At the end of 2022, the brainchild of AvtoVAZ went on sale - the new LADA Vesta SW Cross station wagon, which has already made a good splash. People are interested and search for information on the Internet, look at reviews, stand in line at car dealerships... And for good reason. The car turned out to be very beautiful and inexpensive, unlike its predecessors.
But it so happened that Vesta did not receive the classic machine gun. AvtoVAZ explained this by saying that the refusal to use automatic transmissions is due to cheaper designs. Installing an automatic transmission would entail an inevitable increase in costs. But, as an alternative, the AMT Lada Vesta Cross was chosen.
In addition to the robotic gearbox, a traditional 5-speed manual will also be available. But today we are not talking about her. Before starting the article about the Lada Vesta SV robot, I will make another reservation. Both transmissions presented will work together with 1.6 liter gasoline engines with a power of 106 hp. and 122-horsepower 1.8 liters. The robot will only be installed in conjunction with a 1.8 liter engine.
Ideal for the city
Most owners note a comfortable, smooth, soft ride.
“Very smooth acceleration, no jolts or shifts, as happens with an automatic transmission”
, writes the owner with the nickname Pamil77 from the Moscow region, who has driven a Lada with a CVT for 9,000 km.
“The variator works smoothly, it’s just great to drive such a car in traffic jams”
“, Nikolay from St. Petersburg, who has driven 10 thousand km in a sedan, agrees with him.
“It drives like a foreign car - quiet, comfortable and quite fast”
, notes a car enthusiast with the nickname step209.
The variator has a manual shift mode - it has six virtual gears.
The variator has a manual shift mode - it has six virtual gears.
Lada Vesta SV Cross AMT - how did it appear?
The AMT on the Lada Vesta SV is a unit already familiar to us, which has already appeared on other domestic models - Lada Priora, Granta, Kalina, X-ray. At first there were rumors that this same robot was developed by engineers from Renault-Nissan, but later these rumors were refuted. The AMT Lada Vesta SV Cross itself is AvtoVAZ’s own development.
In recent 2015, under the leadership of Vladimir Petunin, the first serial robot was developed. The basis was the usual 5-speed VAZ manual transmission 2180, which is already familiar to everyone. ZF electric actuators of German origin were used as the actuator. They are responsible for pressing the clutch and selecting gear for the driver. A shaft speed sensor also appeared at the gearbox. All together gave a robotic gearbox with the VAZ-2182 index:
Gear shift actuator for Lada Vesta SV Cross AMT
The actuator mechanism for selecting and switching speeds on the AMT Lada Vesta SV Cross looks like this:
1 — Gear selection drive 2 — Electric motor 3 — Gear selection drive 4 — Electric motor 5 — Gear selection rod
Actuators (electric motors) are used from German ZF.
Not enough power on the highway
113 “horses” is not enough for a car with a curb weight of 1230–1350 kg, say the owners. When overtaking, you have to carefully calculate the maneuver.
“There were questions about the dynamics of this car. The engine, when fully loaded (2 adults and 3 children), clearly does not have enough power on the highway. Overtaking is difficult. And in a city with dynamic traffic there is not enough traction from the start. We need to accelerate sharply - the pedal is to the floor, but the car accelerates sluggishly."
, - Alexander from Tynda is dissatisfied.
“Overtaking is sluggish, so you need to choose long, clear sections of oncoming traffic that are clearly visible.”
, warns car enthusiast Nikolai from St. Petersburg.
Disadvantages of a CVT: “Get used to it or don’t buy it”
“The response to the gas pedal is not only slow, but also unpredictable.
If you wanted to overtake, you pressed the gas pedal harder, and you wait for a “shot” forward in order to quickly get ahead of the slow-moving vehicle... Only a second after pressing you hear the increased roar of the engine, after about another second the car accelerates.
But not quickly, as we would like, but by a certain amount that the computer calculated in these two seconds. The reason for the delay is simple - the electronics protect the variator from sudden acceleration and braking, since this wears out the main drive belt faster ,” - it is for this reason that a car enthusiast with the nickname step209 (an experienced “handle lover,” as he calls himself) changed his mind about buying a model with a variator.
The CVT on Vesta is paired with a 1.6-liter 113-horsepower H4M engine.
The CVT on Vesta is paired with a 1.6-liter 113-horsepower H4M engine.
“You have to take this feature into account when starting, although you get used to it and it doesn’t interfere much”
“, - the owner with the nickname 3895621 from Khabarovsk, who bought a Lada Vesta SW Cross in the maximum configuration, agrees with him.
“There is no creep mode on the CVT. I got up the hill, released the brake and after three seconds the car rolled back! There is little time to think, if you release the brake, immediately step on the gas or there will be trouble. In all my former old Japanese women with varicose veins, such a miracle was not encountered, he could withstand any rise."
