Review of the Lada Vesta CNG 2020 sedan 1.6 manual transmission

Content:

• 1 Advantages and disadvantages of gas equipment
• 2 Options and prices
• 3 Lada Vesta CIS: technical characteristics, description
• 4 Gas consumption and range
• 5 How and where to fill a car with gas
• 6 Self-installation of gas equipment on Lada Vesta

A biofuel system can be thought of as a hybrid of gasoline and gas. The car's name now includes three additional letters, CNG, which stand for Compression Natural Gas. Today, the cost of re-equipping a standard Lada Vesta can cost 170,000 rubles. In turn, a new car equipped with gas equipment costs 30,000 rubles more. Therefore, the news that the Lada Vesta CNG will receive a sports version was received very positively.

Features of the new car

The technical side of the issue does not contain a large number of difficulties and innovations. It is expected that Lada Vesta CNG will be equipped with an upgraded engine from AvtoVAZ. It will have sixteen valves and 106 horses. The engine will be converted to run on gas and standard fuel.

The design of the Lada Vesta was also subject to some changes, such as:

• enlargement of the hatch intended for refueling; now the neck of the gas tank will be located in close proximity to the device for refilling methane cylinders;
• in the place where the spare tire was previously located (under the trunk floor) there will be gas cylinders (GBO), which will be responsible for the flow of compressed methane into the engine system.

The dashboard on the Lada Vesta also received certain changes related to the installation of gas equipment (LPG) and the conversion of the engine to run on gasoline with methane. The possibility of using two types of fuel entailed the need to install their switch on the panel.

Lada Vesta is equipped with a fuel type switch from gasoline to gas, which can change the type of fuel used as it moves.

↑ Advantages and disadvantages of gas equipment

Gas equipment in any car means, first of all, savings. But there are other advantages and disadvantages that are also characteristic of Vesta CNG.

The new car has many advantages compared to the standard model:

• Increased engine life, subject to proper operation and timely maintenance of equipment.
• Low tendency to form deposits and, accordingly, soot.
• Saving money, which will be especially noticeable as the mileage increases.
• Increased reliability of engine operation due to lower combustion temperature when injecting a small portion of gasoline during gas use.
• Increased travel range. A car can travel 400 km on gas, and 600 km on petrol. In total, it can travel up to 1000 km. It is assumed that the hybrid fuel system will become an alternative to the diesel one.

The new Lada Vesta on gas has its drawbacks. Firstly, the car is equipped with gas equipment that runs on methane. This type of gas is less common than propane. It is especially difficult to find methane outside the city and on the periphery. Often gas stations are located next to the “pipeline”, so traveling to a remote place to refuel is inconvenient and unprofitable.

Secondly, gas equipment takes up some working space in the car, including in the trunk. This slightly reduces the amount of free space that can be used to load luggage. Thirdly, the presence of reclining rear backrests is pointless. Again, due to the presence of a cylinder in the trunk.

Lada Vesta CNG - dual-fuel Lada Vesta

AvtoVAZ's new products for 2017-2018 have been replenished with a new Lada Vesta CNG model - a modification of the Lada Vesta with a CNG prefix, equipped with an engine adapted to run on both gasoline and methane gas. In our review of the dual-fuel Lada Vesta CNG - photos, price, equipment and technical characteristics of the sedan, capable of covering up to 1000 km on one fill-up (petrol 55 liters and gas 18 m3). Sales of the Lada Vesta CNG bi-fuel sedan in Russia started on July 11, 2017 at a price of 600.9 thousand rubles, which is only 30,000 rubles more than the cost of the Lada Vesta sedan in the Classic Start configuration with a 1.6-liter engine running exclusively on gasoline.

Interestingly, the price range for the two-fuel Lada Vesta CIS sedan is very interesting for potential buyers. The starting price is 600,900 rubles, and the maximum cost is 715,900 rubles for a car in the richest Luxe configuration. Such an interesting cost of a sedan with an engine that absorbs gasoline and methane is ensured by a state subsidy in the amount of 140 thousand rubles for each gas-powered car, compensated to the manufacturer.

Lada Vesta CNG is equipped exclusively with a 1.6-liter VAZ-21129 engine in combination with a 5-speed manual transmission, and it is not easy to distinguish the two-fuel modification of the sedan from the gasoline Lada Vesta. As a hint that this is a car with a dual-fuel engine, there is a CNG nameplate on the trunk lid; behind the fuel flap, not only the neck of the gasoline tank is hidden, but also a connector for pumping gas; a gas reducer and equipment from the Italian manufacturer BRC Gas Equipment are installed under the hood. A 90-liter metal-composite cylinder (18 m3 of methane) from the Chinese company Sinoma, covered with a protective casing, was registered in the trunk.

It is important that the gearbox and fuel rack do not require maintenance, and the service life of the gas cylinder is 15 years. So, during a scheduled maintenance, owners of a two-fuel Lada Vesta sedan additionally need to change only the filters in gas equipment (their cost, by the way, is meager).

