At the end of the 90s, the AvtoVAZ plant was going through hard times, but this did not stop engineers and designers from working on restyling the VAZ 2110 (the future Lada Priora). At the same time, a project to update the first generation of Samara (Samara-2) was being developed. And the serial production of long-outdated “classics” continues, and the realization comes that restyling alone will no longer work. AvtoVAZ began to need a completely new car that would become popular and at the same time demonstrate a design that was non-standard for VAZ cars.
The role of flagship at that time was assigned to the new Lada Kalina, which attracted attention with its economical fuel consumption, appearance different from previous models and new solutions in terms of design. It is also important that Lada Kalina showed much better characteristics in terms of protecting passengers in an accident than the generation Samara and Samara-2, 2110, Priora, and even more so the “classic”.
Testing methodology
The car in question was destroyed in just one crash test. It was a frontal impact with a 40 percent overlap, and the car itself was accelerated to 64 km/h. Let us clarify once again - here we are talking about equipment 21942-42, equipped with pyrotechnic belt pretensioners. The wheels in this configuration are made of light alloy, which, in turn, could also affect the result.
Station wagon Kalina-2 Lux, photo from the official website
After gaining speed, the station wagon body encounters an obstacle that covers 40% of the space and is located on the driver’s side. This method of testing a car is close to the EuroNCAP methods used for a long time in Europe. What happened as a result is described in the next chapter. In fact, the Lada Kalina car received 3 stars out of 4 possible, which is not so bad. The Granta in the sedan body did not earn much more points, but it was tested using a similar method.
Why does a car have to undergo a crash test?
But the car doesn’t even suspect that no one is going to break it, they just want to check its operation.
But after a review of this car was published, with all the colorful descriptions of all the impressions that remain from the car, for example: Sounds, vibrations, smells, the manufacturer asked the testers not to take this car for a test run and to abandon this idea.
They said that this car should not have been tested at all. The first batch of cars was generally made using bypass technology, and they arrived at the dealership only to see if the car was in demand. And dealers took test cars and released them for sale, and they were still so expensive. Well done to the dealers, they tried not to miss anything and made a profit.
The testers made a promise to the manufacturer that they would send this car for crash tests, and for running-in they would take a car from another batch.
Test result
It can be stated that in Kalina-2 with an automatic transmission, the driver’s shins may suffer. The head of the mannequin, which was in the driver's seat, also received serious mechanical stress. But the passenger, who was on the right side of the driver, was fine after the impact. The following diagram illustrates the words:
One dummy was damaged after a frontal impact
Let us clarify what exactly we were able to observe from the test results:
- The brake pedal offset into the cabin is 141 mm;
- Steering wheel offset – 98 mm;
- Change in the geometry of the doorway on the left (maximum value) – 55 mm.
Now let's look at what happened to the mannequins.
| Type of damage | Implications for the driver | Passenger value |
| Head Injury Index (HIC) | 540 | 340 |
| Bending moment of forces acting on the neck, Nm | 28 Nm | 15 Nm |
| Rib compression, mm | 28 mm | 22 mm |
| Load on the femur, kN | 1.5 kN | 1.2 kN |
| Shin injury rate | 0,72 | 0,3 |
The question remains of how the load on the mannequin’s head changed from second to second. The answer looks like this:
Head load for passenger and driver
The minimum acceleration at which a concussion is recorded is 90-100 g. In general, a trip on Kalina-2 does not threaten anything like this, unless you exceed the speed limit.
Even with concussions, loss of consciousness is rare. However, these words are not a reason for violating the speed limit.
Now let’s compare the obtained figures with the crash test result of another car – the Lada Granta Standard. The rate of damage to the lower leg, for example, turns out to be lower there than indicated in our table. Its value is 0.52 for the driver and 0.41 for the passenger. Perhaps the presence of automatic transmission in LADA cars makes its own adjustments.
Lada Kalina: optimistic or pessimistic notes
But there is 100% confidence that a car not equipped with airbags will enter the Russian market . But this car will be very dangerous, even with a seat belt fastened.
The manufacturer is confident that it is simply impossible to create a modern car with a durable body without pillows. As an example, they cite the Logan car, which they don’t even produce without airbags. But when testing a small-sized Deo Matiz car that does not have airbags, safety was at the proper level.
But even if you believe that a rigid body is not compatible with pillows, many questions will arise. Why does Renault Concern sell its car with airbags, but our manufacturer sells it without them? Moreover, the test results are almost the same, but the cars are very different.
Video crash test of Kalina
And another very sad point is that Kalina is perceived as a woman’s car. But who would risk putting a woman behind the wheel of such a car, knowing that after an accident, she is unlikely to get out of there alive.
