Ground clearance is the distance from the ground to the lowest part of the vehicle. The cross-country ability of the car depends on the clearance. When buying a new car, most car enthusiasts often pay attention to this point.
In the video, the clearance was measured on the Lada Kalina station wagon and on the Lada Kalina Cross:
The value of ground clearance for Lada Kalina (various bodies)
Let's try in this article to figure out what is the clearance of the second generation Lada Kalina with different types of bodies.
Station wagon and hatchback
Kalina's clearance versus Renault Duster's clearance, visually Duster is closer, so it seems that they are equal
Most owners of this car can find information that the ground clearance on the car is 14.5 centimeters. But often during a test drive, information pops up that the second-generation Kalina's clearance is already 16 cm.If an automatic gearbox is installed on the car, then the clearance will be only 14 cm.
To clarify this point in more detail, you need to open the car manual. There you can see that the ground clearance of the new one is the same as that of Kalina with a hatchback body. It composes:
- With a full load of a car with a manual transmission or automatic transmission, the ground clearance under the box will be 160/145 millimeters, respectively.
We measure the clearance from the automatic transmission to the ground with a tape measure
At the same time, the total mass of the car, which is allowed by the manufacturer, varies from 1524 to 1605 kg. Of course, often the car is not loaded to the eyeballs, and therefore the declared clearance in some moments may be higher.
If you compare two cars on the street with station wagon and hatchback bodies, you will notice that their ground clearance is almost the same. If you arm yourself with a tape measure and take measurements yourself, you can see that the ground clearance without load is 19.5 cm under the checkpoint, and 230 cm under the engine.
Clearance values from the engine and from the gearbox (marked in red)
Viburnum Cross
We measured 21 cm along the bottom of Kalina, almost a factory parameter
Regarding the Lada Kalina CROSS, it should be noted that its ground clearance is 230 millimeters. 16 cm of them gives an updated and improved suspension and 70 mm gives rubber, the height of the profile of which is slightly increased compared to previous models.
As a result, it turns out that Kalina CROSS is not inferior in its cross-country ability to large SUVs. Also, the modern suspension provides better stability of the car on the track.
Video test drive Lada Kalina Cross off-road
conclusions
On the left is CROSS, and on the right is an ordinary station wagon
After reading this article, you can understand in more detail what clearance the Lada Kalina has with different types of bodies.
One of the important parameters of a car is its ground clearance. When choosing a car, many pay attention to this parameter.
But tell me, when you look at the parameters of a car ... do you think under what conditions they were measured? Personally, I began to think for a long time.
And very often I began to notice that some kind of product manufactured in accordance with old standards (GOSTs, OSTs, etc.) often has actual characteristics better than its modern counterparts. Although according to the documents, everything seems to be the opposite ...
Renault Duster… a car positioning Renault as an affordable SUV (allegedly)
According to the documents, its ground clearance is 210 mm in a mono-drive version. And 205mm in all-wheel drive.
Lada Kalina 2 hatchback ... according to the documents, its ground clearance in the version with automatic transmission is 145mm.
Here is just one small "BUT"
Avtovaz indicates the ground clearance in a state with the maximum permissible maximum vehicle weight. Those. in other words, loaded to the maximum.
For it used to be so before ... everything was standardized, formalized and accurately measured ... because the economy was planned.
In the West, this has never been and never is. And everyone is dressed up as best they can.
Therefore, the clearance of the Renault Duster is naturally indicated for an empty car. 210-205 mm.
Empty Kalina 2 1.6 automatic transmission… has 230mm to the thresholds and 200mm to the lowest point - the automatic transmission crankcase.
The clearance of Kalina 2 with manual gearbox according to the documents is 165mm ... Therefore, when empty, it will not be 200, but 220 mm (the manual transmission crankcase is significantly higher) ... i.e. more ground clearance than Renault Duster ...
Here is such a "SUV". By the way, one of the best-selling cars in Russia is now ...
But the same is with geometric cross-country ability. Approach / exit angles are indicated for an empty car.
And moreover, the viburnum in the photo and during measurements was shod in rubber 185/65 R14
And Duster on wheels 215/65 R16.
Those. the profile of the wheels gives the duster an advantage of 19.5mm and the disc diameter of 50.8mm.
Thus, being shod in rubber and wheels of the same dimension, the viburnum would be ABOVE DUSTER 60.3 mm minimum.
These are these off-road imported SUVs.
Move on.
Renault Sandero / Logan 1.6 102 hp 145n * m manual transmission 1082kg / 1075kg on pieces of paper accelerates to 100 km / h in 10.5 seconds
Lada Kalina 1.6 106 hp 148 n * m manual transmission 1040kg does the same on pieces of paper for 11.6 ...
Don't you think that something is wrong here? 🙂 Less powerful, less torque, heavier car accelerates faster ...
Maybe there is a "short" checkpoint with a low max speed? so on pieces of paper Logan / Sandero - 180 km / h
And viburnum - 179 km / h ...
