The charged Granta disappeared from the VAZ range for five whole years. But it didn’t disappear completely—since 2019, it was replaced by the Drive Active version. This is the Granta equipment with the Sport body kit, suspension and interior, but without a forced engine and larger brakes. A sort of “Lada Fizkultura”. And the difference between sports and physical education is that while athletes compete with themselves, athletes compete with their own kind. We checked whether the expanded capabilities of the revived Granta Sport modification are enough to get involved in track battles on the Nizhny Novgorod ring.
What’s new?
The main new opportunity for Granta Sport owners is the hassle-free delivery of a “combat” set of wheels to the competition site. Because the sporty Granta is offered for the first time in a practical liftback body with a 760-liter trunk. The five-door costs 40 thousand rubles more than the sedan and looks behind the wheel. This effect is created due to a more aggressive “landing” of the body, where the rear springs seem to have been filed an extra turn. In fact, the suspension and ground clearance are the same for the two body options, just lowering them by 25 mm gives a different visual effect in the area of the rear arches.
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In terms of “sport” itself, everything here is the same as it was more than ten years ago, when this Granta was introduced. This is an engine increased to 118 hp. power, 5 gears with a 3.9 main pair, disc brakes 284 mm at the front and 240 at the rear, 16-inch wheels, ground clearance 160 mm, stiffer springs (by 15%) and shock absorbers (by 20%). There was still no blocking, because it would have created additional load on the gearbox housing.
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A more aggressive camshaft geometry, a different receiver, a more efficient fuel system and a control program corresponding to this hardware are responsible for the increased output of the good old “gear”. The Granta Sport engine spins up to 6900 rpm versus 6000 for the regular 106-horsepower version of this unit. And just during this last thousand, the engine produces an almost flat level of maximum power, so it makes sense to turn it up to the cutoff.
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Minor changes in the 2023 version include “import-substituted” ABS, rear calipers from Lada Vesta and Korean Marshal MU12 tires (this is a subsidiary brand of Kumho). The interior, despite the familiar steering wheel, instrumentation, seats and red stitching, can be considered updated by the standards of the Sport version.
But we have already seen exactly this in Drive Active – with this frankly cheap decor in the form of a “carbon” pattern. The linings would look much more solid under dark varnish, as is done on the door handles. And with a dark ceiling, like in the new Vesta, even this modest interior could look much more expensive.
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But the main problem with the cabin is the landing. It is far from being sporty, but even just comfortable and ergonomic. The profile of the seats is not bad, but the pilot sits high and not deep in them. The latter is aggravated by the fact that you literally have to reach for the steering wheel. And the stroke of the lever requires sweeping hand movements. As a result, the driver constantly moves in the seat, and the developed lateral support bolsters almost do not work.
Therefore, if you regularly go to the track, the steering wheel and seat will have to be changed. But on ordinary roads there are no such large lateral overloads, and there the ergonomics, improved in comparison with the simple Granta, are just right. True, all this is also available in the more affordable Drive Active version.
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How’s it going?
Of course, it makes sense to choose the Sport modification for the engine and brakes. But you shouldn’t expect miracles: it’s extremely difficult to get out of even 10 seconds of acceleration to 100 km/h. The measurements gave a result of 10.4, and with a passenger, on an imperfect surface and without violence against the car, it was closer to 12. Whether it’s sporty or not, everyone can decide for themselves. But the target audience of this model differs from ordinary drivers in that they understand the power of a high-revving engine installed in a light body.
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The secret to active driving is to get a good ride and keep the revs high. Don’t be afraid to crank the engine up to the cut-off and carry maximum speed through turns using the capabilities of the chassis and the skills of the pilot. Then the engine will uninterruptedly deliver its almost 120 forces, which is quite enough for vigorous acceleration of a ton of light weight.
In the standard 106-horsepower Granta, the torque dives down already from 4500 rpm, and the engine of the Sport version increases its thrust up to 5100, then an almost flat plateau follows, and the collapse of the graph occurs only from 5900. At the same time, the power is in the upper zone rpm (from 6000 to 6900) drops slightly and even at the cutoff it remains close to the maximum.
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Such a wide effective rev range makes it possible to shift less frequently and achieve better and more consistent lap times. For example, on the start-finish straight of the Nizhny Novgorod ring, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the ability to stay in fourth gear instead of engaging fifth for a couple of seconds.
