Many car enthusiasts who are interested in the new AVTOVAZ hatchback know that, unlike Vesta, XRAY is not an independent development of the company. The new Lada is built on the basis of the Renault Sandero Stepway, but has significant improvements. Let's find out whether the VAZ team managed to take into account the mistakes of the French?
Engines
Naturally, the first thing we will pay attention to is the line of car engines. The points that interest car enthusiasts depend on the engine. We are talking about the dynamics of acceleration from zero to hundreds, maximum speed and consumption indicator.
The Russian model can count on three power units (looking ahead to only two engines). The younger 1.6-liter and 1.8-liter engines are assembled at domestic factories, but despite this, they received very good reviews from critics. The third engine was developed by the Japanese at the Nissan concern. With a volume of 1.6 liters it is capable of producing a maximum of 110 horsepower.
Let us immediately note that the engines of the French car are much weaker. This can be explained by the fact that driving on smooth, high-quality European roads does not require very powerful engines, but domestic motorists will definitely not like this. Sandero Stepway engines produce 82 and 102 horsepower. That is, even the most powerful French engine is weaker than the base X-Rey engine.
Taking this into account, we can safely say that at this point the Lada X-Ray is the clear favorite. And a fool understands that the Russian model has the best performance indicators and will outshine the “French” on the track. However, the average consumption of both cars is approximately the same, and Stepway is on average only 0.1 liter more economical than its opponent.
As for the transmission, the X-Ray is equipped with a five-speed manual (by the way, it was developed by French engineers), as well as a high-tech CVT, which is assembled at the domestic AvtoVAZ. Note that experts recommend giving preference to manual transmission.
The developers of the Sandero Stepway equip their creation with the same 5-speed manual transmission as in the X-Ray design. In addition to it, you can also count on a five-speed automatic transmission and a French version of the CVT. It is the presence of an “automatic machine” in Stepway that partially saves the situation, but, all the same, the Russian model is stronger at this point.
Patency
A recent test drive of cars showed that in terms of cross-country ability, the X-Ray and Sandero Stepway are approximately on the same level. This is all due to the same modular platform, due to which even the ground clearance is identical - 195 mm. By the way, quite a decent figure, as for front-wheel drive hatchbacks. Real car owners claim that in running order, the X-Ray's ground clearance is still 2 cm higher than that of today's counterpart.
When driving onto a broken gravel road, the domestic hatchback fully demonstrated itself, which, thanks to powerful engines and a reliable suspension, is able to successfully overcome even the most difficult sections of the road. A French car will definitely not be able to keep up with X-Ray here. By the way, the off-road modification X-Ray is expected to be released soon, which, according to plans, should impose serious competition on foreign crossovers.
Lada Xray or Sandero Stepway? Naturally this is X-Ray.
More is not always better
In road disciplines, cars are similar in only one way. This is a slightly annoying, but still noticeable howl of French manual gearboxes when releasing gas. As for the rest, the impression was that these two studied at completely different schools. I won’t say that the Sandero Stepway has undergone excellent “training” - body roll in corners could have been less, and the steering wheel could have been a little sharper. But the overall balance of driving characteristics leaves a very pleasant impression. The suspension handles the impacts of large bumps well and intelligently smooths out small irregularities.
Ekaterina Kvashenkina, AutoWorld magazine:
Lada XRay Cross is a strong move by AvtoVAZ, which is methodically strengthening its position. The car turned out to be prominent and at the same time well aware of how to please potential buyers. In my subjective opinion, he missed only one thing a little - with the price. But when asked what specifically I would choose, I would answer Renault Sandero Stepway. And the price is not the main thing here. The “Frenchman” drives too well. And the Nissan engine seems to me to be a more reliable investment.
And the way the engine is tuned and how well its traction characteristics are coordinated with the gear ratios of the box, you can feel free to set an example for others. The traction is smooth from the very bottom, and up to 120 km/h it is surprisingly dense, considering the power of 113 hp.
14 photosLada Xray Cross I 122 hp I 0-100 km/h – 10.9 sec.
The Lada's interior is replete with large details and looks somewhat conceptual, but at the same time it is quite comfortable to live in. Combined fabric and leather upholstery with colored inserts adorns the two most expensive versions, Luxe and Luxe/Prestige. The paddle shifters and gear lever in the XRay Cross are exactly the same as those in the Sandero Stepway.
Of the two rivals, only the Lada can get a heated steering wheel.
