A Crash Course in Car Ownership: My Honest Review of the Lada X-ray

My husband's attempt to surprise me with a gift ended in disaster - some Audi-driving guy crashed into the car just 5 kilometers from my place. The red ribbon on the hood was a grim reminder of the accident. A busted headlight, scratches on the new paint job, and a crumpled wing were just the beginning. The ribbon is still sitting on the backseat, a sad reminder of what could have been.

I've had my fair share of cars over the years - five VAZ 2109s, one 2112, a Lada Largus, a Kia Spectra, a Kia Rio, and an Infiniti FX35. Not in that order, mind you. Life has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, with unexpected windfalls and crises. I've lost and regained property, and learned to not take anything for granted.

So, here's my review of the Lada X-ray in the Prestige trim. One thing to note is that the Prestige trim doesn't come with floor mats. Maybe the buyers of the Lux trim have to pay extra for them. Or maybe they'll become an optional extra or accessory soon. For now, I'm driving around with newspaper on the floor.

I really liked the color options for this model - the fiery red, for instance. Or the 'ashen grey' - it's a bit of a weird name, but it's a nice color. The X-ray has a more limited color palette, with only seven options. I chose the fiery red, and I'm glad I did. Apparently, it's more visible on the road. I'm sending a shout-out to the poor Audi driver from the beginning of my review. And just a heads up - any color except the 'ice white' will cost you an extra 12 rubles.

Now, let's talk about the pros of the Prestige compared to the Classic. Don't worry, I won't bore you with all the details. I'll just highlight the most interesting stuff.

The price. Plus 150,000 rubles. That's a big difference from what I'm used to. I used to buy cars for 25,000 rubles. So, that's a difference of six of my green tens. You could practically buy a different car every day for that price.LADA Ride Select (mode selector). Which, by the way, is completely absent in my car!!! Sorry, AvtoVAZ, I found out the next day that it's only available on the Cross. Who needs that button, anyway?One extra rear headrest. Yeah, that's three instead of two. You're getting a real bargain, aren't you?Headlights with fog lights. (Where are my dust-repellent mats, by the way?)The folding rear seat. Yeah, when I'm stuck in traffic, I fold it up. It's like a Rubik's Cube for the space-challenged.The dashboard panel color is up to you. Limited options, though. Orange or black. Orange is a universal color that goes with anything. It matches white, red, bald Igor the cat, my face color, and, of course, mandarins on New Year's. It's a great choice. Trust me, you won't regret it.The same goes for the seat upholstery. Get the orange one, I'm telling you.The steering wheel and gear selector cover are trimmed with leather. AvtoVAZ director's leather, judging by the price. May I be forgiven, Ivar Karakatzanis (and God bless him with a nice surname).The glasses case. No, you got it. The glasses case. For 150 rubles extra, we get a glasses case. No dust-repellent mats or USB outlets for charging your devices. Just a glasses case.My favorite. The sliding compartment under the front passenger seat. It's a real game-changer in terms of using available space in cars.And then there are the minor details. Adjustable height for the driver's seat. I don't need it, I'm average height. Kids will appreciate it, though.Enhanced tinting for the rear windows. Honestly, it's a plus. I'm not even sure what else to say about it.I have to admit, I'm a bit sarcastic about this. I'm not a fan of aquariums.

Electric gadgets - heated steering wheel and seats (including rear ones), windscreen wipers, rearview camera, parking and rain sensors. It's a real treat. I'm still terrified when the windshield wipers start moving on their own at the first drop of rain.Adaptive cruise control and speed limiter. Honestly? I thought this would come to AvtoVAZ in 2076.Infotainment system. To be honest, it's a bit of a letdown in terms of response to my actions. Maybe I should rip off the plastic cover. But I'm like Plushkin, I won't let anyone do that. My remotes are still in their packaging, yeah. Navigation is useless. First, I had trouble turning it on, and then just as long to turn it off. The speed limiter screams like a wart when I pass by cameras. I have no idea how to disable this service. Maybe I need to send an SMS for 800 rubles somewhere. I have no idea.I still haven't tried the pre-set mode for driving, to be honest. I'm not sure how it works, and I'm a bit hesitant. Maybe I'll give it a shot later. Or not. When I get used to the car's dimensions, that is.

I feel super comfortable driving this thing. The seat and steering wheel are perfectly adjusted, making the ride super smooth. The left side mirror doesn't obstruct my view, which is a big plus. I had to turn my whole body to see around the Kia Rio when I turned left, but that's not the case here.

The car hums. When it switches gears. I'll give it 150 stars for this sound alone. I've fallen in love with this sound just like my cats. The ride is smooth. After automatic gear shifting, the system stalls for literally 2-3 seconds, and there's a delay in acceleration. I haven't driven fast in a long time, but during overtaking, these seconds can be a matter of life and death. That's why I don't like automatic. In X-ray mode, it's extremely slow compared to my previous cars. That's why I'm deducting a star And for the floor mats.

The fuel consumption on the highway was 9.9 liters. With small traffic jams. In the city, it's around 15. Considering the manufacturer's recommendation to use only 95 gasoline, the car turns out to be expensive to use.

The rearview camera works like a charm and makes parking a breeze. The key is to get used to looking at it instead of the mirrors. The parking trajectory is super helpful for newbies. The parking sensors alert you to potential dangers in time. I had trouble reversing, but with the Ray, it's a piece of cake. I hope I'm not the only one who's still reading this.

I was going to write more, but I think I've run out of steam. If I remember anything else, I'll add it later.

It looks amazing, like a full-fledged crossover. The red color is my favorite, especially for girls like me. The included wheels are top-notch. (Too bad there aren't any floor mats, though.) I'll probably write a follow-up post in a year or so with more useful info. For now, that's it. Thanks to everyone who made it this far, folks!

PS - I realized I made a mistake posting those full car photos from the interior, which might have made this review seem pretty unbelievable, to be honest. The aftermath of the accident and another nighttime photo from the driveway in the post above