Interior and exterior design has improved
First of all, what everyone pays attention to is the appearance of the car. There is no need to hide that Kalina 2 turned out more beautiful than its predecessor - everything has become more modern. If from the front it even slightly resembles Grant, then at the back there are not many changes - mainly the headlights and bumper, as if “continuing” the wheel arches. Even the windows of the third row have changed - they have become smaller and are better combined with the overall design.
Inside, the car is very different from the first Kalina, there are many new interesting decorative elements, many innovations and changes. If everything looked quite gloomy on the first Kalina, then new colors were invented for the interior of the new Kalina, and gray linings were made. Also a big step forward was the appearance of a multimedia system with an LCD touch screen.
Lada Kalina first generation. Interior
Lada Kalina 2nd generation. There are elements reminiscent of the interior of the Lada Granta, but there are still differences
Aerodynamic properties: tips
This information may be useful for those drivers who want to reduce the aerodynamic drag coefficient as much as possible. First of all, you need to take note of the fact that open windows in any make of car slow down its dynamics. Also an important criterion is the presence of dirt aprons on the wheels. For those who like to drive fast, they will have to be abandoned along with the protruding caps. Another tip: do not open the hatch while driving. In general, this configuration reduces the level of dynamics to 5%.
We need to talk separately about the roof rack, which is installed on the roof. It is, of course, indispensable during long trips, especially if you need to transport a lot of things. Thanks to it, the load on the car is distributed evenly. But its presence has a significant drawback. A luggage rack on roof rails increases aerodynamic drag by almost 15%. And this significantly reduces the footage that a car can travel in one hour.
Today it is difficult to give an unambiguous assessment of this model, describing its technical characteristics. “Lada Kalina 2” for engineers may be a simple improvement and bug fix, but for users it is joy and new hopes. Everyone can test this car on their own and draw individual conclusions. In principle, the machine is ideally prepared for operating conditions. Manufacturers took into account many criteria that allowed them to significantly expand the range of users. One of the most significant is the cost of the new model. In addition to the affordable price, the VAZ company supports various car lending programs, providing cars for leasing, conducts charity events and lotteries, and gives bonuses and gifts. So the chances of becoming the owner of the new Lada Kalina 2 are very high.
The development of modern infrastructure has given impetus to the widespread use of various variations of passenger cars for urban traffic and intercity transportation. Hatchbacks and station wagons are especially popular among domestic consumers.
Kalina 2 will not receive old engines with a heavy power unit
Oleg Grunenkov, director of the Lada Kalina and Lada Granta projects, said that only modern AvtoVAZ engines will be installed on Kalina 2 cars. This is primarily an 8-valve engine with a lightweight piston group, capable of developing a power of 87 hp. The new engine features lower fuel consumption, improved driving performance and dynamics, as well as lower emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere. AvtoVAZ employees assure that without major repairs the engine will “plow” as much as 200,000 kilometers. All this is thanks to improvements in engine manufacturing technology - now the parts are stronger, as they undergo mandatory heat treatment.
Owners of the Luxury package will receive 16-valve engines with more powerful characteristics. The power of this engine is 98 horsepower (although popular test benches get even higher figures). The engine consumes a little more, but this is already a price to pay for power.
It is interesting that both engines are installed on Lada Granta cars. Moreover, the 16 valve is still installed on the Lada Priora.
We recently learned about AvtoVAZ’s plans to release a fundamentally new engine with a power of as much as 106 hp, although nothing is known about the start date of production.
Luggage compartments of Lada Kalina
The interior of the Kalina station wagon is especially good because it can be transformed quite easily. Thanks to such simple manipulations, the car owner receives a luggage compartment with greater capacity. If we compare the station wagon with the Lada Kalina hatchback, we can say that the first option has a larger cargo compartment - with a capacity of 355 liters. It is generally designed in an interesting way. The peculiarity of the station wagon is that, despite its rather small size, the trunk volume is selected as competently as possible, almost optimally.
The trunk volume of the Kalina sedan is even larger. But the luggage compartment of the universal Kalinka has its own special, undeniable advantage: it consists in the ability to quickly fold the rear seats.
It is worth saying that this version of the AvtoVAZ model, like a sedan, entered development in 1993. And it was launched into series in 2000. Today, the dimensions of the car are such that its owner has the opportunity to move without problems on both city and rural roads. Moreover, the trunk volume of the sedan allows you to transport a wide variety of items. Also note that the length of the car is about 4 m.
The advantages of this variety are a fairly high feed, the ability to increase the volume of the luggage compartment, and internal tuning.
If you wanted an automatic, you got it!
It sounds, of course, like something out of anecdotes, such as an automatic machine in a Lada, which the seller will use when the buyer tries to refuse the purchase or make claims about the quality of the car. Not everything is so sad, gentlemen! AvtoVAZ has made a real step forward, and these are not empty words.
Even though the new automatic transmission will not be made in Russia, this Japanese unit, which is installed on Nissan, will change gears in the new second generation Kalina. If you think that engineers still won’t be able to get the Japanese gearbox and Russian engine working properly, you’re wrong. Thousands of Lada Granta cars with such automatic transmissions have already been produced and everyone is happy with everything!
An automatic transmission cannot be replaced in urban environments, where traffic jams are already a tradition, and you need to switch every minute.
