Nine disadvantages of the Lada Vesta according to reviews from car owners

Enough time has passed since the launch of mass production to objectively consider all the shortcomings of the Lada Vesta. Although it’s worth starting with the fact that in many ways AvtoVAZ’s new product met consumer expectations:

good handling for cars of this class;
roomy trunk and spacious interior (if we compare Vesta with competitors such as Solaris and Rio);
decent security system;
stylish appearance;
many useful standard options implemented by the plant for the first time.

But even the leaders of the global automobile industry do not have ideal cars - there are always pros and cons, and the latter often arouse more interest.

Lada Vesta

Gluttonous 1.8 engine

The original 122-horsepower 1.8 unit, which had been reaching production cars for a long time, was disappointing in 3 ways: it turned out to be not very vigorous, and also greedy for fuel mixture and oil.

Car owners will have to come to terms with gasoline consumption in toffees exceeding 10 liters. But after upgrading the engine, we managed to get rid of two other problems.

To improve traction characteristics, engineers dug into the firmware. And to eliminate the oil burn, large-scale modifications to the hardware and assembly procedures were carried out.

Newsies have begun to complain less frequently, but individual episodes of increased oil consumption still occur.

Read - what kind of oil to pour into the Lada Vesta engine.

avtoexperts.ru

I have always had a positive attitude towards Lada Vesta. For me, this is a nice car, almost like a foreign car, which costs less than its competitors and is easy to maintain. Deciding to check what Vesta was like, I found a copy with a mileage of 40,000 km. I talked to the owner, drove it for a drive, and today I’ll tell you about what problems there are, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the car.

Lada Vesta

The first positive point, as I wrote above, is the appearance. Whatever one may say, I like Vesta. She looks modern and stylish. Even the X-shaped stampings on the sidewalls look unusual and attract attention.

Note that the test car has a lowered suspension - minus 30 mm from stock. The owner installed Eibach springs for 10,000 rubles. Because he thinks that the standard Vesta is too high and looks ridiculous. I agree with him on this matter. In addition, at one time the car had 17-inch wheels, which created a more impressive look.

Lada Vesta on R17 wheels

Despite the lowered suspension, the ground clearance is enough to park close to curbs. If you drive up close to the curb, there is still a couple of centimeters left to the edge of the bumper.

We pulled up close to the curb

Let me remind you that the ground clearance of a standard car is 178 mm. This is more than any B-class competitors - Hyundai Solaris, Kia Rio, Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Rapid.

Speaking of competitors, it is worth saying that Vesta is at least 150-200,000 rubles cheaper than the above models. Perhaps this is the key factor that allows it to be number one in its segment.

Headlights

When you start studying the details, you understand why Vesta is cheaper than its competitors. The devil is in the details. For example, none of the configurations have LED optics. While the Korean and Czech-German representatives have them.

Lada Vesta, rear view

The front brakes are disc and the rear are drum. For versions with a 1.8 engine (122 hp) and a continuously variable transmission, rear disc brakes are available.

Vesta rear drum brakes

Let's return to our copy. The 2022 car is not in the cheapest configuration called Comfort. There is air conditioning, two airbags, a music system with Bluetooth, heated front seats, power windows in the front and rear parking sensors.

Interior of Lada Vesta

At the time of purchase, the car cost 621,000 rubles. Now such versions cost about 820,000 rubles. So prices have risen.

There is even an armrest, but only for the driver. The spirit of the Renault-Nissan alliance is recognizable in this moment. After all, a similar armrest was previously installed on many models, including the pre-reform Renault Kaptur.

Armrest Lada Vesta

By the way, the restyled 2022 models began to install a full-fledged armrest, as well as cup holders with increased capacity.

Armrest on modern versions of Vesta

There is enough space in the back for two passengers. I sit down behind myself and there are still a few centimeters left in front of my knees.

Rear seat

The trunk is not small and its volume is 480 liters, which is quite enough for a family person. True, when you open the trunk lid, you again notice a reduction in price. There is no trim on the lid or top of the trunk. Solaris, Rio, Polo and Rapid, in this regard, are doing better.

Luggage compartment

Please note that cars produced before September 2022 are slightly different. In particular, early models had a lock on the trunk lid, but now there is only a handle under the license plate.

Lada Vesta 2015

Also, the gas cap on new models does not have a recess.

Let's move on to the shortcomings and nuances that occurred during operation.

1. Door stops work in such a way that the door immediately opens wide. The owner installed a new type of limiter on one door, which has been installed on Vesta since 2019.

New door stop

2. Creaky original stabilizer bushings are a known weak point. At 10,000 km, they were replaced with new ones from Hyundai/Kia. The creak is gone. The price of each is 150 rubles.

Hyundai/Kia stabilizer bushings

3. The upper engine mount was replaced twice. The first time at 10,000 km, then at 20,000 km the owner installed a reinforced support from a VAZ 2110.

