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.
Prices
- Classic / Optima - 846,900 rubles
- Comfort — 889,900 rubles
- Luxe — 939,900 rubles
If you compare prices with a Lada XRAY Cross with a manual transmission, then the additional payment for a CVT is exactly 50,000 rubles.
Let us remind you that AVTOVAZ previously talked about the pros and cons of the variator.
Keywords: Lada XRay cross | variator | lada xray engine | gearbox lada xray
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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.
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.
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.
XRAY Cross with CVT: a piece of Japan in our Lada
In 2016, Drom.ru bought a Lada XRAY for a long-term test drive. That car was equipped with a 1.6 liter Nissan engine. AvtoVAZ later abandoned this version. And now this engine returns under the hood of the XRAY Cross crossover. Moreover, paired with a Jatco CVT!
Finally, Lada has an adequate two-pedal alternative to a “robot” with one clutch, which only the lazy did not complain about. However, this combination - at least for now - is only available for XRAY Cross. The remaining models still do not rely on either a Japanese engine or a CVT. But in the near future - most likely, along with the upcoming restyling - Vesta will have the same version.
The combination of Nissan's 1.6-liter naturally aspirated HR16DE (or H4M according to Renault classification) and the Jatco JE015E CVT is by no means new in our market. You could say it has stood the test of time. Before the advent of the 1.2 liter turbo engine, Nissan Qashqai 1.6 and Juke were equipped with one, and now the same pair is installed on the new Renault Arcana and Renault Sandero. We have not yet been able to drive the Arkan with a 1.6 liter engine, but AvtoVAZ kindly provided us with the opportunity to try the XRAY Cross with an automatic transmission.
What can I say, this “engine-variator” pair is much more convenient for everyday use than the version with a “robot” (however, not available for the XRAY Cross) or the usual 5-speed “mechanics”. It’s not for nothing that in television advertising they say: “The new XRAY Cross with an automatic transmission.” This is really no worse than an automatic machine. Except for some nuances.
Japanese "heart"
The HR16DE (H4M) engine is a classic unit of the Japanese school: aluminum cylinder block and head, timing chain, intake valve, electronic multipoint injection, two injectors per cylinder. The production of cylinder blocks, cylinder heads and crankshafts is localized at AvtoVAZ. The gearbox is a hybrid of a V-belt variator and a 2-speed hydromechanical “automatic”, in which, in addition to the V-belt transmission, there is also a torque converter and a 2-stage planetary gearbox. Thanks to the presence of a “second gear” (for driving at speeds above 100 km/h), the dangerous mode is minimized when the belt is at the edge of the cones. The pulleys rotate in one direction, and the reverse gear engagement mechanism is located outside the CVT part of the transmission. The transmission cooling is integrated into the engine cooling system. The combination with a CVT and a 1.6 liter engine is only 13 kg heavier than a 1.8 liter engine on the “handle”.
Firstly, such an XRAY in the top costs almost a million rubles - more precisely, 972 thousand (53 thousand more expensive than the version with a manual transmission)! Secondly, it is slower than a manual car by almost 1.5 seconds - only after 12.3 seconds the speedometer needle crosses the 100 km/h mark. After 100 km/h, acceleration becomes completely sluggish, which is further aggravated when loaded, and the “maximum speed” is only 162 km/h. However, it is unlikely that dynamics is the determining factor when buying such a car.
The VAZ workers themselves say that the main goal was to create a car that was more comfortable in everyday city life, more economical, although less “fast”. In terms of efficiency, the average claimed fuel consumption is 7.1 liters per 100 km. But even with the right pedal in the floor, the Cross with a CVT fits in just over 10 liters - a figure unattainable in such modes for the version with a 1.8-liter engine.
Has this XRAY Cross become more comfortable? The combination of the continuously variable transmission and the “new” engine took a long time to calibrate. During testing, test prototypes ran more than 160,000 km each. Were you able to find the optimal settings? Of course, the variator completely and in any mode eliminates noticeable jerks that the “robot” suffers from, which in itself is a huge plus. But there are small problems here too. So, for example, this Jatco is very reluctant to imitate “stepping” (although in manual mode there are six pseudo-gears), that is, it does not look like a classic “automatic” at all. But the most annoying thing is the delay when starting from a standstill: you press the gas, the XRAY “sleeps” for half a second, and then rushes forward. Not a very comfortable setting for the city. We also noticed one more problem: the torque converter is blocked already at speeds of 10–15 km/h, and often, especially in traffic jams, this is accompanied by a barely noticeable push. Not critical, of course, but there is a fly in the ointment.
But the rest is just pure honey. In any modes where constant stops and starts are not required, there are no complaints about the variator, especially considering the engine power of only 113 hp. Quite adequate throttle response, convenient traction control and very noticeable engine braking when shifting “down” in manual mode. Still, we would add something like a “sport” mode to the crossover so that the driver can make the reactions more linear and sharpen the response to pressing the right pedal. Moreover, in place of the “puck” for selecting Ride Select driving modes there is now a plug: AvtoVAZ believes that those who need this “off-road” feature will choose a car with a “mechanics”. So it was necessary to leave the same “puck”, but change its functionality - add a “sports” mode.