The devices are extremely laconic, but made with good design taste and fit perfectly into the interior.
Car media systems are identical in functionality. There is only one difference - the absence of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the Lada device.
I would like to see buttons for seat and windshield heaters in all trim levels, and not just in the three most expensive ones.
On a regular hatchback, the 122-horsepower engine can be ordered with a “robot,” but the Cross modification costs only a manual transmission. We won’t regret the “robot”, but a normal automatic would not hurt the car.
The seat padding is a little hard, but the profile and lateral support are just right. By the way, colored finishing elements can be not only neutral gray, but also bright orange.
The XRay Cross driver's door card allows the installation of a remote control with four power window buttons. True, none of them are fully automated.
For tall passengers, the sofa can be called relatively comfortable. But the fact that leather upholstery comes with heating for all seats is a definite benefit.
The XRay Cross sofa may not be the most spacious in its class, but it can be heated.
A small box with an armrest is standardly available only in Lada.
A practical double luggage compartment floor is available from the Comfort version.
17-inch alloy wheels of the same design adorn all versions without exception.
Xray Cross is 8 “horses” stronger, but in terms of traction control it is less convenient. The first gear is very short, and to pull the car slowly, but without stumbling, into second, the engine lacks low end. Yes, the Lada breathes easier on the highway, and one can only marvel at the energy intensity of its suspension. However, the car, shod with large 17-inch wheels, seems more irritable on minor things. I didn’t really like the steering wheel with its excessive and obviously artificial force. You won’t miss a turn, but there’s no talk of adequate feedback.
The share of Stepway modifications in sales of all Sandero models has increased since 2011 from 16 to 83%.
But the off-road mode switch turned out to be a really useful assistant.
Where the Sandero Stepway furiously chopped snow with its tires and at the same time barely moved forward, the Lada, albeit with noticeable jolts when blocking the slipping wheels, made its way to the intended target more quickly. In both cases, the car tires were studless. So the victory of Xray Cross in this small winter competition can be considered fair. Although in general the Renault drives definitely more agile and interesting. Technical data
| Lada Xray Cross | Renault Sandero Stepway | |
| Length, mm | 4171 | 4083 |
| Width, mm | 1810 | 1757 |
| Height, mm | 1645 | 1624 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2592 | 2589 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1295 | 1090 |
| Trunk volume, l | 361 | 320 |
| Ground clearance, mm | 215 | 215 |
| Engine, number of cylinders | R4 | R4 |
| Engine volume, cm3 | 1774 | 1598 |
| Max. power, hp | 122 (6050) | 113 (5500) |
| Max. torque, Nm (rpm) | 170 (3700) | 152 (4000) |
| type of drive | Front | Front |
| Transmission | MKP-5 | MKP-5 |
| 0-100 km/h, s | 10,9 | 11,1 |
| Max. speed, km/h | 180 | 172 |
| Fuel | Gasoline AI-92 | Gasoline AI-95 |
| Fuel tank volume, l | 50 | 50 |
| Consumption (mixed), l/100 km | 7,5 | 6,9 |
| Consumption (city), l/100 km | 9,7 | 8,9 |
| Consumption (highway), l/100 km | 6,3 | 5,7 |
| Price of the basic version, rub. | 754 900 | 709 990 |
| Price of the tested car, rub. | 913 900 | 859 970 |
Comparison of luggage compartments
No matter how strange it may sound, one of the main differences between both cars lies in their luggage compartments. Let us immediately note that the Russian model in this regard is clearly better than its opponent. In order not to be empty words, here are a few indicators: the X-Ray trunk is 70 mm longer than the Stepway, thanks to which the domestic hatchback can be loaded with 10 liters more cargo. Of course, the difference is not that significant, but as one wise man said: “The little things make all the difference.”
In addition, the loading level of a Russian car is much lower, which makes it much easier to place cargo in the trunk. This is very important when transporting heavy bags and suitcases. Plus, the X-Ray has a wider luggage compartment.
Salon and trunk
We must immediately pay tribute and mention that these models are not the brightest representatives of their class in terms of interior design, which is not surprising, given the most affordable prices for the crossovers presented. However, as Russian cars show, cost is not the main thing, and even with minimal costs you can actually create a design that is pleasing to the eye. In this case, the domestic SUV is somewhat superior to its competitor. In this model, the manufacturers really managed to show that AvtoVAZ can make things that look attractive. Renault Captur is somewhat inferior, for the simple reason that the Frenchman’s interior design is not for everybody.