Upper engine mount

4. There were also problems with the lower support and it was replaced at 38,000 km. The part was taken from Renault Logan.

5. The exhaust system is also a weak point. For example, after 5000 km the original corrugation wore out. They replaced it, but at 20,000 km it came to an end again. They immediately installed a new set - a corrugation with a resonator.

Resonator with CBD corrugation

6. Under warranty, the anti-roll bar was replaced at 20,000 km, although the part could have lasted longer. The dealer supplied the part as a new one. The article number of the new spare part is 8450031594.

New stabilizer Lada 8450031594

7. The stabilizer struts were replaced at 35,000 km. The cost of the part is 500 rubles.

Front stabilizer

8. The brake discs were worn down at 30,000 km. The price of the set is about 2000 rubles, plus brake pads 500-900 rubles.

9. The front shock absorber struts were replaced at 5000 km. The manufacturer installed SAAZ companies, but they turned out to be short-lived. Then they chose Demfi - they are more reliable. Price - 3800 rubles per piece.

Saaz on the left, Demfi on the right

10. The repeaters in the side mirrors fogged up. The dealer corrected the defect under warranty by replacing the entire side mirrors.

Side mirrors

Having listed the weak points, you might think that Vesta consists entirely of shortcomings and breakdowns. In fact, this is not true. The engine, transmission and body are in perfect order. True, the five-speed transmission of the VAZ 21807 howls until the third gear, and from the fourth the extraneous noise goes away.

By the way, until 2016, the first Vestas were equipped with a Jatco JH3-510 transmission, which is better, but more expensive than the VAZ gearbox.

The 106 horsepower of the 21129 engine is enough for a quiet ride around the city and on the highway. When overtaking, you need to be careful and plan ahead. I would still like more power.

Engine 21129. Volume - 1.6, 106 forces and 14 Hm.

The 1.8-liter engine with an index of 21179 and 122 horsepower is also not particularly dynamic. Therefore, the optimal choice is the 1.6 106 hp engine, or the 113 hp Nissan H4M unit (HR16DE), which is paired with a CVT.

Engine 1.8 122 hp and 170 Hm.

The suspension is energy-intensive. True, our copy is equipped with soft Nokian Hakka Green 3 tires, measuring 185/65R15.

Road unevenness is periodically transmitted to the steering wheel, although the car has electric power steering and not hydraulic power steering. They say that the problem lies in the tie rods or the steering rack. Some owners modify the rack themselves and the knocking on the steering wheel goes away.

Instead of output

After getting to know Vesta from the inside, I can say that the car is far from ideal, but not problematic either. Although there could have been fewer problems. Thanks to AvtoVAZ.

All the shortcomings can be easily eliminated, especially since dealers most often agree to meet them. True, for 800-850,000 rubles, you don’t want to buy such a car, even if it’s new. But for 620,000 rubles, how much it cost in 2022, it’s quite possible. And even now on the secondary market such a copy costs about 500-550,000 rubles. For the money this is a great option.

Would you pay for a new Lada Vesta 800,000 for the average one or more than 1,000,000 rubles for the top-end configuration?

Sincerely, Airat Kadyrmaev.

Knocks in the suspension

In general, West levers last quite a long time. Extraneous noise may come from shock absorbers and stabilizer struts. The latter, by the way, sometimes did not live to reach 10 thousand km. Over time, the plant produced improved parts.

It is worth noting that car dealers agree to replace shock absorbers only in the case of clearly visible oil leaks. If the noise-producing elements are dry, the owner may be refused repairs.

Rapid contamination

There is too much clearance in the hood latch area, allowing dirt and water to enter the engine from the outside. As a result, Vesta owners are forced to resort to cleaning the engine compartment more often and installing various seals.

Large gaps in the housing

Rapid contamination is also typical for the body. Most likely, the reason is the large wheel arches, and the X-shaped imprints also play a role in collecting dirt. In addition, the lack of edges on the windshield affects it and, as a result, the side windows quickly become clogged.

Another drawback of the Lada Vesta is associated with the side windows - very poorly selected seals. Because of them, dirt gets inside the door, which subsequently leads to scratches.

It is also worth remembering ineffective windshield wipers, which some car owners change without hesitation. Standard wipers not only fail to do their job, but also begin to leave scratches over time.

Rusting exhaust system corrugation

The short-lived exhaust tract has always been the weak point of the Lad, and Vesta is no exception. Corrugation rusts very quickly. For some time this does not appear in any way. However, after about 40 thousand km, the timbre begins to change, and in the end the “swallow” with the roar of a fighter has to go for repairs.

Previously, the production warranty was only 1 year or 35 thousand km. But now the domestic manufacturer is ready to replace the failed device within 3 years of operation (100 thousand km).

