Lada Iskra Sedan Debuts In Russia Based On Renault Bones

The platform has been re-engineered and localized, allowing a Russian production without any input from Renault

With the war in Ukraine still raging two and a half years after Russia’s invasion, Avtovaz presented a new model, set to go on sale in early 2025. The Lada Iskra is a small four-door sedan based on a localized version of Renault and Dacia underpinnings, which will be followed by station wagon and “cross station wagon” (aka crossover) bodystyle variants.

The Iskra is the first new model from Lada in years, following the impact of the war-related sanctions that have been imposed to Russia by the Western world. According to the company, it will slot between the aging Granta and the slightly larger Vesta, further expanding Lada’s model range.

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Styling-wise, the Iskra adopts the “X-Design” styling language from the Vesta, with sculpted fenders and modern LEDs. On the other hand, the subcompact sedan proportions are reminiscent of the Dacia Logan, hinting at the source of its underpinnings

A Russian With French DNA

Lada says that the Iskra rides on a “modern global platform, which has been re-engineered and has become technologically independent”. The company added that the electronics have been “completely localized”, with the addition of about 400 new parts.

Reading between the lines, the platform appears to be a slightly tweaked version of the CMF-B architecture, which is being used by several Renault, Dacia, and Nissan models. While the Renault Group completely cut ties with Lada in 2022, the Russians took advantage of their previous access to R&D and worked on the underpinnings to support local production without any input from France.

Avtovaz president Maxim Sokolov said: “In a record time by the standards of the global automotive industry, we actually re-created this car, making it technologically independent”. Sokolov revealed that the total investment for the project reached 23 billion rubles, which equals to around $258 million at current exchange rates. He also said that the Lada Iskra is currently in the final stages of development, including “production debugging, fine-tuning, and configuration of all vehicle systems”.

New Model, Old Engines

The brand-new Lada won’t hide any surprises under the hood, as the powertrain options are borrowed from its stablemates. The base version will be fitted with a Granta-sourced 1.6-liter gasoline engine producing 89 hp (66 kW / 90 PS), and mated to a five-speed manual. A more potent 1.6-liter mill from the Vesta is good for 105 hp (78 kW / 106 PS), sending power to the front wheels via a six-speed manual or an automatic.

The Lada Iskra is scheduled to enter production in the Togliatti plant in early 2025. Pricing will be announced closer to the market launch. Based on the situation with Russia, it is unlikely that the model will be sold elsewhere.

Avtovaz