In the interior, only one detail hints that this is not an ordinary, but a dual-fuel version of the Lada Vesta CIS. On the center console, next to the hazard warning button, there is a round switch that allows you to forcefully select the type of fuel.

I would like to note that on gasoline, the 1.6-liter VAZ-21129 engine produces characteristics familiar to motorists - 106 hp and 148 Nm; when switching to methane, the engine power drops slightly - about 90 hp and 135 Nm. At the same time, consuming gasoline, the sedan is able to accelerate from 0 to 100 mph in 11.8 seconds; when switching to gas fuel, the acceleration dynamics become more modest - 12.9 seconds. To cover 100 km, an average of 6.3 m3 of methane is required, which in monetary terms is 3 times cheaper than when the engine runs on gasoline.

The initial basic configuration of the Lada Vesta CNG Classic+Start at a price of 600,900 rubles promises the presence of an airbag for the driver, an ERA-GLONASS system, ABS and ESP, air conditioning and heated front seats, electrically adjustable exterior rearview mirrors and audio preparation. The next Comfort package raises the price to 628,900 rubles due to the additional presence of an audio system and parking sensors. It is clear that in the most saturated Luxe and Luxe Multimedia trim levels of the new Lada Vesta CNG sedan, in addition to the basic equipment, 4 airbags (front and side for the driver and front passenger), climate control, light and rain sensors, a color 7-inch multimedia touch screen are installed systems, cruise control and rear view camera.

↑ Options and prices

Visually, the modernized model cannot be distinguished from the regular Lada Vesta. The only difference is the presence of a nameplate on the trunk door. Everything else remains unchanged. The designers made no adjustments to the model.

The buyer can choose a model in the following color:

• white;
• light gray;
• garfit;
• dark gray;
• black;
• golden;
• blue;
• yellow;
• red;
• gray-blue.

There are also no obvious changes in the interior. All controls are located in the old way, there are all the necessary buttons with switches. One round button has appeared, with which you can switch from gasoline fuel to gas equipment. The presence of a diode indicator allows you to determine the presence of fuel in the cylinder.

Perhaps over time the switch will be located on the center console, where the multimedia center is located. An indicator of the amount of fuel and its consumption can be found on the on-board computer screen.

It is expected that the Lada Vesta HBO station wagon will also enter the market very soon. This version will have plenty of trunk space. Therefore, lovers of sufficient space in the luggage compartment will also not be deprived. In addition to the station wagon, a crossover with gas equipment called Vesta SW Cross CNG will also hit the market.

Bi-fuel Vesta is already being sold at dealerships. The car, equipped in the basic version called Standart+Start, costs 609 thousand rubles. For a model in the Comfort configuration you will have to pay a little more - 629 thousand rubles. If you want to drive a car in the Lux configuration, you will have to pay from 692 thousand to 716 thousand rubles, respectively.

AVTOVAZ began production of the dual-fuel LADA Vesta CNG

The first LADA Vesta CNG cars will be delivered to potential corporate clients for testing.

Photo: manufacturer

AVTOVAZ has begun serial production of the dual-fuel version of the LADA Vesta CNG. This happened for the first time in the history of the brand: a car with a factory serial gas cylinder installation designed for the use of compressed natural gas methane will arrive at dealers. That is, no re-registration or registration with the traffic police will be required.

LADA Vesta CNG can use both gasoline and methane as fuel. Do not confuse it with propane-butane, a liquefied gas, to which cars are usually converted privately. Methane (CH4) is gaseous; in the event of a leak, this gas evaporates without threatening fire. But propane-butane is liquid, it accumulates in cavities in case of leakage, and therefore is explosive. Methane is the safest, most environmentally friendly and inexpensive type of fuel. Its use increases engine life, the automaker claims.

The valve for filling the cylinder is located next to the neck of the gas tank.

Photo: manufacturer

The first LADA Vesta CNG cars will be delivered to potential corporate clients for testing. After this, the car will be transferred to the dealer network for sales. And they will announce the price. The starting price of the petrol LADA Vesta now is from 545,900 rubles.

REFERENCE

When developing the LADA Vesta, the CNG version was taken into account immediately - the gas tank filler flap was specially made larger for this purpose. The cylinder, designed for 18 cubic meters of gas, is located in the trunk of the car behind the back of the rear sofa. The metal-composite cylinder is equipped with a built-in fuse and a high-speed valve, eliminating the possibility of rupture of the cylinder, as well as uncontrolled release of gas if the gas line is damaged.

Don’t be alarmed, the cylinder will not “gobble up” all the space in the trunk; the volume of the Vesta’s luggage compartment is 480 liters, and there is also room for a 90-liter cylinder. The gas tank is the same volume as in a regular sedan - 55 liters. The cost of compressed natural gas is now about three times cheaper than gasoline. With a consumption of 7 cubic meters per 100 km, the cost of 100 km will be less than 100 rubles. This is the equivalent of a consumption of 2-2.5 liters per “hundred”. True, in terms of dynamics, a car running on gas will lose a little.

The cylinder is covered with a plastic casing.

