Driven: what modern Lada cars are like behind the wheel

Lada unveils 4x4 Vision concept at Moscow motor show

We sampled the top-spec 1.8-litre 16-valve petrol engine (a 1.6 is also available), which delivers 120bhp and 125lb ft at 3700rpm, giving it a claimed 0-62mph time of 12.3secs and top speed of 116mph. It’s not going to rival the burgeoning ranks of hot SUVs, then, but it performed decently, albeit lacking the refinement of most modern motors you’ll find in the UK. 

The big disappointment was the five-speed automatic gearbox, which undid much of the promise shown by the engine through a stubborn reluctance to change up gears: perhaps fittingly, it occasionally felt a few decades behind the times.

Lada Vesta Cross: behind the wheel of the high-riding saloon

The Vesta is Lada’s mid-size saloon, and is currently battling with the Kia Rio for honours as the top of Russian sales charts. Launched in 2015, it was one of the early cars to benefit from the firm’s links with Group Renault, with a number of components sourced from the French firm’s range.

While the popularity of SUVs is on the rise in Russia – mirroring global trends – the market is unusual in that there is still strong demand for saloons. That’s led Lada to develop a number of jacked-up Cross versions of its saloon models, combining traditional car styling with the high-riding position that’s both fashionable and extremely useful in the rough Russian winters.

The Vesta Cross is the latest version to be launched, and expected to help make the saloon appeal to more a slightly more affluent audience. Our test car featured the same 1.8-litre engine as in the X-Ray, with identical 120bhp and 125lb ft outputs. In the Vesta Cross, the claimed top speed is 112mph, although the 0-62mph time is trimmed to 10.5secs.

Thankfully, the Vesta Cross was fitted with Lada’s five-speed manual gearbox, allowing us to exploit the engine far more than we could with the X-Ray. Gear changes were smooth, and the throw was direct: trust us, if you’re speccing a Lada, go for the manual.

The Lada museum in pictures: greatest hits and craziest concepts

Handling-wise, the Vesta Cross was solid if not spectacular: it didn’t exactly enjoy being chucked into corners, but it was prepared to go along for the ride with little complaint. That slightly elevated stance didn’t seem to have excessively compromised the handling, and it rode well over the bumps that could be easily found in parts of the Togliatti test track.

Most importantly, there is much to recommend about the Vesta Cross as a family car: the interior was a little more luxury than in the X-Ray we tried – although we hasten to add that’s a relative term, and it’s still relatively utilitarian compared to current UK market standards. But everything was well laid-out, and felt solid and built to last, which is as you’d want from a family car.

Notably, interior space was excellent, particularly in the rear. And there’s a substantial 480-litre boot.