Overview and Common Failures
Body and Interior The paintwork is quite weak, but the body itself is treated and does not rust immediately after chips. On forums, the short lifespan of chrome and quickly wearing glass is often criticized. The interior materials are cheap, but its resistance to wear is relatively high. There aren't many problems with the electrical system: bulbs burn out or the stereo glitches.
Engine The 1.6-liter Renault N4M engine has no major issues with proper care. The only complaint may be the lack of hydraulic compensators and the low lifespan of the timing chain. The 1.8-liter VAZ 21179 engine is also very reliable, but it has a weak spot. Owners often face oil consumption, even from the first kilometers.
Transmission The 5-speed manual transmission Renault JR5 is reliable, the only complaints are about frequent lubricant leaks. The 5-speed manual transmission VAZ 21809 is also good, except that it is noisier during operation. The Jatco JF015E CVT appeared recently and so far there are no major problems with it. However, on other models, the mechanical part of the CVT has a very low lifespan.
Suspension The suspension of this model is quite power-hungry, not very reliable, but inexpensive to repair. Even before reaching 100,000 km, wheel bearings and ball joints are often replaced. The springs and shock absorbers do not have a particularly long lifespan either. The steering rack often starts knocking at around 50,000 km, but it is possible to drive with the noise for a long time.
Brakes The front and rear brakes are disc brakes, and there are no complaints about their effectiveness or service life.
