to the button”, or, more simply put, play kickdown. As for the torque converter, it is excluded from operation, that is, it is blocked already at speeds of 10–15 km/h, but it will play a positive role off-road. So, blocking the “donut”, switching in the planetary gear when moving forward and reverse: the clutches will regularly supply the oil with friction products, but it will not be possible to change the ATF preventively - it is filled for the entire warranty period, so you will have to wait up to 100,000 km.
What about off-road? After all, Xray Cross seems to be bought in part in order to feel more free off the asphalt... On the one hand, the presence of a torque converter is always a plus, the wheels will not slip. On the other hand, the H4M is still not just weaker than our 21179, and its peak torque (152 Nm versus 170) occurs at 4,000 rpm versus 3,700 for the Tolyatti unit.
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Let's see what's on our wheel. It turns out that the moment is almost the same. Both with a manual transmission with a 1.8 engine and with a variator, the transmission increases it by more than 15 times, while the CVT version also retains a torque converter that adds its own gear ratio: when driving along gullies at low speeds, the “donut” remains open. This covers the difference in the traction capabilities of the engines, but all these considerations are still “on paper”; we have not yet gone into the fields with an automatic Xray Cross.
Let us remember that even on a 1.8 engine with a clutch driven disc increased from 200 to 215 mm, there is still a danger of burning it in the fields, so a “donut” can be useful. On the other hand, both engines, especially the “French” one, frankly speaking, are not very suitable for adventures off the asphalt, but you can drive on muddy dirt roads and the easiest “crossroads”, the main thing is not to forget to switch to manual mode and control the transmission in the first programmed stage , corresponding to the lowest gear ratio provided by the pulleys.
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Another very interesting point. When installing a variator, the Togliatti residents kept the ground clearance of the Xray Cross at 215 mm, while their colleagues from Renault refused to install a CVT on the Logan Stepway City version: the variator crankcase is larger than that of a manual box, and in the “French” it ate up several precious millimeters of ground clearance due to the fact that the subframe has to be installed lower. There are no such problems on the Xray: it seems that even during the development of the car, the possibility of placing this Japanese “automatic” under the hood was provided. By the way, the mounting points for the power unit on the Xray Cross are the same as on the 1.8 5MT, but the supports themselves are of a different design. Again, let’s add that, unlike many “Chinese” cars, with the advent of the CVT, the Xray Cross did not lose the ability to tow a trailer: it is allowed to drag an “additional” weight of 650 kg or 800 kg, depending on the presence of brakes.
Lada Xray Cross AT
1.6 Н4М CVT JF015E
113 l. With. at 5500 rpm, 152 Nm at 4000 rpm
Let's return to the features of the variator in motion. In addition to noise, another complaint was the difficult dosing of traction in city modes: if the engine immediately responds to changes in the throttle position, the components of the variator pulleys change their position with a delay, as a result, even at speeds of 50–80 km/h it is difficult to maneuver in city traffic. Oleg Grunenkov claims that an international team of Russian, French and Japanese engineers, calibrating the algorithms of the power unit, did everything to tune the car for a comfortable ride. This is necessary for those buyers for whom the Xray Cross will be the first car - they are primarily focused on them.
Maybe it would make sense to add a Sport button to the Xray Cross CVT in the future? It is quite likely that this will happen - we know that in Togliatti they react to the comments of journalists and owners. Let's not forget that next to the ESP disable button there is a “plug” that can be used for these purposes. Meanwhile, the difference in the possibilities of dosing traction with a pair of 1.8 5MT is very noticeable, and on the highway it becomes even more noticeable. Moreover, for overtaking on the highway, AvtoVAZ developers definitely recommend using manual mode, and we are convinced that you can’t do without it.
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With all this, the “adjusters” left the car with good braking capabilities using programmed stages, of which there are six in the variator: switching from second to first occurs at a speed of 50 km/h, and the car effectively slows down. Meanwhile, there is no point in using manual mode when picking up speed, although here the electronics still reach the red zone of 6000 rpm faster, while in automatic mode it can hit a thousand earlier - the main thing is that the gas pedal is pressed all the way. After reaching the cutoff, the needle drops to 4500 rpm and continues to dangle between this value and the beginning of the red zone, depending on the throttle position. In manual mode, when the gas is released, the electronics hold the average speed a little better, while in the automatic mode they immediately drop by 2000 rpm and, if the driver does not accelerate, drop to idle.
In short, in terms of the sum of consumer indicators, the lack of prospects for combining a CVT with a 1.8 engine and the obvious focus of the “automatic” version on the urban girl audience, we remain in the same position: the domestic VAZ-21179 engine, coupled with a French manual gearbox, remains the best and the most capable powertrain on the Xray.
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By the way, during the test, especially when driving in the city, I had a strong feeling that the developers somewhat reconfigured the steering wheel, trying to remove the natural “heaviness” of the mechanism. At the same time, a somewhat blurred zone with completely indistinct reactions was formed near the neutral position. Tolyatti residents claim that they have not made any changes in this regard, but quite recently our editorial team tested an Xray Cross with a 1.8 engine, and here my memory hardly fails me.
Lada Xray Cross AT
1.6 Н4М CVT JF015E
from 846,000 rubles
Finally, let’s clarify the issue of the appearance of a six-speed manual transmission on the Xray and other Ladas: it will not be there. The fact is that the JR5 family does not provide for the presence of a sixth stage at all in any form or with any upgrades. The “higher” line TL4/TL8, which goes to, say, the Duster, is a bit expensive, and in Russia, unlike the same JR5, is not localized. As for the all-wheel drive Xray, we repeat once again: this is a closed question. Two years ago, the Togliatti team not only calculated the economics of this project, but even carried out assembly work with the clutch from Duster: the clutch fits on the Xray, but the economics do not add up.
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