Test drive XRAY Cross
The XRAY crossover with the Cross attachment is in many ways better than the original, and now, in addition, it has received a two-pedal version, which is equipped with a variator and a special motor
In Kaliningrad and the surrounding area, traffic is very unhurried by Russian standards. As if something beneficial was inspired by local drivers from neighboring Lithuania and Poland - the road discipline is almost exemplary. For the two-pedal XRAY Cross, which is presented here to the press, such an environment is very useful. It is in tranquility that the new version is most organic.
XRAY Cross is prettier, richer and, in the end, more "crossover" than the usual XRAY. The project began with the idea of a more muscular appearance, wider track and increased ground clearance. It would seem that they did not start a revolution. But with the final volume of improvements, the Cross is perceived as an almost independent car.
There are many cross-differences: with the widening of the track, the body was effectively transformed, the wheels are original and also wider. The front levers are new - modeled on the Vesta model, from which the steering knuckles, outer CV joints and rear disc brakes. The subframe is from the B0 platform, but the rear cross member is stronger from the Renault Duster. More rear suspension travel, changed springs and shock absorbers. The ground clearance has been increased by 20 mm - up to 215 under the subframe. Finally, the steering wheel has been updated with an EUR, designed, among other things, to reduce vibrations.
The crossover debuted with a VAZ-21179 1.8 gasoline engine (122 hp, 170 Nm) in combination with MKP5. Front-wheel drive only. But to improve cross-country ability, a system of driving modes Ride Select with settings from Bosch has been added. Round on the console, you can select the algorithms "Snow / Mud" and "Sand", there is an ESP off position up to 58 km / h, plus there is a sport mode button on the round.
And here's a logical course of events: the XRAY Cross AT with an automatic transmission went on sale. The crossover was equipped with a Japanese Jatco JF015E CVT with a V-belt transmission and a two-stage gearbox. The box is familiar — the same for the Nissan Qashqai and Renault (Kaptur, Logan and Sandero). And, attention, on XRAY Cross the variator is combined only with the "Nissan" gasoline engine 1.6 (113 hp, 152 Nm), which is already being produced in Togliatti.
The version with automatic transmission, as explained by VAZ, was originally intended for XRAY Cross. Therefore, the implantation was carried out without serious and expensive alterations. Yes, the variator is heavier than the manual gearbox, but at the same time the aluminum block of the 1.6 engine is lighter than the cast-iron one in 1.8 - in total, the new power unit added only 13 kg to the car, which made it possible to do without reconfiguring the suspension. The Cross AT is just as susceptible to small and sharp asphalt bumps, it is just as cool to work out bumps in primers, and it is also prone to drifts.
With a CVT, the XRAY Cross makes an obvious step forward in terms of convenience for the city (for women, for carsharing - emphasize the necessary), but at the same time it is inferior in terms of cross-country ability to the 1,8-liter. The continuously variable transmission itself is not particularly "off-road", and the version does not have a system of Ride Select modes so that the transmission is not subjected to excessive loads. The good thing is that ESP still deactivates up to 58 km / h - now with a button. And that the clearance of the two-pedal version has not decreased.
Anticipating your question - no, say VAZ, the combination of this variator with 1.8 is unrealistic, since the box is designed for a moment of no more than 160 Newton meters. The JF015E will not appear on the regular XRAY either - the layout does not allow there, and it is still possible to ride "with two pedals" only with the old "robot", which leaves much to be desired. That is, Cross AT, in theory, is the least stressful in XRAY control. And what about in practice?
You release the brake pedal, and the car starts to move somehow uncertainly - this is the "creeping mode" up to 7 km / h. The reaction to a slight movement of the gas pedal is lazy, as if the crossover is loaded to the maximum. You press the long-stroke pedal harder ... The box clearly imitates the change of pseudo gears. But imagine that you turn on the "long" tap in the bathroom, and the water flows less than expected. Finally, the gas from the heart, a pause, the engine hummed at speeds above 4000, here is the active acceleration. Matter of habit?
Indeed, you can adjust. The calmer and smoother you try to ride, the better. But making a short, quick move - for example, diving into an adjacent row without creating obstacles - is difficult. And it's a shame that the box does not understand well the gas operation in the mid-speed zone: it picked up the pace, released the pedal - nothing changed, pressed a little again - but the variator does not support.
Sport mode disappeared with Ride Select. And in order to establish communication with the car, you have to switch to manual with six designated ranges. Another thing is that it is clearer this way. The lever moves easily, the gear changes are quick. I liked how successfully the variator reacts to kick-down in this mode: from the sixth it can quickly switch to the second. And one more thing: when you operate manually, the crossover does not seem weak.
VAZ employees clarify that they tuned the automatic transmission together with Renault and Jatco specialists mainly in favor of comfort. But infinitely variable transmission is, in principle, a comfortable thing. And on the Renault Kaptur crossover, this box with other settings works more adequately. Maybe Cross AT will surprise you with its economy? May please. According to the passport, it outperforms the 1.8 with manual gearbox by only 0,4 l / 100 km, but this is an optimistic 7,1 l / 100 km. And the average consumption for the onboard computer was about nine liters: not surprising, but quite acceptable.
Perhaps, some reasons for such settings are silent (or sin on the features of a particular instance?). But they convince of reliability: XRAY Cross AT has been tested for a million kilometers, which the experimental crossovers have overcome without serious complaints. Unofficially, the plant measures the CVT resource of about 160 thousand kilometers - great. But dealers have the usual warranty: 100 thousand or three years.
The key plus of the two-pedal XRAY Cross AT is typically VAZ - attractive prices. In identical trim levels, the new product is more expensive than version 1.8 with manual gearbox at $ 641. They ask for the Cross AT from $ 11 to $ 093. The Prestige Connect package with an updated multimedia system that supports smartphones adds another $ 12. And soon the two-pedal Lada Vesta with a CVT will debut. I wonder how it will be configured.
| Body type | Hatchback | Hatchback |
| dimensions (length, width, height), mm | 4171/1810/1645 | 4171/1810/1645 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2592 | 2592 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1295-1300 | 1295-1300 |
| Cargo space, l | 361 | 361 |
| engine's type | Petrol, R4 | Petrol, R4 |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 1598 | 1774 |
| Power, hp with. at rpm | 113/5500 | 122/6050 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm at rpm | 152/4000 | 170/3700 |
| Transmission, drive | variator, front | MKP5, front |
| Max. speed km / h | 162 | 180 |
| Acceleration 0-100 km / h, s | 12,3 | 10,9 |
| Fuel consumption (mixture), l | 7,1 | 7,5 |
| Price from, $. | 11 093 | 9 954 |