— writes the owner Alexander from Tynda, who bought Vesta SW Cross.
Reviews Lada Vesta SV Cross AMT
There are a large number of reviews of the AMT Lada Vesta SV Cross on the Internet. All reviews are different, but for the most part the robot on Vesta is a problem-free unit. Although there are also people who are less fortunate. Basically, they spread the main negativity on the Internet. I chose the first 3 reviews I came across about the Lada Vesta robot:
1. Alexander, Orsk
So, the robot is on the Lada Vesta Cross. I quite liked it. Anything is better than a stick. The most unusual thing for me was that you need to control the gear shift with the gas pedal. If you press the gas pedal harder, the speed switches to lower. For example, you are driving 40 km/h in 3rd gear and want to overtake someone, then you press the gas harder and the gear changes to second.
Switching to the next speed occurs by slightly releasing the gas pedal. For example, you press the pedal to the floor, the car takes off, the revolutions increase, for example, to 3.5 thousand, then you release the gas and the gear switches to second. Something like this. In general, this robot is quite a suitable topic. But you have to get used to switching so as not to get stuck on the road. In terms of reliability, I can’t say anything yet, since I’ve been driving the car for two months. During this time nothing broke.
2. Oleg, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Last year I bought a Vesta station wagon in Blues color. The AMT on Vesta Cross is definitely not the automatic that I owned before. Shifts aren't the smoothest. It switches jerkily, there is no talk of any smoothness. If you once drove a CVT and are thinking of switching to a robotic gearbox, then leave this idea. And if you have already bought it, then accept it. If the previous car had something mechanical, then you should like the robot. But it’s definitely not for traffic jams. You can drive on the highway, in the city without traffic jams - it’s easy. In terms of repairs and breakdowns, everything seems to be reliable. A friend of Priora has a robot. I've already skated 90 thousand on it - there are no breakdowns. Basically, the release bearing breaks, which seems to be no problem to change at any service center. The switching mechanism is German, made with high quality. Lasts a long time.
3. Alexander, Balakovo
The first impression of the robot on Vesta was incomprehensible. I had never driven an AMT before, only an automatic or a CVT. After the purchase, I got into the car, turned on the automatic transmission mode, released the brake, and the car stood still. I pressed the gas a little and it started moving. I drove around the city in automatic mode. At first, the box took 10-20 minutes to adjust to my driving style. I understand that it is adaptive. On the weekend I went to a dacha outside the city. When I got out on the track, I had to switch to manual mode, since the robot constantly turned on speed 5 already at 80 km/h. The auto shift mode is very smooth. Shifts are almost imperceptible. And the fuel consumption of the Lada Vesta Cross on a robot is slightly lower than on a manual one. In short, I am very pleased with the box and the car as a whole.
As you can see, I didn’t find any bad reviews about the AMT Lada Vesta Cross. Yes, of course, it is too early to talk about reliability. But AMT has already been tested by its predecessors - Priora, Granta and Kalina. There were no major damage to the box. Basically, AMT got all the sores and mechanical problems. And you can spit on the smoothness of switching, or you can forgive it. Just ask yourself the question: “Which foreign car has a robot that shifts gears smoothly?”
We also found an excellent video review of the Lada Vesta SV Cross AMT. We recommend watching it:
Gear ratio AMT Lada Vesta SV Cross
Everyone believes that the AMT on Vesta is similar to Grant, Kalina or Priora. This is not entirely true. We worked a little on the settings in the West robot. Yes, globally these boxes do not differ from each other, the only difference is in the gear ratio. For Vesta it is 3.9, and for the first trinity it is 3.7.
During the measurements, it was revealed that at a speed of 120 km/h the Vesta’s tachometer showed 3200 rpm, while the Granta, Kalina and Priora showed 3000 rpm.
Suspension: won’t let you down on primer
“I felt the delights of a good suspension adapted to our roads, in comparison with the Toyotas that I had previously used - just heaven and earth. Although Toyota always changed all the levers and suspension parts on time"
,” compares a car owner with the nickname 3895621 from Khabarovsk.
“On a long trip, a 150 km section of the road was in trash, as if you were driving on sleepers, but the suspension behaved great! No shocks, the cabin is soft, quiet, smooth, like a ship sailing"
“, Nikolay from St. Petersburg, who has driven 10 thousand km in a sedan, agrees with him.
The ground clearance on models with a CVT is the same as on other Vestas. The bottom of the power unit is covered with metal protection.
The ground clearance on models with a CVT is the same as on other Vestas. The bottom of the power unit is covered with metal protection.
