Concern Renault-Nissan in 2000 acquired the shares of the Russian company AvtoVAZ. This event contributed to dramatic changes in the domestic auto industry. Reforms began to be carried out, the purpose of which was to reduce production costs as much as possible. This promised motorists the release of fairly cheap cars. A striking example was Subsequently, the name was changed to Lada Granta.
During development, they saved on everything. And as a result, the manufacturer made a promise that the new model will cost from 200 thousand rubles. This greatly expanded the consumer market. Of course, such an advertising move concerned only the basic configuration. What was offered in it, we will tell a little later.
AvtoVAZ kept its promise, and when the first copies of the VAZ-2190 left the container, the price did not exceed 230 thousand rubles.
Birth of Lada Granta
At the development stage, Lada Granta had the working title Low cost, which meant "low price". The Kalina platform was taken as the basis. Since this model did not reach the planned sales volumes, there was a lot of unused equipment that was purchased for its assembly. This decision made it possible to use everything that was already in stock to the maximum. And this, as a result, significantly reduced costs and development time. Thanks to this, the Lada Granta (VAZ-2190) appeared in less than 2 years. The prospects for such a rapid development made it possible to save about 30%, which influenced the price formation.
However, the savings didn't end there. In terms of technology, too, everything was reduced to a minimum. If we compare some parts of the car, then in the VAZ-2190 their number was reduced by a factor of three or more. The door trim became very simple, practically without decorative elements, there was no electronics on the instrument panel, it had the most primitive look. The forerunner of this decision was the experience with Renault Logan, which, in turn, ousted the domestic brand from the Russian market.
With the arrival of foreigners in our auto industry, the so-called "dummy" appeared. What does this mean? The new brand in the basic version is a combination of chassis, engine and body. This completes the set items. It was this "Grant" (VAZ-2190) that was at a promotional price. To the surprise of the drivers, even simple mirrors and glasses were installed here. And items such as power steering, multimedia, airbags and other equipment could be purchased for an additional fee. 
Several interesting stories were connected with the "Grant". The first is the choice of name. An advertising move was invented, the purpose of which is to bring the car as close to the people as possible. Thanks to the slogan "People's car - people's name" it turned out to attract the attention of people of different incomes. A competition was held, in which a resident of Krasnoyarsk became the winner. The prize is the new Lada Kalina. Even here, the company won by handing over an unpopular model.
Another story that happened during the testing of the VAZ-2190 car gave great interest to this model. The debut took place with the participation of the President of the Russian Federation. Putin personally wanted to arrange a test drive, but the manufacturers forgot to warn about the features of the gas pedal. In the pre-production version, an electronic version was installed. As a result, it was possible to start the car only from the fifth time. After that, people's opinions were divided, many considered it an imperfection and an indicator of the poor quality of domestic products. However, the interest and attention of the masses were still attracted to the "Grant", and this is exactly what the manufacturer needed.
External characteristics
The exterior of the car leaves much to be desired. It looks rather dull and simple. To develop it, the designers used a computer program, which, it should be noted, was outdated. The resulting layout was so bad that the company had to invite British specialist Steve Mattin to the position of chief designer.
"Lada Granta" (VAZ-2190) is a B-class sedan, however, due to its increased size, it is often referred to as category "C". The mass of the car is slightly more than one ton, the ground clearance is 160 mm. Dimensions: 4260x1700x1500 mm. The wheelbase parameters did not exceed 2500 mm. 
Interior
Against the background of the appearance, the interior looks much more presentable. However, aesthetic and ergonomic qualities are inferior even to the cheapest Chinese cars. What can please the owner of "Grants"? First of all - a roomy trunk, as for a sedan. Its volume is 480 liters. Compared to Kalina, the superiority was 80 units. Also, the advantage of the cabin is a sufficient amount of free space. As for the remaining elements, their use is reduced to a minimum.
Engines
VAZ-2190 is equipped with only two types of gasoline units. They have the same volume, but differ in the technical characteristics of the timing and piston group. Engines 1.6 comply with Euro-4 standards. Eight-valve develops a power of 87 liters. s., and sixteen - 106 liters. with. Both engines are equipped with electrically controlled distribution injection.
It was noticed by the owners of the Lada Granta that in winter the engines start with a half turn, and this characterizes them on the positive side. The 8-valve unit is equipped with a manual gearbox (5 degrees), and 16 - automatic Jatco (4 steps).
Equipment
Like other cars of the VAZ brand, Lada Granta is equipped in three versions:
- The standard provides stamped discs, special connectors for audio equipment, seat belts with an indicator, an airbag for the driver, an immobilizer. Price from 300 thousand rubles.
- Norma will please with air conditioning, partial power accessories, in particular, electric front windows, central locking and tailgate drive, power steering, rear seat headrests. The cost is from 350 thousand rubles.
- Suite - two airbags, multimedia systems, heated seats, climate control, as well as BAS and ABS. Pleased with electric mirrors and automatic windows. For such a complete set, you will have to pay at least 450 thousand rubles.