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But in urban conditions, a forced engine is catastrophically inconvenient. It is very difficult to start smoothly: you have to either drop it or set fire to the clutch. Or endure the jerks. The driver experiences similar difficulties in transition modes, when he needs to move at low speed with a slight opening of the throttle.
A smooth change in fuel supply in a traffic jam in 1st or 2nd gears causes the car to jerk, and to compensate for this effect you have to “prime” the clutch pedal. But this long-standing problem of Grants Sport is solved by third-party ECU firmware – there are many successful examples on owner forums.
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The chassis in the city is also frustrating: a huge turning radius and very stiff suspension, especially the rear one. It shakes violently at joints and hatches, and this is accompanied by loud sounds from under the bottom. But there is a category of drivers who like these constant reminders that their car is not simple, but sporty. These people drive coilovers all year round and are not at all worried about the 35 tire profile. “But how it holds the road!”
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Granta Sport really knows a thing or two about traction. On the track, the rigid suspension minimally unloads the inner wheel, which allows you to “open” out of turns earlier and deeper. And that means going faster. Marshal tires are moderately grippy, resist overheating well, and slide well at the limit. A low-power and light sports car does not need tires that are too grippy, because this will make the car boring for an experienced driver and dangerous for an inexperienced one.
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Otherwise, the Sport version has no surprises for those who are familiar with it: the steering is quite understandable, although it does not shine with sharpness and feedback. The brakes are also decent – there was no significant decrease in efficiency even during back-to-back track sessions. Except that the ABS once forced me to go far beyond the entry point into a turn in the same area where it had previously worked stably. This Granta is ready for the track! But with reservations.
Who needs Granta Sport in 2023?
Everything here is the same as before – for enthusiasts on a limited budget. No matter how strange it may sound at a price of 1.3 million. But the key thing is that it is a car that is understandable in terms of reliability and at the same time not boring to drive. Its shortcomings are corrected by available improvements, the scope of which everyone will determine for themselves. A differential lock, a turbo kit, a sports steering wheel, a racing bucket – it’s all there and is relatively cheap.
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But why can’t the manufacturer at least polish the engine management program, which turns city driving into torture? And there are many questions about the quality of workmanship: in different cars I came across a crunchy front window lifter, a failed ABS system, a melted false muffler pipe (they promised to improve the design), and the rattling of hydraulic compensators.
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It turns out that in more than ten years there has been no progress either in design or in quality. Of course, these problems known to the “grant givers” are solvable. But still unpleasant: after all, it is better to direct the same efforts to tuning than to repair and correct factory defects. Three hundred million is a considerable amount. But, on the other hand, there are no alternatives on the new car market for either one and a half, or even two million.
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Granta Sport performs in its own unique niche and is addressed to those who do not have the desire or resources to tinker with an old Japanese sports car, squeezed out by a “turbo-vag” or a repeatedly overcooked BMW with the “legendary M50” running mainly on oil. All of these options will be more dynamic and controllable – but only when they are running well.
And the construction of such cars for amateur rides will generally be many times more expensive. Therefore, Granta Sport is practically the only option for those who want to drive right here and now, in summer and winter. It may not be fast, but it’s a lot and with pleasure. This is better than saving money, energy, spare parts for years – and in the end not going anywhere. /m
Car Lada Granta Sport I like the very fact of the existence of the Sport version, the design outside and inside, the engine’s traction at the top. I don’t like the lack of novelty and progress, workmanship, traction control in the city. Verdict Tuning to help Engine 1596 cm³, petrol L4, 118 hp, 151 Nm Transmission MKP-5 Numbers 9.8.; 195 km/h Weight 1090 (1115) kg
Detailed technical specifications
Lada Granta Sport Engine type petrol L4 Displacement, cm³ 1596 Max. power, hp /rpm 118/5900 Max. torque, Nm/rpm 151/5000 Drive type front Gearbox mechanical 5-speed Front spring suspension McPherson Rear suspension spring semi-independent Dimensions (LxWxH), mm 4286x1700x1450 Wheelbase, mm 2482 Curb weight, kg 1090 (liftback 1115) Volume trunk , l 520 (liftback 440/750) Acceleration 0–100 km/h, s 9.8 Max. speed, km/h 195 Fuel consumption (combined), l/100 km 7 Fuel tank volume, l 50 Price, rub. from 1 249 900
https://quto.ru/lada/granta/if/hatchback5d
