Lada facts for kids
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| Owner | AvtoVAZ |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1973 |
Lada (Cyrillic: Лада, Russian pronunciation: [ˈladə], marketed as LADA) is a famous brand of cars. These cars are made by AvtoVAZ, a company owned by the Russian government.
Lada cars were first made in 1973. At first, they were mostly sold outside of Russia. But by the 1990s, Lada became the main brand for all cars made by AvtoVAZ. For a while, a French company called Renault helped make Lada cars. However, in 2022, the Russian government bought Lada back.
Lada cars are known for being affordable. They often cost much less than other cars. People see Lada vehicles as a good choice if they want a car that offers good value for money.
Contents
The Story of Lada Cars
Starting in the Soviet Era
The car company AvtoVAZ started with help from Fiat, an Italian car maker. They built a big factory in a city called Tolyatti in Russia. The first agreement to work together was signed in 1965.
In 1970, AvtoVAZ started making its first car, the VAZ-2101. This car was a stronger version of the Fiat 124 sedan. It had tougher steel parts. This made it more reliable on bumpy roads and in the cold Russian winters.
The first cars were called "Zhiguli" in Russia. But this name was hard for people outside Russia to say. So, the name "Lada" was chosen for cars sold in other countries. Lada cars were designed to be easy for owners to fix. This was important because there were not many car repair shops in Russia.
Lada cars became popular in many places. People in Europe, Canada, and South America liked them. They were a good choice for customers who wanted cheaper cars. Even though some people joked about them, Lada cars were known for being strong and dependable. The Lada brand became the main name for all AvtoVAZ cars in 1973.
The original Fiat engine was later replaced. A new, more modern engine was put in. The car also got stronger brakes and better suspension. This helped it handle poor roads. Engineers from both Russia and Fiat worked together on these improvements. By 1970, AvtoVAZ had its own team of designers.
After making several test cars, AvtoVAZ designers created their first completely original car. This was the VAZ-2121 Niva, launched in 1977. It was a very popular off-road vehicle.
Lada in Modern Times
The 110-series sedan came out in 1995. This car took a long time to develop. A station wagon version followed in 1998. Then, a hatchback, the 2112, was released in 2001. A five-door version of the Niva also came out in 1995.
However, by 1997, Lada had to stop selling cars in most of Western Europe. This was because of new rules about car emissions and safety. Also, new car brands from Asia, like Hyundai and Kia, started selling cheaper cars. This made it harder for Lada to compete.
In 1998, a minivan called the VAZ-2120 Nadezhda was introduced. It was based on the Lada Niva. In the late 1990s, AvtoVAZ tried to make its cars better quality. But sometimes, cars were still built with parts missing.
A new car, the Kalina, came out in 2005. AvtoVAZ built a new factory just for this model. They hoped to sell many of these cars each year. The Kalina had been designed much earlier, but its launch was delayed many times. This showed how hard it was for the company to release new cars on time. In 2007, Lada launched the Priora, which was a newer version of the 110-series.
In 2008, the French car company Renault bought a part of AvtoVAZ. They worked together to make new models. The Granta car was launched in 2011. The Largus, another car with Renault technology, came out in 2012.
In 2012, Lada showed off a new concept car called the XRAY. This car was designed by Steve Mattin, a famous car designer. The second version of the Lada Kalina was also shown.
Production of the Vesta began in 2015. This car was built on a new platform developed with Renault. It was a quick process from concept car to production. In 2016, Renault took full control of Lada. The XRAY, a compact city crossover, started selling in 2016. In 2021, Renault planned to combine Lada with its Dacia brand.
In May 2022, Renault sold its share of AvtoVAZ back to the Russian government. This happened because of international events. After this sale, Lada stopped making its more modern cars for a while. These cars used many parts from other countries. After three months, Lada started making older models again, like the Niva. They also made a simpler version of the Granta. More advanced models could not be made due to new rules. In 2023, Lada announced that a new version of the Vesta, called Vesta NG, was ready.
Because of international rules, Lada had to make some cars without airbags.
Lada's Look and Name
The first official logo for AvtoVAZ came out in 1970. It was a shield-shaped badge with a picture of a Viking boat inside. In the mid-1990s, the company changed its logo. It became more oval-shaped but still had the boat. The logo was updated again in 2002 and 2015.
In 2004, AvtoVAZ decided to use only the "Lada" brand name for all its cars in Russia. Before that, they used different names. They also started writing the Lada name and car model names using the English alphabet.
Current Lada Models
Here are some of the Lada cars you can find today:
- Granta
- Granta sedan
- Granta Drive Active
- Granta liftback
- Granta hatchback
- Granta SW
- Granta Cross
- Vesta
- Vesta sedan
- Vesta Cross
- Vesta SW
- Vesta SW Cross
- Vesta CNG
- Vesta Sport
- Vesta SW Cross Black Limited Edition
- Vesta NG
- Largus
- Largus Universal
- Largus Universal CNG
- Largus Cross
- Largus Cross CNG
- Largus Wagon
- Largus Wagon CNG
- Niva
- Niva Travel - a newer version of the Niva
- Niva Legend - the classic, original Lada Niva
See also
In Spanish: Lada para niños
- Automobile model numbering system in USSR and Russia
- List of AvtoVAZ vehicles
- AvtoVAZ vehicles in international markets