Also, the new Kalina will differ from the old one in its modernized cable-driven gearbox, the operation of which we have already talked about and shown. The new box is distinguished by good selectivity, vibration resistance and reliability.
Comparison of Lada-Kalina station wagon and Lada-Priora hatchback | VAZ, Lada
Tomorrow my nephew is buying a Lada-Priora hatchback. Why he decided this way, I did not understand either from his words or from the words of my brother and his wife. This is despite the fact that they have already driven my Lada Kalina and, according to them, they really liked it. I myself have not driven this car, and therefore I was interested in the opinions of other people. And this is what I found in one of the LiveJournals (the author does not give his name).
Comparison of Lada Kalina and Lada Priora
Lada Kalina
Kalina hatchback with a 1.4 engine, airbags, front electric windows and electric power steering.
From the outside, the car does not look like a masterpiece, but it is quite attractive. Of course, “taste and color...”, but it is much more beautiful than Renault Logan or Chevrolet Lanos.
From the inside, the interior is not impressive, but it is not repulsive either; the interior is transformed quite adequately for a modern hatchback: the rear seat consists of two parts that fold independently. It is very comfortable.
The trunk is quite roomy for a B-class hatchback.
The ergonomics of the driver's seat are excellent for me: all the buttons and control knobs are in convenient places and can be easily reached.
The 1.4 engine is very playful, but at low speeds its torque is clearly weak, so it requires more active use of the accelerator (gas). This is not the case on any other VAZ model.
Despite the fact that the electric power steering has already been criticized by many, it turned out to be quite good on this car. True, the manager said that this is a new modification of the electric amplifier, and that previously this unit actually often failed.
What I didn't like was the gearbox - too noisy. This, apparently, is the main shame of this car (it’s not clear why - after all, you can’t hear a gearbox even on an 18-year-old VAZ-21063!).
The suspension impressed with its speed and energy intensity. Add high ground clearance and short overhangs. This combination made the car incredibly suitable for our Russian roads.
In general, the impression of the Lada-Kalina was very positive. Therefore, without a doubt, among my classmates I will choose Lada-Kalina
Lada Priora
When I saw this car, I was completely disappointed. Firstly, with my height of 180 cm, I had difficulty sitting behind the wheel (I had to move the seat all the way back, but this hardly helped: it was still a bit cramped). I note that I sat quite comfortably in the VAZ-2110.
The suspension of Kalina 2 is no longer the same as on the first
There are not many negative reviews about Kalina's suspension - in general, Kalina's chassis is quite strong and not expensive. After the beginning of “friendship” with the alliance, new technologies came to us at AvtoVAZ. Grant's cars were the first to receive these technologies. For example, unlike the old Kalinovskaya suspension, the new one now has negative wheel camber. This will improve the car's handling and stability (there will be less roll when cornering). The second generation Kalina will also receive the same suspension. Well, this is also a difference from the first Kalina.
Lada Kalina 2 – advantages compared to the previous version
The new version of Kalina has received an excellent modern filling, which is especially noticeable in the full and most expensive luxury configuration. Taking into account the fact that the cost of the model has remained at an affordable level for the population and is in the range between the prices of Priora and Grant, such modern equipment has made the model competitive in the modern automobile market.
Among the advantages of the new version are the following:
- Good ground clearance;
- Expansion of the cabin;
- Additional safety equipment for the driver and passengers;
- Increased comfort;
- Significant reduction in noise level in the cabin and others.
Technical characteristics of a used Lada Kalina 2
Steering gear and chassis
The suspension of Kalina, as well as that of the Cross version, copes well with our roads. Frankly, there are no weak points in it. Provided you use high-quality consumables, you will have to remember about it no more than once every 70-80 thousand kilometers. Shock absorbers, ball joints and silent blocks have approximately the same service life. Suspension arms give up later - only after 150 thousand kilometers. Those who want to save money can find frankly cheap and not very high-quality Chinese spare parts, but their replacement interval will also be reduced. As a result, there will still be no significant savings, and you will have to spend more time visiting the service.
The weak point of the used Lada Kalina 2 is the rack and pinion steering mechanism. It can start knocking after 50 thousand kilometers. Most often, tightening the mechanism helps get rid of knocking. If not, then you will have to contact the experts to rebuild it. Fortunately, this procedure for Kalina is not very expensive.
Motor reliability
The base engine for the second generation Kalina is the 87-horsepower eight-valve VAZ-11186. This engine has low-end torque and revs well at high revs. So, despite not the highest power, it can be fully recommended for Kalina. The main thing to remember is that in this engine, when the timing belt breaks, the valves bend. The conclusion suggests itself - it’s not worth waiting until the factory-recommended mileage of 60 thousand, at which time the timing belt needs to be serviced. It is better to protect yourself and do this after the mileage exceeds 50 thousand kilometers.
In addition, owners should definitely monitor the condition of the rollers and water pump. If there is a backlash in the pump, then under no circumstances should you postpone visiting the service. Immediately after starting, the used Kalina 2 engine may make a characteristic clicking sound. Many owners are sure that these sounds are made by hydraulic compensators, but in fact this is a clear hint that the valves require adjustment. If nothing is done, then after 40-50 thousand kilometers the valves will burn out.