Perhaps, of course, in Logan, the 2nd gear is twisted to 100 km / h, and in Kalina, reaching 100 km / h occurs on the third. But this is also not so ... In both cars 100 km / h is achieved only in 3rd gear ...
Because this is not a car magazine. And my conclusions are free ... then do them yourself) If they greatly outrage me, then I may even argue with you))
I’ll just say: I don’t like being hired and bribed for money.
It is not just that one of the EU requirements for Ukraine is the abolition of all GOSTs 🙂
The Lada Kalina 2 car is considered an urban budget car. Usually, the ground clearance of city cars is not the most important criterion, but in the case of domestic Grants and Kalina, the situation is such that their high ground clearance has a positive effect on sales. Yes, these are really people's cars that are well adapted to the realities of Russian roads. A striking example is the official dealer of Orekhovo Lada, which sells just such cars.
Some car owners do not like that their car has a high ground clearance, and they deliberately lower it. What are the advantages of this? Someone thinks that the understated Kalina looks better, others firmly believe that the aerodynamics of the car is noticeably improving, others have completely illogical motives - “so fashionable”.
The ground clearance of LADA Kalina 2 with full load is about 145 mm, which is quite enough to feel comfortable even in light off-road conditions. Without a load, Kalina has an impressive ground clearance of 200 mm.
The author of this material believes that it is NOT necessary to underestimate Kalina, and if it is to underestimate, then professionally. Why? Just watch a few videos at the end of the article. But at the same time, we must describe how the clearance of the Lada Kalina 2 is reduced and what are the pros and cons in this process.
Ways to underestimate Novaya Kalina:
Air suspension. Quite an expensive option, but it allows you to adjust the vehicle's clearance at any time. You are driving on a flat road - you lowered the car, you have to move over a speed bump - raised it. This option is quite rare, since high financial costs make the car much more expensive.
Suspension with adjustable ground clearance... In this case, the stiffness of the shock absorbers can be adjusted, due to which the car is lowered or raised. This method also does not belong to cheap ones, therefore its popularity is not so high.
These kits are quite cheap and have a complete set for lowering the car - shock absorbers and springs. As a rule, such kits are well designed for a certain level - "- 90 mm", "- 120 mm", so the car behaves well in dynamics.
This is the cheapest and most incorrect method - lowered springs are installed (most often they are simply cut off). In this case, usually the shock absorbers are left standard, as a result of which the car becomes poorly controlled.
Rubber and wheels... By installing non-standard low-profile tires and other discs, you can achieve a significant reduction in ground clearance. Typically, this method requires the installation of other springs and shock absorbers.
Lada Kalina is one of the most practical and best-selling offspring of AvtoVAZ. The model enjoyed considerable popularity, due, first of all, to its cost and adaptability to the realities of Russian roads. This largely applies to the Kalina's clearance. Having started production in 2004, the ground clearance of Lada Kalina was 160 millimeters - one might say, the golden mean among passenger cars. After updating the model in 2013, the model's clearance range expanded - a clearance of 145 millimeters was added, and the cross-country version of the Cross station wagon had a clearance of 183 millimeters. The design of the car itself did not allow it to be made even more - it was necessary to make significant changes to the design of the Kalina's suspension.
Clearance table Lada Kalina
| Modification of Lada Kalina | Production years | Modification description | Clearance, mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT Norm | 2013-2019 | 160 | |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT Norm | 2013-2019 | 160 | |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT Lux | 2013-2019 | Hatchback 4-door front-wheel drive petrol (118 HP) | 145 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 AT Lux | 2012-2019 | 145 | |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 AT Lux | 2012-2019 | 145 | |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 AT Norm | 2012-2019 | Hatchback 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (98 HP) | 145 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 AT Norm | 2012-2019 | Station wagon 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (98 HP) | 145 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT Lux | 2012-2019 | 160 | |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT Lux | 2012-2019 | Hatchback 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (106 HP) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT Norm | 2012-2019 | Hatchback 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (87 HP) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT Norm | 2012-2019 | 160 | |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT Norm | 2012-2019 | Station wagon 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (106 HP) | 145 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT Norm | 2012-2019 | Hatchback 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (106 HP) | 145 |
| 2012-2019 | Station wagon 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (87 HP) | 160 | |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT Standard | 2012-2019 | Hatchback 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (87 HP) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina Cross 1.6 MT | 2012-2019 | Station wagon 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (87 and 106 HP) | 185 |
| Lada Kalina 1.4 MT | 2005-2013 | Sedan 4-door front-wheel drive petrol (89 HP) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina 1.4 MT | 2005-2013 | Station wagon 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (89 hp) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina 1.4 MT | 2005-2013 | Hatchback 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (89 HP) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT | 2005-2013 | Sedan 4-door front-wheel drive petrol (81 hp) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT | 2005-2013 | Station wagon 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (81 hp) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT | 2005-2013 | Hatchback 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (81 HP) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT | 2005-2013 | Sedan 4-door front-wheel drive petrol (98 HP) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT | 2005-2013 | Station wagon 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (98 HP) | 160 |
| Lada Kalina 1.6 MT | 2005-2013 | Hatchback 5-door front-wheel drive petrol (98 HP) | 160 |
If the future owner intends to operate his car in the absence of roads with an ideal surface, then he should take into account such a significant indicator as ground clearance. This situation is also true for the domestic small car Lada Kalina in the back of a hatchback and a station wagon, the clearance value of which will be discussed in our material.