The manufacturing plant is still producing only trial cars, so a rigid steering wheel can even be replaced with an old one from a dozen, but less injury-proof. And in the best cases, create a new reliable and safe steering wheel, as well as install at least one airbag and high-quality seat belts. To make our car look like its foreign counterpart. And then the Lada Kalina crash test will pass with a bang, and the driver will be able to feel more confident behind the wheel and not be afraid for their life.
Boarding the driver and passengers
To be honest, the small hatchback seems cramped and uncomfortable. Fortunately, this is only a sign
It’s quite comfortable inside - the new seats from the American manufacturer can even be adjusted in height (buyers of the “standard” and “norm” trim levels will be deprived of this option), they are more comfortable than the old VAZ ones - this is especially important for long trips
- Crash test Lada Largus
Rear passengers, starting with the “norm” configuration, have adjustable headrests; three people can easily fit in the back seat without experiencing discomfort.
Car in motion
Kalina 2 is not much different from the first Kalina in terms of engine. It is also equipped with 16 and 8 valve engines with a power of 87 hp. and 98 hp
There were so many jokes about installing an automatic transmission on VAZ cars back in 2021 - no one believed in Lada cars with an automatic transmission. Oh miracle! Japanese automatic transmissions were first installed on budget Grantas. After the first tests, it immediately became clear that the engineers managed to get the Russian engine working with a Japanese gearbox, and quite successfully. Kalina 2 in more expensive versions will receive the same automatic transmission from JATCO, a subsidiary of Nissan.
According to the manufacturer, the minimum fuel consumption outside the city is 5.9 l/100 km, and in the urban cycle – 10.4 liters per 100 km.
In addition, mechanical lovers will also be satisfied - Kalina 2 will begin to be sold with a new manual transmission with a cable drive, which is characterized by the absence of vibrations, good selectivity and ease of switching. This is long-awaited progress!!!
We weren’t able to test this, but we promise to talk about the gluttony of Kalina 2 in the following tests. But trips around the training ground showed excellent dynamics, acceleration, and precise control. But unfortunately, AvtoVAZ engineers did not pay attention to the flimsy (read: insensitive) steering wheel of the first generation and decided to leave it the same. The result is easy handling, but not a full grasp of the road grip. By the way, since we’re talking about road grip, we can’t help but mention ABS. Yes, yes, Kalina 2 has an anti-lock braking system and a brake assist system (BAS) already in the “norm” configuration! This is a very useful option and a plus for the security of Kalina 2.
As for the trunk on Kalina 2, it is not as big as we would like. If on our hatchback the luggage compartment volume is 260 liters, then on the station wagon it is larger - 361 liters! If we compare it with Granta, where it almost reaches 500 liters, then Kalina 2 does not evolve here. True, the problem of placing a large load can be partly solved by folding down the rear seats. A nice option of AvtoVAZ since the old models.
First and second generation Lada Kalina station wagon “luxury”
And the spare tire was hidden in the usual place
VAZ finally made a beautiful car, or the modern exterior and interior of the second berry
The design of the updated Kalina is very pleasing to the eye - the headlights have become bolder, the bumper has a large air intake and inserts where the fog lights are beautifully located. The hood has two longitudinal ribs with a new look, and from the side the car is distinguishable from the old Kalina by the wider shape of the wings and wheel arches. By the way, the rear bumper is visually a continuation of these arches and looks a little larger than on the first Kalina.
Owners of station wagons will be pleased with the roof rails installed in all trim levels.
The salon of Kalina 2 has become more modern
At first glance, you can see the similarity of the interior with the interior of the Lada Granta - and indeed, the dashboard, side air vents, central lower stand (including cup holders) are exactly the same as on the “state car”. But that doesn't mean everything is bad! We found it very convenient to use such round air vents, adjustable in any direction, and the on-board computer, unlike the first Kalina, shows more information at the same time, no need to scroll through. The only thing is the absence of a temperature indicator for both the ambient temperature and the coolant temperature in the engine.
It is impossible not to note the multimedia system built into the Luxury versions of Kalina 2, with a user-friendly interface, powerful sound and a beautiful 7-inch display. Although the screen is resistive, the device responds quite easily, plus the clarity of the picture is pleasing. The disadvantages include the inability to connect a video input (for example, if you have parking sensors), and the need to convert all video files to a resolution of 240*320px. It was also not possible to notice the stable operation of Bluetooth - I had to reconnect several times. We hope that all the shortcomings will be corrected before the release of production versions of Kalina 2 cars.
EuroNCAP safety testing standard
The assessment of new automobiles using this method has been carried out since 1995, and the mandatory conduct of such studies is established for new car models directly in a number of European directives.
According to this standard, not only passive, but also active safety is tested. At the same time, the rating system is constantly being improved and updated with new safety indicators.
This rather strict rating system has earned recognition throughout the automotive world, and other safety ratings were created on the basis of EuroNCAP, for example the Russian ARCAP. It is the European rating that most car dealers or regulatory authorities rely on when recognizing a particular vehicle as safe for use.
