AvtoVAZ has begun modernizing production for the launch of the new Lada Azimut crossover. The main work is taking place during the corporate holiday of employees, which will last until May 13.
At the Tolyatti plant, new equipment is being installed, assembly lines are being updated, and workshops are being prepared for serial production of the model. Modernization also affected the production of Lada Niva and the plant's engine complex. Modern machining centers are being launched for the production of new 1.6 and 1.8-liter engines.
The company announced that more than 500 million rubles will be allocated for production modernization. In total, it is planned to perform over 15 thousand operations, and the total volume of work is estimated at approximately 110 thousand person-days. The modernization is expected to be completed by May 18.
Some employees not involved in the plant's modernization will remain idle on May 14 and 15 with salary retention. After this, the plant will gradually return technological lines to operation.
According to AvtoVAZ, several pre-production units of the Lada Azimut have already been assembled for certification tests. Certification is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.
The new crossover is built on the modernized Lada Vesta platform. Serial production of the model is scheduled to start in September, and sales could begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. The preliminary cost of the car will be from 2.2 to 2.5 million rubles.
At the start of sales, buyers will be offered versions with a 1.6-liter atmospheric engine with 120 hp and a six-speed manual transmission, as well as a variant with a 1.8-liter engine with 132 hp and a variator. The model will only have front-wheel drive.
