Russian car Lada to make Vietnam comeback

By Thanh Nhan February 13, 2025 | 08:15 pm PT

Russian state-owned automaker Lada is set to return to Vietnam after two decades and is looking for a local distributor.

The company has set up a local unit to import its vehicles and plans to begin selling this year, a source familiar with the matter told VnExpress.

The first imports will arrive at the end of March, with the main model being Lada Niva Legend, a compact SUV with a classic design.

Lada is made by AvtoVAZ, a corporation established in 1973 by the Soviet government.

Lada Niva Legend. Photo courtesy of Lada

It was present in Vietnam since the 1970s, mainly selling its vehicles to government agencies, before exiting in the 1990s.

Lada was the leading brand in the Russian market with sales of over 436,000 vehicles last year out of a total of 1.5 million sold, according to data statistics firm Avtostat.

It has a lineup of six models.

The three-door Lada Niva Legend costs from US$11,260 in Russia.