The technical manual of the model specifies the clearance parameter under full load conditions. It will be interesting to analyze the designated official figures with the results of measurements made using a tape measure. Some enterprising owners manage to increase ground clearance by installing larger diameter wheels, but this "homebrew technology" has its own disadvantages.
What is the manufacturer's clearance for Kalina?
Any manufacturer is faced with a difficult task as far as possible to remove from the roadway the nodes located along the lower "line" of the Lada Kalina car body in order to protect them from damage. These are not only the components of the suspension, but also the pallets of the units, the exhaust pipe, etc. The question of how to “hide” the fuel tank is especially important, because the fact of the consequences of its damage is not a secret.
The manufacturer indicates the clearance value by indicating several test points from which the measurement was made. So in the manual, or rather in its section on "basic parameters and characteristics" (pp. 133-136), two clearance values are clearly indicated, measured as follows:
- from the roadway to the lowest point of the motor crankcase;
- from a similar point of the transmission unit to a flat road surface.
These values were measured after giving the weight load to the Lada Kalina car to the regulatory maximum. Such a parameter can be easily calculated: it is necessary to subtract the curb weight from the value of the total weight. The load is influenced by the type of motor and the equipment level. On average, this parameter reaches a value of 450-500 kg. The value of the clearance, reflected in the manual, will mean its value only if the vehicle is given a 500 kg load.
For both body versions of the hatchback and station wagon of the Lada Kalina model in the second generation, the ground clearance is as follows:
- from the lowest point of the motor - 160 mm;
- from the same point of the mechanical transmission - 160 mm;
- from the automatic unit - 145 mm.
If we touch on the Kalina Cross variation, then its ground clearance compares favorably to the big side. Here, the regulatory values state that this value from the engine crankcase to the road surface is 182 mm, and from the transmission unit - 187 mm. This value is valid for all versions of motors and boxes.
Real measurements of auto clearance
Let's determine the ground clearance without applying the previously specified standard load. How to do it? Let's use a tape measure. We will summarize the results of real measurements in a table.
An interesting experiment was carried out, the purpose of which was to check the veracity of the ratio of the clearance value of the Lada Kalina in the usual version in comparison with the "Cross" version. For this, 4 measurements were made. The clearance value was measured from the roadbed to the side sill of the body with a pre-installed jack. For the purity of the experiment, we had to put both cars in identical conditions. Both Kalinas appeared on the test with empty cabins and luggage compartments, as well as with a minimum of fuel in the tanks.
The regular version of the Kalina was shod with 14-inch radial tires of 175-width and 55-profile. The "cross" variation got 15-inch tires, the dimensions of the width and profile of which were respectively equal to "195x55".
The first to be measured was Lada Kalina 2 in the standard version. In the unloaded condition, the clearance value reached 198 mm. The "cross" version received a ground clearance of 217 mm during measurement.
At the next stage, 4 people were seated in the salons of the test cars in turn. When loaded, an ordinary station wagon gave out a clearance of 170 mm. When Kalina Cross was loaded, the clearance level dropped to 192 mm. As a result, the additional weight was able to lower the ground clearance of the regular version by 28 mm, and that of the Cross - by 25 mm. A modified suspension and large diameter wheels played a role here.
How to influence the level of clearance?
How to increase the clearance in your car? If you install wheels with an increased diameter and profile, then the ground clearance will certainly "grow". It is interesting to consider an example of such a forced impact when using wide tires 215x55xR15. With an increase in the profile by 5%, the increase in clearance is 1 mm. Adding another five percent in the profile will increase the clearance by 2.5 mm.
When leaning towards increasing the size of the wheels, one should look back at the factory recommendations. The maximum size of tires installed at the factory reaches 185x60xR14 for the standard Lada Kalina 2 and 185x55xR15 for the "Cross" version. Theoretically, it is possible to set the tire size 195x40xR17, however, one should take into account the risk of the tires touching the wheel arches when driving irregularities and other consequences for the suspension that can cause its premature wear due to the increased weight of the wheels.
Also, the increased tire height can shift the center of gravity upward, which will impair handling. Another important aspect is the danger of deformation of the rubber profile of the tire under the influence of the same increased weight. Here again there is a risk of overturning when cornering at higher speeds, as body roll inevitably increases.
We also note the positive aspects of the enlarged wheels. This is not only an increase in ground clearance, but also an improved ability of the body as a whole to perceive road irregularities. The car ride is endowed with softness and smoothness. Now you know how to increase the lumen of Kalina.
Let's sum up
The increase in the clearance of the Lada Kalina 2 car should be approached as carefully as possible. There is no need to go to extremes here, since the owner in this case assumes responsibility not only for his own safety, but for his companions on the road.
