ЗАЗ Lanos: prices and specifications

ZAZ Lanos

ZAZ Lanos is one of the first Ukrainian models of foreign origin. The model got its name in honor of the ancient Roman god Janus (from Spanish "Lanos"), who was considered the deity of doors, entrances and exits. For the brand, this name symbolized the transition from outdated cars to new ones.

The predecessor of the "Ukrainianized" Lanos was a model of the South Korean company Daewoo. Its design was developed by the famous car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. Initially, still under the Daewoo brand, assembly of the Lanos at the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant began in 1998. In 2002, after the appearance of the second generation of the model, production of the car continued.

Under the ZAZ brand, the sedan model began to be produced in 2009. A year later, production of the ZAZ Lanos in a five-door hatchback body started, which is supplied to Russia under the name ZAZ Chance. Based on the ZAZ Lanos, the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant produces the Sens model in two body modifications — sedan and five-door hatchback.

Initially, the car was equipped with two gasoline engines: a 1.3-liter produced by the Melitopol Motor Plant and a 1.5-liter from General Motors. Later, the 1.3-liter engine was discontinued, and a 1.4-liter engine began to be installed instead. The trusted 1.5-liter engine from General Motors remained in service. In 2011, the line of power units was supplemented by a new 1.5-liter engine produced by ACTECO, to the development of which engineers from the Austrian company AVL contributed. The car is standardly equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox, which works in pair with 1.5-liter engines. Since 2011, a 4-speed automatic transmission has been installed on the ZAZ Lanos, which is aggregated only with the 1.4-liter engine. The car has front-wheel drive.

History

ZAZ Lanos is considered the most popular car in Ukraine. The history of the model began in the first half of the 90s, when the joint venture Daewoo and General Motors ceased to exist. Lanos was developed in close cooperation with German and British engineers, as well as with the involvement of specialists from leading automotive companies. Porsche was involved in structural analysis and production of the prototype. The official date of the model's market launch is 1997, when Lanos was presented at the Geneva Motor Show.

Initially, Lanos was produced only in Korea and was equipped with engines of 1.3–1.6 liters with power from 75 to 106 hp. From 1997 to 2002, the Lanos Cabrio convertible was produced.

A few months after the presentation, in 1997, production of the car began at the Polish plant "FSO". In Ukraine, production of Lanos started in 1998. Large-unit assembly was carried out at the joint venture "AvtoZAZ-Daewoo" in Ilyichevsk. Around the same time, assembly of Lanos began in Russia — in Taganrog (1998–1999), where the model was produced under the name Doninvest Assol, and then in Rostov-on-Don (1999–2000). In the early 2000s, production of car kits for subsequent assembly in Ukraine was organized in Poland.

In 2003, the UkrAVTO corporation and GMDaewoo signed an agreement to create a full-scale production of Lanos at the facilities of the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant. Five years later, in 2008, the level of production localization allowed the production of Lanos under the ZAZ brand. In Ukraine, this model is exported under the brands Daewoo and Chevrolet (in Russia and Kazakhstan — ZAZ Chance), as well as in the form of car kits for large-unit production in Egypt.

Over the years of production in Ukraine, AvtoZAZ repeatedly tried to update the Lanos and presented concepts. However, calculations of the cost of restyling each time showed the impossibility of a radical change in appearance. As a result, in Zaporozhye they focused on improving components and assemblies, as well as on small additions — for example, new instruments on the dashboard and turn signals in the side mirrors. At ZAZ, they even created electric versions of the Lanos.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the cargo version of the ZAZ Lanos, first shown in 2005. Today, the ZAZ Lanos Pick-up is mass-produced and available to a wide range of buyers.

In 2008, at the peak of new car sales in Ukraine, AvtoZAZ developed the "Lanos-M" prototype. Production launch was planned for 2009–2010, but the economic crisis and a sharp decline in sales made this idea unviable, as did another initiative — the creation of a sports version of the Lanos.

Exterior

Given the age of the model, the Lanos body design became morally obsolete about 15 years ago. However, the class of the car and its price make this factor unimportant.

Overall, the ZAZ Lanos looks quite decent and does not irritate in any way. You can feel the hand of the masters from Italdesign, who know how to create "eternal" things.