As for the EuroNCAP test of Russian cars, for example, the Lada Kalina Cross was tested by the manufacturer using its own methodology, which was included in the European test, but did not fully comply with it.
As a result, it was revealed that in the event of a frontal impact, the dummies do not receive damage, and in the event of a rollover, fuel does not leak from the car.
Test drive Lada Kalina NFR // AvtoVesti 220
see also
Comments 55
My friend, how much did they say they cost to recharge the pillows?
I picked mine up from repairs and was standing next to it. The impact was like this, but the airbags did not work, they checked that they were fully operational and intact (new car). My blow was even weaker than yours, and the pillows shot. You'll understand how they work.
VAZ made a response to the airbag control units. Didn't they change it for you?
This is not mine in the photo. She stood nearby. When I picked up mine.
Apparently the blow was a sliding one to the side and the longitudinal acceleration and deceleration were not enough to trigger the safety system
I hit it in the same way, but the airbags did not open, the result was a dented TV, the radiators went inside, the fastenings on both headlights were torn off, the wings were pushed out in different directions, as if they had been squeezed out by the headlights. For repairs, a slipway, pulled out the TV, carefully bent the radiator (it is still slightly concave), the main thing is to pull it out without fanaticism because it will tear, the fan itself has crushed the entire body a little, soldering the headlight mounts, and local straightening of the upper corners of the wings with subsequent touch-up locally, the master reduced color to color, the car is a panther. But the bumper, pah-pah, didn’t even burst. And there was no amplifier-holder from the grant. In the end, I also had to paint the TV itself, but my master did a great job...
It’s strange why your airbags didn’t work
Aha ABS doesn't always work either
Nonsense, this is the airbags triggering when the bumper is damaged! Shock sensor in the side member area!
Impact sensor in the passenger compartment on the floor tunnel under the panel in the airbag control unit
I hit it in the same way, but the airbags did not open, the result was a dented TV, the radiators went inside, the fastenings on both headlights were torn off, the wings were pushed out in different directions, as if they had been squeezed out by the headlights. For repairs, a slipway, pulled out the TV, carefully bent the radiator (it is still slightly concave), the main thing is to pull it out without fanaticism because it will tear, the fan itself has crushed the entire body a little, soldering the headlight mounts, and local straightening of the upper corners of the wings with subsequent touch-up locally, the master reduced color to color, the car is a panther. But the bumper, pah-pah, didn’t even burst. And there was no amplifier-holder from the grant. In the end, I also had to paint the TV itself, but my master did a great job...
It seems to me that I won’t get such a handy master
But the deformed spacer probably took the rack glasses with it.
You have to measure it - you can't tell by eye. The car ran smoothly on the tie.
Hoh. Sorry! But experience is like that, then you start to keep your distance and watch others. There was a similar story. But good luck and patience! Keep up to date!
Fatigue is very dangerous when driving
if the headlight housing is almost intact, then assemble the fasteners and restore them using metal plates and Poxypol (I made threaded holes in several places and screwed in short screws for mechanical fastening). I changed the headlights to a used one, bought it on Avito for 5 thousand, and mine were very crap.
Fatigue is very dangerous when driving
And very much so. A friend of mine was tumbling in a ditch on a Priora car. The gazelle fell asleep upon meeting him and rammed him in the side. The car is trash, I scratched it alive and was just scared. Hanging upside down, fastened with a belt and on a pillow. Thank God it worked out.
An hour ago on the Ring Road, right in front of me, a Honda rammed a Niva that had slowed down in front of road works; from the blow to the rear, the Niva spun around and was thrown backwards into the bump stop. A batch of 5 cars seems to have started. From two blows, the Niva folded like an accordion - all the doors jammed. The grandfather (niva driver) with a pacemaker was barely alive, they pulled him out through the trunk.
Options, configurations
Kalina 2 is positioned as a modern, budget, city car with the highest level of safety among AvtoVAZ cars. Indeed, there are many modern options in terms of security. These include seat belt pretensioners, ABS+BAS, stability control system, driver and front passenger airbags, and parking sensors.
It would be very nice to receive such improvements in the basic version, but AvtoVAZ leaves the option of purchasing cheaper versions of its products. The new second-generation Kalina also took into account the possibility of a collision with a pedestrian and tried to make a body capable of causing less harm to the person who was hit.
In addition to safety gadgets, top-end configurations will also receive a climate system (instead of air conditioning), electric drive and heated side mirrors, a heated windshield, heated front seats, electric windows with soft-closers, fog lights, a rain sensor and windshield wiper control system, automatic brightness adjustment of the daytime running lights, navigation, 15” alloy wheels and a lot of decorations in the form of anti-dazzle side mirrors in body color, moldings and a net for securing cargo (for a station wagon).