Vesta's sores

Wheel caps keep getting lost.
The cover with the antenna fell off the roof of the car.
The turn signals in the side mirrors fog up (see thread on the forum).

Turn signals not working

Turn doublers made of LED elements, built into the exterior mirror housings, turned out to be short-lived. At first, they were deprived of tightness and died from water getting inside, and later without the participation of moisture.

There are no problems with warranty repairs.

Now this problem is much easier to treat than it was at the start of sales. If previously it was necessary to change the entire mirror in a long and tedious manner, now only the optical elements are changed. If the warranty period has already passed, replacing the LEDs will cost 500 rubles.

Advantages of the car

When creating the machine, the concern used modern developments and took examples from foreign products. But still, “childhood diseases” do not stop moving from model to model:

the handling of the Lada Vesta, according to an auto expert’s assessment, is one of the best in the B segment, this was achieved due to a new chassis of a specific shape;
In terms of body dimensions, the domestic new product is superior to its main competitors; it also has a very roomy and comfortable interior;
engineers tried to make the driving process safe by including a large number of braking systems in the on-board computer;
the car pleases the eye with a stylish X-shaped design;
the upholstery is more expensive and of higher quality than on previous models;
Sound insulation in cars is highly valued;
in trim levels that are more expensive, there is a heated windshield and an armrest for the driver.

Fact against #5. Inferior in comfort to foreign cars

Some buyers prefer to overpay 50 thousand rubles and get a foreign car. Or they choose older models, but from famous brands. For 550 thousand rubles you can buy, for example, a Toyota Camry VI (XV40) 2006-2008 with a leather interior:

Or Mazda 6 II (GH) 2008:

Also with a leather interior, multimedia and a more powerful engine than the Vesta.

Such cars will certainly be a good alternative to almost new Vestas. They are better in technical characteristics and comfort level. They will only be 8-9 years older.

Content

Fact #1. Good handling
Fact against #1. Poor quality suspension parts
Fact #2. Large ground clearance
Fact against #2. Windage on the track
Fact number 3. Spacious salon
Fact against #3. Poor quality interior assembly
Fact number 4. Rich configurations
Fact against #4. Poor quality options
Fact #5. Competitive price
Fact against #5. Inferior in comfort to foreign cars
What problems can you encounter on the secondary market?

Plus: design

No matter what they say, Vesta is a success in appearance - without a nameplate it can easily be confused with a foreign car. Just look at the exterior: the design team, led by Steve Mattin, has achieved the almost impossible. The results of the work done are comparable only to such bright moments in the history of the domestic automotive industry as the appearance of the “kopek”, “Niva”, and also the “eight”. Naturally, such a radical transformation did not go unnoticed by car enthusiasts, because for the first time in many years AvtoVAZ released a model that can be called beautiful and stylish. We can say that Vesta looks even more harmonious than some famous foreign cars, such as the Kia Rio.

Cons: windshield wipers

The problem especially affects the first Vestas, where the work of the frame wipers, although not the biggest problem in the car, is very unpleasant - it’s clearly a manufacturer’s fault. Their movement is accompanied by creaking, and in some cases even scratches on the glass are reported. Of course, not everyone encounters this, but it would be better if AvtoVAZ began equipping Vesta with frameless brushes from the assembly line.

Plus: price-equipment ratio

It was the price/equipment factor that made Vesta the most attractive option among competing cars, providing it with such high sales results. It’s simple: for similar options that are present on Vesta on foreign cars, you will have to pay much more. Therefore, Vesta ranks 1st in the sales ranking, while arch competitors Kia Rio and Hyundai Solaris are only 3rd and 5th, respectively.

Results

According to experts from the auto magazine, Vesta behaved much better during endurance tests than expected. It is worth considering that the car came from the first production batch, and this is associated with many minor shortcomings and shortcomings. In her class, Vesta can be called a source of pride.

Problems with the Lada Vesta robot

As for the transmission, the most problematic and at the same time discussed component of the sedan was the robotic gearbox. Mechanical enthusiasts haven’t even considered the version of the car with a “robot,” but fans of automatic transmissions have already managed to actually try out the innovative unit. The disadvantages and disadvantages of the Lada Vesta are twitching, long gear shifts and incomprehensible algorithms for the operation of the gearbox. By the way, ordinary car enthusiasts, along with critics, disliked AMT from the very first days. This gearbox requires a special approach and care. In addition, it takes time to adjust and get a feel for the “robot”, and to adapt your driving style to it. However, many AMT errors can be eliminated by “reflashing” them from the officials.

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The well-known manual transmission made it clear from the first days that it retained the title of the most reliable, stable type of gearbox. Only a few reviews from car owners indicate early mechanical failure: the bearings can “howl” and the first three gears begin to engage with difficulty. Usually the first serious difficulties appeared after 20-25 thousand kilometers.