Good car for family trips
“I was pleasantly surprised by the capacity of the trunk: a children’s bicycle fit in without disassembling, a camping table and four seats, a camping gas stove, 4 250 ml gas cylinders. Four bags with things, packages... I didn’t expect that such a volume could fit in a sedan.”
, writes car enthusiast Nikolai from St. Petersburg.
“The trunk is huge, 3-4 trunks of 50 kg each can easily fit in, and even more if the rear seats are folded down.”
,” agrees a car owner with the nickname 3895621 from Khabarovsk.
“The glove compartment refrigerator held 2 liters of milk and food for three meals for a family of 4 on a long trip of 1000 km. The refrigerator works perfectly, nothing has spoiled in 1000 km. Another plus is a good air conditioner, which functioned properly all summer while the heat lasted.”
, writes Nikolai.
The trunk of the sedan is spacious (480 l). The configurations on the “fifteenth” and “sixteenth” wheels have a full-size spare tire under the floor.
The trunk of the sedan is spacious (480 l). The configurations on the “fifteenth” and “sixteenth” wheels have a full-size spare tire under the floor.
It's just that the driver gets tired
«I couldn’t find a comfortable driving position with a height of 176 cm. I didn’t feel much discomfort on trips around the city lasting up to 2 hours, but on a long trip, about 500 km, my neck began to hurt terribly. After 1000 km the neck simply fell off. There is a retractable lumbar support, but there is no noticeable effect from it - I put it in the extended position. Those who plan to buy a car for long trips should carefully evaluate the comfort in the driver's seat.
“, warns Nikolay from St. Petersburg.
Lada Vesta SV Cross 1.8 AMT acceleration
Acceleration of the Lada Vesta SV Cross 1.8 AMT may not be the most important indicator, but it is very significant. In contrast to horsepower and torque, the acceleration of the Lada Vesta SV Cross 1.8 AMT can be felt. According to the passport data provided by the manufacturer, the Vesta station wagon accelerates to 100 km/h in 13.3 seconds, which is a very good indicator for a station wagon.
And here is a video of acceleration to 100 in a Vesta Universal. The author of the video shows how the new car from AvtoVAZ accelerates in automatic and manual mode. Enjoy watching.
That's all! Thank you for your attention and see you again on our website.
Severe frost reveals shortcomings
“Dear AvtoVAZ, we don’t live in Africa!”
,” car enthusiast Alexander from Tynda appeals to the manufacturer. And he lists all the problems he encountered in the winter.
- The car cannot be locked with the engine running. I don’t want to set an alarm, there will be crickets in the cabin, like in Largus. You can’t leave your car outside for more than an hour, otherwise you’ll freeze to the seat. The heated seats help, though thanks for that;
- In cold weather the trunk lid does not close well. Change the lubricant in the lock, or make the spring more powerful, gentlemen, designers;
Lada Vesta SV Cross 1.8 AMT - issue price
The AMT robotic gearbox of the Lada Vesta SV Cross will be available to customers only with a 122-horsepower 1.8-liter engine. Manufacturers decided that there was no point in installing a robot together with a 1.6 liter engine. The 1.8 liter engine will also be available with a manual transmission.
As for the price, the additional payment for the AvtoVAZ robotic gearbox will be exactly 25,000 rubles, which is not a large amount in today’s money. Moreover, for these 25 thousand rubles you get a serviceable and inexpensive to maintain automatic transmission, albeit a robotic one.
From words to numbers...
The cheapest configuration of the Lada Vesta SW Cross, in which AMT can be installed, is LUXE. Equipment code GFK32-52-X00. This pleasure costs 820,900 rubles. For this money you will receive a fully equipped car with all the necessary functions with a good level of comfort and safety.
The next configuration will be Luxe Multimedia. Part number: GFK32-52-XK2. Price 848,900 rub. The difference with the LUXE package is in the multimedia system. The simple luxury trim has only a four-speaker audio system, while the Luxe Multimedia has a multimedia system with navigation and six speakers. All other characteristics of these configurations are the same.
The Luxe Prestige (GFK32-52-XSH) package is not much different from the Luxe Multimedia. The difference is in the enhanced tinting of the rear windows, the presence of a rear armrest, a power outlet in the rear and heated rear seats. This package costs RUB 866,900.
In order to calculate the surcharge for the AMT Lada Vesta SV Cross, we will choose an identical configuration, but with mechanics. The list includes only Luxe Multimedia with a 5-speed manual transmission. It costs 823,900 rubles, which is 25 thousand cheaper than Luxe Multimedia with 5AMT.
This is the arithmetic. Finally, we invite you to watch a selection of videos in which the authors talk about the AMT Lada Vesta Cross SV.
