The flagship VOLGA K50 crossover underwent an unusual first-person test drive: Russian President Vladimir Putin got behind the wheel of the car during a working trip to Nizhny Novgorod on August 28. After the ride, the head of state noted the smooth ride, quiet cabin, and ease of control.
Putin visited the Nizhny Novgorod automotive cluster, where he was presented with the model range of the revived VOLGA brand. After getting acquainted with the cars, the president first tried out the driver's and passenger's seats of the K50, and then got behind the wheel himself and drove the crossover from one production workshop to another, accompanied by a company representative.
After the test drive, journalists asked the president about his impressions. Putin positively assessed the car's behavior: he noted the smoothness of the ride and the low noise level in the cabin, and called the steering very easy.
Separately, the reaction of the enterprise employees to the president appearing behind the wheel attracted attention. According to Putin, they were initially scared, thinking that he was just starting to master the car, but after the trip, it became clear that there were no problems with control.
They got scared. They thought there was a beginner here.
At the same time, the president's own car fleet has remained practically unchanged for many years. According to official declarations, Vladimir Putin owns GAZ M-21 "Volga" cars from 1960 and 1965, a 2009 "Niva", and a "Skif" trailer. The president also uses an official "Aurus Senat".
K50 is the flagship of the VOLGA model line and a large D-segment crossover. The car received a 2-liter gasoline turbo engine with 238 hp, an 8-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive.
The starting price of the VOLGA K50 is 4,199,000 rubles. Sales of the model began on June 19, 2026.