Modern Lada car
Avid fans of the products of the domestic automobile industry and newcomers who are planning to purchase a car from the Lada series, among others, ask themselves the following question: is the body of the Lada Grant galvanized?
Scouring Internet resources, reading discussions on various forums and studying the documentation for this car, future mechanics cannot resolve their doubts. And all because some sources confirm, while others refute, information about galvanizing the body. Why is it so important to get reliable data?
The car body requires attention and expense from the car owner. The existence of a huge number of factors negatively affecting the body forces the car manufacturer to come up with ways to protect it. Such factors include adverse weather conditions (rain, snow), chemicals used to treat the road in winter, and much more. Of course, a layer of paint protects for the time being, until minor scratches and chips appear. But even a brand new car has unpainted areas of body parts that will begin to deteriorate first. This is why the question arises about treating all car surfaces with an anti-corrosion coating. But before you answer it, you need to understand what galvanization is.
Review of the new body
The fashion for all-terrain station wagons, as expected, has reached the Russian market, so experts called the appearance of Grants with increased ground clearance only a matter of time.
The first sales of the 2022 model year Lada Granta Cross will begin at dealerships on June 12. How is the domestic auto industry ready to surprise us this time?
The designers of the Grant Cross 2022 managed to raise the new car body above the road with the help of a modernized suspension, while maintaining the usual layout: a semi-independent beam at the rear and McPherson struts on the front axle. The size range of tires has also partially changed: the cross version will be equipped with 195/55 R15 tires. The range of power plants for this model will traditionally remain modest: a 1.6-liter eight-valve 87-horsepower gasoline engine and a sixteen-valve engine with increased power (106 hp)
Both options are available with manual and automatic transmissions: either a 5-speed manual transmission or a five-speed AMT robot.
A pleasant surprise for owners of an automatic transmission will be the presence of the long-awaited creeping mode, in which the Lada Granta Cross 2019 will start moving when the brake pedal is released.
There is also an additional – sport mode of the gearbox, which provides faster switching from one gear to another.
Exterior
It's no secret that all new station wagon modifications of the Grant family are former Kalinas with a Vesta-style front end design. Accordingly, the Lada Granta Cross 2022 inherited a new radiator grille, a new bumper, optics and chrome inserts characteristic of the X-style.
The fact that we are not just dealing with a station wagon will be evidenced only by wider moldings on the sides of the body, a black trim on the trunk lid and a generally more developed protective body kit, which will not be painted in the color of the new body.
By the way, the color range includes 9 types of colors, including the popular orange Aurum.
Interior
The interior design of the Lada Granta Cross 2022 model year is completely borrowed from Kalina, as was done for all restyled Granta sedans and liftbacks.
Small changes can be found only in the area of the central air ducts with two stylish decorative inserts, and the instrument panel, the rims of which are framed in orange.
The designers of the Lada Granta Cross 2022 also replaced the padding material of all seats, making them less susceptible to fatigue deformation, and significantly increased the size of the armrests.
The general style of the interior design is determined by the usual contrasting inserts on the upholstery and steering wheel, and an ERA-GLONASS activation button has appeared on the interior ceiling.
The luggage compartment of the Lada Granta Cross is characterized by sufficient capacity given the overall compact dimensions of the car: 355 and 670 liters with the backrests of the rear sofa not folded and folded, respectively.
Technical stuffing
AvtoVAZ traditionally focuses on the budget and practicality of its equipment, so buyers will not be able to find the latest achievements in automotive electronics or acoustics in the cross-version.
At the same time, the 2022 Lada Granta Cross is a car that fully complies with modern safety standards established by Russian and European laws.
This predetermined not only the appearance of the ERA-GLONASS emergency warning system in the station wagon, but also frontal airbags for the driver and front passenger.
Among other standard options of the Lada Granta Cross 2022 are:
- heated windshield, which will appeal to car owners who operate equipment in conditions of high negative temperatures;
- audio system with hands-free function;
- driver's seat adjustment within a range of 40 mm;
- rear parking sensors;
- HSA system for easier starting on steep hills;
- stability control system
Whose body is more resistant to corrosion: Kalina or Priora?
It is possible that at one time you were the owner of both a Kalina and a Priora, and in this case, of course, you know which car is more resistant to the appearance of rust and rot on body parts. If you think that both cars are domestic, and therefore will rust the same, then you are seriously mistaken.
I, as a former owner of Kalina, can tell you a lot about this car and am familiar with Priors firsthand, so I can certainly compare these cars of the same model year, especially since I have seen dozens of 100% disassembled cars and believe me, I have something say about this.
A look at the problem from the inside
Of course, there are no eternal cars, especially when it comes to the domestic automobile industry. But while some cars can last up to 10 years without significant signs of corrosion, others already in the third year are covered with red spots almost in a circle.
All the “delights” of Priora
For those in the know, you probably understand that in the first case we were talking specifically about Kalina, since the body of this car, if we consider all models before Vesta, is the most durable and resistant to corrosion. Don't believe me? Take the first Priora you come across, about 5 years old, and inspect it from the bottom. You will see with a 95% probability the appearance of rust along the seams of the doors below, a yellowed trunk lid and rust spots on the hood, which can eat the metal from the inside during this time, and this has happened more than once to many owners of these cars.
The trunk lid is a separate matter - one gets the feeling that on this part they simply saved several times on metal and almost all this is done from waste. Even a sedan, even a hatchback with a station wagon, the result is the same - a rotten trunk in 3-5 years, or even earlier. Here is a real example of the cover of a 5-year-old Lada Priora station wagon.
