AvtoVAZ has launched serial production of Lada Iskra cars at the "Avtozavod St. Petersburg" enterprise — the former Nissan site. By the end of 2025, they plan to produce several thousand cars here, which have already begun to arrive at official dealers of the brand.
The manufacturer notes that it is impossible to distinguish cars assembled in St. Petersburg from cars assembled in Togliatti: they are completely identical. To launch the project, specialists reconfigured and partially modernized the equipment, trained employees, and adjusted logistics. In the summer, 200 car kits were delivered to the plant, on which all stages of assembly and quality control were worked out.
Each Iskra kit includes about a thousand parts: a painted body, a power unit, interior elements, chassis, and other components. Noise insulation, instrument panel, safety systems, and trim are installed on the assembly line. After assembly, the car undergoes a full test: from checking brakes and tightness to road tests.
The Lada Iskra family occupies a niche between Granta and Vesta. The lineup includes a sedan, a station wagon, and a cross-version. Three power plant options are available for buyers: a 1.6-liter engine with 90 hp with a 5-speed manual transmission, a 106-horsepower engine with a 6-speed manual transmission, and the same engine with a CVT. The model costs from 1.25 to 1.8 million rubles.
Special attention was paid to safety. 84 crash tests were conducted, the results of which showed a high level of protection. Lada Iskra received two front airbags, seat belts with pretensioners, ESC system, and ERA-GLONASS in all trim levels. In terms of safety, the new product is comparable to Lada Vesta and foreign B-class analogues.