Production of the Lada Priora sedan, popular in our country, ended in 2018, but the model is still one of the most recognizable in the Russian market and enjoys steady demand in the secondary market. AvtoVAZ finally stopped the assembly line due to falling demand and the company's reorientation towards more relevant models, primarily the Lada Granta and new cars in the lineup. However, AvtoVAZ's decision to abandon the Priora was not due to one factor, but to a combination of market, technical, and strategic reasons.
The Lada Priora debuted in 2007 and was a deep modernization of the "tenth" family of cars. The model was based on a platform developed back in the 1980s, as AvtoVAZ did not have the resources to create a completely new car at that time. At the same time, the Priora received improved aerodynamics, an updated design, and modern power units for those times. In particular, a 1.8-liter engine with a capacity of 123 hp provided good dynamics and handling at a relatively low cost of operation.
Falling Demand and the Emergence of the Lada Granta
The peak of Lada Priora sales occurred in the early 2010s. In some years, sales exceeded 120,000 cars, making the model one of the key ones in the brand's lineup. The situation began to change in 2013 after the Lada Granta was released on the market.
The Granta turned out to be noticeably cheaper and was perceived by buyers as a more modern model. A significant advantage was the version with an automatic Jatco gearbox, which had established itself as reliable. The Priora, on the other hand, was offered exclusively with a manual transmission for a long time, and later received a robotic gearbox, which caused many complaints. This directly affected buyers' interest and led to a sharp decline in sales.
Optimization of AvtoVAZ's Model Range
Against the background of growing competition and the emergence of new models, including the Lada Vesta and XRay, AvtoVAZ decided to optimize the model range. The company relied on the Lada Granta as the most versatile and commercially successful car.
Despite the fact that many considered the Priora's design to be more attractive, it was the Granta that better met the needs of the mass buyer. The model offered a more spacious trunk, an energy-intensive suspension, and a more affordable price, which turned out to be more important than external factors.
Is a Priora Return Possible?
In modern conditions, when the market is increasingly shifting towards crossovers, a theoretically modernized Lada Priora could occupy its own niche. However, launching production would require significant investments in the development and adaptation of the platform. Given the appearance of new models in the Lada lineup, including the Iskra, such investments are economically impractical, which finally closes the question of the Priora's return to the assembly line.