The French compact SUV Renault Kaptur is a modern model in which the manufacturer has tried to implement its technological developments and at the same time seriously save money. It should be noted that the result was not the best. The interior design of the Frenchman is quite boring and will appeal only to those motorists who value practicality over style. Among the main features, we can only highlight the large screen of the multimedia system, as well as an impressive steering wheel, a neat gearshift lever and an interesting climate control unit.
As mentioned earlier, the Russian Lada XRay crossover is superior to its direct competitor in this part of the comparison. Of course, in this case we are not talking about the quality of materials and finishing. The design style is taken into account here. In this model, the manufacturer took into account the wishes of potential buyers, which is why it equipped the car with numerous decorative elements, as well as modern high-tech developments. Pleasant emotions in the car are evoked by the multimedia system screen, instrument panel, as well as non-standard lighting, a minimalist climate control unit and neat diffusers.
As for the luggage compartments of these vehicles, the indicators even for this class are quite weak. The Russian compact crossover has only 361 liters of volume in the trunk. The French model Renault Kaptur is also not far behind its rival, and boasts only 387 liters of luggage compartment. Of course, if such volumes are not enough for a motorist, he can always increase the space, for the simple reason that we are talking about crossovers, where the rear row of passenger seats can be removed. After this, the size of the trunk will almost triple.
Appearance
It is noticeable to the naked eye that externally the cars have many similarities. As mentioned above, it’s all about the same platform and identical body layout options.
Sandero Stepway can offer a fairly calm and harmonious exterior, with a very smooth body surface (the exception is a small longitudinal stamping on the profile part of the car). Stepway looks massive, but at the same time elegance and proportionality are visible.
X-Ray, in turn, boasts a more expressive exterior, which owes its aggressiveness to the sharp-angled stampings on the wings. It was this X-shaped element that influenced the name of the model, and also became the calling card of the entire model range. In the updated 2021 version, this stamping has become even more expressive.
In this local confrontation, Stepway looks stronger, and the reason for this was several shortcomings of domestic designers. Firstly, the wheels and body of the X-Ray look disproportionate. Secondly, the lower stamping of the Russian car looks more like a dent than a thoughtful design solution.
Salon
If we talk about the comfort of the interiors, then in this regard the cars will definitely not disappoint their fans. The fact is that the X-Ray and Stepway seats are placed in such a way that all passengers and the driver have enough free space, including for their legs. And high ceilings provide ideal travel conditions for even the tallest passengers.
The quality of finishing materials is noticeably higher in a French car, because domestic developers have placed the main emphasis on practicality.
In terms of dashboard layout, the X-Ray is the best. The thing is that the central touch display of the domestic model boasts a better location, and in addition it is much more readable and informative. But the steering wheel is better on the French hatchback, as it is equipped with additional mini control panels.
Convenience of salons
Interior comfort is the next criterion that needs to be assessed. In both Sandero and X-Ray, passengers will have the necessary legroom, and the body height will allow tall passengers and drivers not to rest their heads on the ceiling of the car.
X Ray was able to earn an extra point by more advantageously placing the on-board computer available in the basic configuration (used instead of the radio). It is located higher than that of the Stepway, not under the air conditioning sections (which is available as a separate option in trim levels above the base), but between them. Therefore, the driver does not have to deviate much from his line of sight to view the display.
Photos of the Lada X-Ray interior are shown above, below - Renault Sandero.
Visual qualities
It is worth emphatically noting that visually the cars are almost equal, since they are made of the same body type and look quite similar.
Renault Sandero Stepway has an extremely calm and harmonious exterior design, with virtually no relief on the body (with the exception of longitudinal stamping along the sides of the body). It is quite massive, but at the same time elegant, looks nice and proportionate.
Lada XRay looks much more expressive - the reason for this is the aggressive stamping with sharp corners and edges on the front and rear wings. This X-shaped stamping became one of the calling cards of this car when the concept was shown in 2014. In the 2021 production version it has become even more pronounced.
If that was all that could be said, then X-Ray could be declared the winner. However, there are two shortcomings that level the situation. Firstly, the size of the wheels and body of the domestic model is too disproportionate. The wheels seem like toys because the body is too massive. Secondly, the stamping on the sides of the car, in the lower part, between the wheels, was an unsuccessful design decision - in the light it looks like a dent.