It is important to note that in Ukraine, the Lanos sedan differs with rear vertical lights (factory index T150). On the domestic market, Lanos is available in two body types — sedan and 5-door hatchback. Since 2014, the Lanos is standardly equipped with fog lights and black moldings.

Interior

The interior of the Lanos is familiar to most Ukrainians. It is hard to find a person who has not sat in this car at least once, especially considering the taxi fleets that previously consisted exclusively of Lanos.

There are three trim levels: Standard+, Comfort and Lux. The ergonomics of the interior do not cause any particular complaints. The location of buttons and controls is intuitive. There are no excesses, which is only a plus for the buyer. All adjustments are manual, so there is not much to break.

The quality of plastic and fit of parts are quite decent. The only thing to complain about is the lack of cup holders and a shortage of compartments for small items. Since 2014, the base configuration of the ZAZ Lanos has mirrors with turn signal repeaters and heating. Air conditioning is available starting from the second trim level.

In addition, since 2014, an updated instrument panel has been installed on the Lanos. Its main difference is that the analog odometer has been replaced with an electronic one, which determines mileage more accurately.

The seats of the Lanos are upholstered in fabric that is resistant to wear and dirt. Two adults can fit in the back row.

The trunk volume, depending on the body type, is 322 liters for the sedan (with the rear seats folded — 958 l) and 250 liters for the hatchback (886 l).

Engine and transmission

In Ukraine, the ZAZ Lanos is offered with two gasoline engines of 1.4 L and 1.5 L.

The 1.5-liter unit has 8 valves and is available only with a 5-speed manual transmission. Power — 86 hp. This is a time-tested 1.5 SOHC 8V engine, created by the Koreans and Germans back in the 90s. Many consider it a copy of the 1.3-liter Opel Kadett engine. This is partly true: the Daewoo engine received an increased volume due to the cylinder diameter and piston stroke. Fuel consumption — 10.4 liters in the urban cycle.

The 1.4-liter engine, despite its smaller volume, has 16 valves and develops 101 hp. This engine, produced by General Motors, is available with a 4-speed automatic transmission from Aisin (Japan). The stated fuel consumption with the "automatic" is 7.9 L in the city.

Both engines comply with Euro-4 standards.

There is a version of the Lanos with a factory LPG system. The Lanos gas/gasoline is available with a 1.5-liter engine in the mid-level Comfort trim.

In 2010, the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant showed an electric car based on the ZAZ Lanos Pick-up Elektro. It received a 15-kilowatt electric motor of Italian production, powered by 8 batteries. The range was 100–120 km. With this novelty, the Zaporozhye residents decided to remind about the electric Tavria, which was produced at ZAZ in the second half of the 1980s and sold abroad. The plant management named the cost of the kit for converting the Lanos into an electric car — $5,000. However, it did not come to serial production of environmentally friendly Lanos.

Safety

The doors of the ZAZ Lanos have side impact beams. There are safety elements made of steel pipes under the windshield. Under-hood box-section beams also positively affect the level of passive safety, dissipating impact energy in a frontal collision. A driver's airbag is available for the car.

According to the results of the crash test by "Autoreview" from 2006, the Ukrainian Lanos has a fairly good level of safety, especially compared to competitors from China and CIS countries.

Features

The main feature of the ZAZ Lanos is its unpretentiousness and endurance. There are instances that have covered over 500 thousand km. With proper and timely maintenance, the Ukrainian bestseller can serve no less than more expensive foreign cars.

Significant advantages of the Lanos include the absence of problems with spare parts and the cost of the car. An important factor is the possibility of repair even in remote parts of Ukraine — thanks to a wide dealer network and an abundance of private specialists in Lanos maintenance.

Popularity in Ukraine

The Lanos has passed the test of time and Ukrainian roads, which has earned it a good reputation. The price has determined high demand.

According to AvtoPortal data, for many years the ZAZ Lanos has been taking first place in the Ukrainian ranking of new car sales. The success of the model is also evidenced by the Lanos lovers club, which has tens of thousands of members.

The Lanos is especially popular in the secondary market. Used examples can sometimes cost only slightly less than a similar car without mileage.

Our verdict

If you need a "workhorse" — ZAZ Lanos. If you don't have a lot of money to buy a car — ZAZ Lanos. If you want to buy a new car and sell it a few years later for a little less — ZAZ Lanos. If you want to purchase a super-modern car with a fresh design — then not ZAZ Lanos.