The interior of the Lada XRAY Cross looks no poorer than that of its competitors in the initial front-wheel drive versions of the Hyundai Creta or Kia Rio X-Line, and certainly richer and more interesting than Sander’s. The steering wheel is finally adjustable for reach, although only by 42 mm. In addition, XRAY Cross is now equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto technologies with voice control. Convenient and works great. And don’t forget that all the listed cars cost 100–250 thousand rubles more. In the back row of the XRAY Cross, it will be a bit cramped for a person taller than 180 cm. But care is taken for passengers - there is heating (albeit only for pillows), and two sockets (12V and USB). In a 5-seater configuration, the luggage compartment volume is 361 liters, with the backrests and backrest of the right front seat folded (in a 2:3 ratio) - already 1514 liters and a length of 2.7 m. There are convenient hooks on the sides of the luggage compartment, and under the hard raised floor - "dokatka"Moreover, with such a suspension you want to “pile on”! Since the difference in weight between the 1.8 liter manual modification and the CVT version was only 13 kg, it was decided to leave the settings of the springs, shock absorbers and other elastic elements the same (as in the XRAY Cross). But all the positive changes that occurred when the Cross version entered the market remain. Let us remind you that the crossover received a new subframe, new L-shaped front suspension arms, original steering knuckles, a different anti-roll bar and electric power steering (the number of steering wheel revolutions is now only 2.9 from lock to lock). This modification also has its own rear levers, and the brakes on the rear axle are disc. It was the presence of a modernized front suspension that made it possible to implant a new engine and variator without any modifications or reduction in ground clearance - it is still an impressive 215 mm. But the regular XRAY has different suspension and subframe. Therefore, there will never be a version with a variator.
On the XRAY Cross with a variator, an intermediate support for the drive of the right front wheel is used, and accordingly, the CV joints themselves are original. This is done to eliminate the effect of power steering during acceleration. And it works!
Don’t think that we are trying to somehow butter up AvtoVAZ, but serious work has been done to transform the ordinary X-Ray into “Cross”. And the most important thing is that all this was beneficial, the result is truly impressive, for which many thanks to the engineers. I won’t bend my soul if I say that the XRAY Cross is the best alliance car on the B0 platform that I’ve ever driven (the heavily modified Arcana doesn’t count). The only thing I would like to improve is, in our opinion, excessive force on the steering wheel. The rest is just “fire”!
Perhaps in the city some people will find the suspension a little harsh, but the XRAY Cross dives into corners much more willingly than the regular version, stands tightly and confidently on the arc, and you won’t be knocked off the trajectory by any irregularities. But the most important thing for all Russian owners is amazing energy consumption with a very decent level of comfort: you can bludgeon for all the money on roads and dirt roads of absolutely any quality, and you won’t get anything for it. A very successful compromise that works in our conditions. Unfortunately, people who want to save 60-80 thousand rubles and buy a regular XRAY are most likely simply not aware of all these changes and their advantages. Our advice: spend the money, it's worth it!
For starters, some statistics. At the moment, in the “B” segment, to which XRAY Cross belongs, half of all cars sold are equipped with one type of automatic transmission or another. Naturally, Lada, which owns 51% of the market in this class, does not want to stand aside with its not very successful “robot”, especially since the percentage of cars with automatic transmissions is constantly growing, and the XRAY share in these sales is still very small - about 5%. Therefore, AvtoVAZ really wants to increase this share with the help of a new CVT modification, and there is every chance of this. As well as the confidence that the regular XRAY (now 60% of these are sold, and Cross - 40%) after the release of the “Cross” version with a continuously variable transmission will begin to lose its position even faster.
Technical characteristics of Lada XRAY Cross 1.6 CVT (manufacturer data)
| Body | ||
| Type | Hatchback | |
| Number of seats/doors | 5/5 | |
| Engine | ||
| Type | Gasoline, with distributed injection | |
| Engine location | Front, transverse | |
| Number and arrangement of cylinders | 4, in a row | |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 1598 | |
| Power, hp at rpm | 113/5500 | |
| Torque, Nm at rpm | 152/4000 | |
| Transmission | ||
| Drive unit | Front | |
| Transmission | CVT (variator) | |
| Brakes | ||
| Front | Ventilated disc | |
| Rear | Disk | |
| Suspension | ||
| Front | Independent, spring, McPherson | |
| Rear | Semi-dependent, spring | |
| Dimensions, volume, weight | ||
| Length/width/height, mm | 4171x1810x1645 | |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2592 | |
| Ground clearance, mm | 215 | |
| Curb weight, kg | 1300 | |
| Fuel tank volume, l | 50 | |
| Trunk volume, l | 361–1514 | |
| Tires | 215/50 R17 | |
| Dynamic characteristics | ||
| Maximum speed, km/h | 162 | |
| Acceleration to 100 km/h, sec. | 12,3 | |
| Fuel consumption, l/100 km | ||
| Combined cycle | 7,1 | |
| CO2 emissions, g/km, eq. Class | N.D., Euro-5 | |
| Cost of the car, rub. | ||
| Basic equipment | 846 900 | |
Photobonus
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.
About the positive aspects of Xray:
- The ground clearance was very pleasing with its optimal height;
- Thanks to the electric power steering, the steering wheel turns very easily and simply;
- Automatic door locking is a great feature, especially for those who carry small children in the car;
- Automatic X-ray light sensors help you not to be distracted from the road while driving. Just sat down and drove off, and let the light adjustment fall on the “shoulders” of the sensors;
- I was pleased with the automatic start of the rear wipers, which start working as soon as the car moves in reverse;
- I was pleased with the rear view camera, because I had never encountered such a miracle before. In principle, I like the entire X-ray multimedia system;
- I have dreamed of a drawer under the seat all my life. Now I store all my car junk there;
- Special thanks to the spacious and level trunk, which more than doubles in size when the rear seat is folded.