Photo: manufacturer

A fully fueled car can travel more than 1000 kilometers without refueling. With a quiet ride, approximately 350 km on gas and 750 km on gasoline, writes ladavesta.net. When the gas runs out, the engine power is automatically switched to gasoline. You can also independently switch fuel from one type to another.

KP Auto on Facebook

↑ Lada Vesta CIS: technical characteristics, description

The 90-liter cylinder, which is located in the trunk, can hold up to 22 m3 of methane. The operating temperature ranges from 40-50 degrees Celsius. As noted above, if you switch to gas, the car loses power from 106 hp. With. up to 96 l. With. But during normal driving around the city or outside it, it is almost impossible to distinguish the behavior of a car on different types of fuel.

The official dealer is already selling various vehicle configuration options. A station wagon version will be released very soon. By the way, the car is already undergoing test drives. Videos of the first tests are already available on various resources.

The car passed test drives, and the manufacturers received permission to sell it. A methane sedan is safe to operate in any conditions. The car received good scores in crash tests. All connections are reliable and secure. When the front, side and rear of the car were tested, the cylinder remained sealed.

Test drive Lada Vesta CNG - video

Advantages and disadvantages of Lada Vesta CNG

Based on test drives and reviews of Vesta CNG, we will highlight the main advantages of the model:

Let us highlight the main advantages of the model:

• reasonable price;
• the ability to work on both gas and gasoline;
• unpretentiousness to fuel quality;
• efficiency;
• attractive appearance;
• spacious salon.

The disadvantages include:

• methane gas stations are not available everywhere;
• small trunk;
• no heated steering wheel;
• the steering wheel slightly overlaps the dashboard;
• cheap interior finishing materials.

↑ Gas consumption and power reserve

The Lada Vesta CNG car has a standard VAZ 21129 engine. The engine displacement is 1.6 liters. Its power is 106 hp. With. The torque value is 136 Nm. When switching to eco-gas, the vehicle's power decreases. The gearbox is five-speed manual. Lada Vesta CNG has a methane consumption of 6.2 m3/100 km.

When driving on gasoline, the engine consumes about 7 liters of fuel per 100 km, while gas consumption is 6 m3. Today the cost of methane is about 14 rubles. It's not difficult to calculate the savings. It's really beneficial.

What is the methane consumption of the bi-fuel Lada Vesta CNG

Lada Vesta CNG is a modification that allows the use of two types of fuel: compressed natural gas (methane) and gasoline. One of the main advantages of this version is cost-effectiveness. We decided to find out what the real fuel consumption and range of the Lada Vesta with LPG is.

It is worth noting that when using gas, the system still consumes gasoline. This was done to reduce the combustion temperature of the mixture, which reduces the thermal effect on the engine when using gas. According to rough estimates, gasoline consumption is 1-1.5 l/100 km.

Fuel consumption from technical specifications

:

• Urban cycle, l/100 km — 10.1
• Urban cycle, m3/100 km - 8.1
• Extra-urban cycle, l/100 km — 6.0
• Extra-urban cycle, m3/100 km - 5.2
• Combined cycle, l/100 km - 7.5
• Combined cycle, m3/100 km - 6.3

↑ How and where to fill a car with gas

As we said above, there are not many gas stations capable of providing the Lada Vesta with methane. There are no more than 300 such places throughout the country. But this is not so bad when compared to 2020, when there were only 30 such stations in the country. According to plans, 25 more places will be built in the country this year where it will be possible to refuel with methane.

A car with gas equipment is of particular interest to residents of the southern and Caucasian regions. It is in this direction that most new stations are being built. The popularity of cars largely depends on the development of this direction.

In order to refuel the dual-fuel version, an adapter is issued at a special station, which snaps onto the fitting under the hatch. Next, you need to attach the other end to the column and perform refueling.

Special mobile stations with gas fuel can partially correct the situation. PAGZ is a semi-trailer with 16 cylinders holding 5 thousand cubic meters of gas. This is enough to power 100 GAZelle cars and 250 VESTA passenger cars using methane.

These mobile fuel stations are reliable and provide fast refueling. At the same time, they can be quickly refueled at points where propane and methane are available. Thanks to this, they always have gas in them. Today they are not widely used. You can meet in Stavropol. In the near future it will appear between Moscow and St. Petersburg.

↑ Self-installation of gas equipment on Lada Vesta

When installing gas equipment yourself, the most important question remains: which gas to choose? The manufacturer chose to use methane. But most gas stations in the country have propane. Today we can say with confidence that propane has many advantages.

In addition to more refills, other positive qualities should be noted. Firstly, the weight of propane cylinders is lower than that of methane. Secondly, they have a large capacity. Therefore, most car owners are inclined towards propane. Perhaps the creation of a gas-powered car that uses methane will change this trend.

Cost of services for installing gas equipment on Lada

Prices for installing 4th generation LPG on Lada, rub.*

You can pay for the services provided in the service for installing gas equipment and servicing gas equipment on a car in cash, with a bank card issued by any bank, or by bank transfer (for legal entities).