AvtoVAZ begins serial production of Lada Azimut crossover

AvtoVAZ has launched serial production of the Lada Azimut, a new C+ segment crossover at its Tolyatti plant. Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alihanov stated that sales are expected to begin in late November or December 2026. The company aims for an annual production volume of approximately 70,000 vehicles.

Built on a modified Lada Vesta platform, the Azimut features a reinforced chassis, a 2,675 mm wheelbase, and 208 mm of ground clearance. The initial lineup will include a 1.6-liter gasoline engine producing 120 hp paired with a six-speed manual transmission, and a 1.8-liter engine with 132 hp paired with a CVT. A turbo version with 150 hp is expected in the future.

To maintain competitive pricing, AvtoVAZ reports that 90 percent of the vehicle's components are produced domestically in Russia. High-end equipment packages will include a panoramic roof, full LED lighting, and a multimedia system integrated with the ‘GigaChat’ artificial intelligence model.