The rust spots that were cleaned off only worsened the situation, since the metal now became like a sieve - it really shines through. But what turned out to be even more interesting in this story is that this lid was ordered from the Caucasus with shipping from TK for as much as 3,000 rubles. That is, we can conclude that even in this condition, this part is normal for Priora owners.
Is Kalina that good?
But Kalina can no longer boast of such problems, since the assembly of this machine, according to many knowledgeable people, occurs completely differently, and the metal most likely is used is different. How else can we explain the fact that even 10-year-old Kalinas often have a more dignified body appearance than 3-year-old Prioras.
Again, this is not a special case, but a pattern that you yourself can trace if you go to inspect at least 10 cars of the same and second models with the same years of manufacture. Moreover, it is worth saying that the first generations of both one model and the other were of higher quality in terms of metal. Now you can find a door with holes in it even on the new Kalina-2, although these cases are quite rare. But this kind of marriage is not excluded and a large number of car enthusiasts are aware of this.
Speaking about my personal car, which I have used for more than 7 years, I can say the following. Not a single body part has even a speck of rust. Moreover, the car is outdoors all year round, washed no more than once a month, and it definitely hasn’t seen any special care. So, as far as anti-corrosion properties are concerned, Kalina in this regard outshines Priore in no time.
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Features of the Lada Granta body
The new Granta body, of course, is superior in quality and characteristics to other models and cannot but please the owners. More modern technologies, galvanization and high-quality coating are big words that please the ear of a lover of products from the domestic automobile industry. But it should be taken into account that not the entire body undergoes anti-corrosion treatment, but only the areas most susceptible to destruction. Moreover, the manufacturer warns that the warranty for body protection against rust is 6 years, and then the car may need additional treatment. But a lot also depends on the operating conditions of the Lada Granta car. Compliance with all rules for the use of transport and appropriate care can increase the service life of factory galvanized steel up to 10 years.
Comparative characteristics
From the above we can draw the following conclusion:
- Granta is cheaper than Kalina;
- Grant has a modern platform, better handling;
- to the detriment of safety and quality, Grant simplified the headlight unit and other body parts, but this lowered the price of the car;
- Grant has a higher quality paintwork. Less susceptible to corrosion, retains natural color longer.
- Compared to Kalina, Grant has better sound insulation, which allows you to talk in the car even at high speed.
It would be worth considering some parameters in more detail and comparing them.
- Appearance of cars. Upon a superficial examination of the new product, it may seem that the Granta is not like other Russian cars. Upon closer inspection, it is noticeable that the side doors are the same as those of the Lada Kalina. And the sedan bodies of both models are generally not much different. The Granta can only be recognized by its large size and a different shape of the bumper and headlights.
- Luggage compartment. When it comes to trunk space, the Lada Kalina remains on the bench. Due to the fact that Granta's body is longer than that of Kalina, its trunk is much larger. It’s just that the appearance of the trunk is “lame”, and it doesn’t close the first time. But the size of the trunk is louder than its shortcomings, and this is good news.
- Salon overview. Kalina users often received complaints about the unbearable creaking of the panels, a large number of gaps and backlashes. In the new Lada Granta, these shortcomings have been corrected, and the interior makes almost no unnecessary unpleasant sounds. But regarding the plastic in the car, there is a question: is it cheap? Despite this, the interior of the Lada Granta also has its advantages:
- beautiful and pleasant instrument panel;
- cup holders installed;
- the glove compartment has been enlarged;
- There were no problems with the heater operation.
- Steering rack. A significant advantage of the Grant over the Kalina is the shortened steering rack. This solution made it easier to drive the new car. But there was no room in the vehicle for an ashtray, but all was not lost.
- Power unit. The engines in both cars are almost the same, but the Granta has some advantages. With the same number of valves per cylinder, the Kalina engine is capable of developing a power of 82 horsepower, and
Grant - 90. Such indicators can be explained by the fact that the latter has a lightweight connecting rod and piston group. The Granta's power unit works faster, unlike the Kalina, and there is no unnecessary noise.
- Safety system. It is worth noting that the Grant has two airbags, which cannot be said about the Kalina, and this is a good indicator, considering the new product as a budget car.
In addition, the new product, like its competitor Lada Kalina, will exist in a hatchback body. Granta in a hatchback body looks more youthful, but Lada Kalina is more functional in terms of transporting large loads.
Dealers' opinion
The only remark is that some AvtoVAZ dealers in the capital honestly state that their product does not have a galvanized body at all. This is due to the low price of the car. Therefore, you need to be especially careful when choosing a car and check the manufacturer’s promises in practice.
If there is no galvanization as such, then it will be necessary to use additional semi-liquid protective agents that are applied to the metal surfaces of the car. They significantly increase the corrosion resistance of even those vehicles that have not been subjected to additional anti-corrosion treatment.
For two months my vehicle was a Lada Granta in the Norma configuration. During this time, we covered about 4,000 km, of which more than half the car was operated in run-in mode. I drove along good asphalt roads, overcame broken-down sections of concrete, tested the car on the ground, and even managed to drive on snow and ice. In general, I have accumulated impressions, it’s time to share.
Especially for this post, I made a fairly detailed photo review of the model, which I used to break up the story. Large images - with a resolution of 2000 pixels in width, consider a “grenade”
