Large companies, like GM, seem to have issues keeping new model leakage under control. We are not completely naive, so we do understand that some of these leaks from large automakers are actually orchestrated by the automaker itself to help drum up interest. Still, there is the occasional major leak that some disgruntled design team member decides to plaster all over the Interwebz.

Well, Lada, a Russia-based company much smaller than GM, but a relative success in the Russian market, kept its recently unveiled SUV under such tight lock and key that it took all of us aback when it was debuted at the Moscow Motor Show. The Xray, as Lada has dubbed this concept SUV, is nothing like any other SUV it has ever produced and it looks like something that belongs in a worldwide production model's lineup. That said, don't look for this SUV->ke145, or any Lada for that matter, to make its way to the U.S.

The styling of this crossover SUV is not something you would expect to see from a budget automaker, like Lada. It does, however, show how Lada's eyes are on the future, making its cars more stylish and offering up a wider range.

UPDATE 09/06/12: The first official video of the Lada Xray Concept has just gone live. Click on the photo above to check it out!

Click past the jump to read our full review and find out more about the basics of the Lada XRay Concept.

lada-xray-concept

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: lada-xray-concept
Pros
Cons

2012 Lada Xray Concept

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2012 Lada Xray Concept
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The Xray boats a very stylish exterior, featuring a pair of long and thin, horizontally mounted headlights that seem to integrate with the front grille. Staying true to its name, the front grille looks almost like an “X” when you look at it straight on. The front fascia wraps around the horizontally louvered grille, giving the Xray a very high-end appearance.

The side profile of the Xray looks almost like a Ford Focus on steroids, as its shallow-raked windshield swoops up to a sleek roof line. The roof then travels rearward to a shallow-raked rear glass. The front fenders and rear quarters don body lines that flow toward the center of the SUV, then down and to the rear at a sharp angle, giving its side profile some added character. You'll notice from the side view that this model only features a pair of doors, no hidden rear door, like the Nissan Juke. This could ultimately hurt its stock as an SUV. On the base of the doors, there is a hockey-stick-like accent piece that is a little out of place.

The rear end of the Lada is one of the sharpest ones we've seen from a compact SUV. It boasts a pair of hockey-stick taillights and a rear bumper insert that has cutouts for the dual trapezoid-shaped exhaust tip flow out of. This insert boasts a long, chrome insert on the top and two L-shaped chrome pieces surrounding the exhaust tips. Another thing you'll find on the rear is that the rear wheel arches stick outward, giving the SUV an unexpectedly stout stance.

Interior

The interior of the Lada is surprisingly sleek, yet simple. The seats are triple-tone with a deep brown as their base covering, black inserts and white piping, They appear to features leather covering, but there is no official word about that.

The steering wheel boasts a dark-brown rim, three silver posts and a brown center that matches the seat color. There is a smattering of control buttons on the steering wheel, but nothing too overwhelming. The dashboard is an off-white the a seat-colored insert and black trim.

The center console is decked out in the same seat color and black, but it tosses in some silver accents on the gear shifter, and a metal strip on the passenger side of the console.

The audio controls look very simple and far from overwhelming. What looks to be an 8-inch LCD screen pops out of the dash and we can only assume that this is the radio's interface.

In all, the interior of this concept is pretty sharp. Having said that, we would like to see a little more effort put into the dashboard, as it looks pretty bare, compared to other vehicles in its class.

Engine and Drivetrain

As of yet, we are unaware of what engine or drivetrain this SUV will have. We assume it will be a small 4- or 6-cylinder, as this looks to be an economy model. Well keep an eye out for details.

Competition

Since we don't know how large the Xray is and what powers it, we cannot place it in a class yet. By the looks of it, this Crossover SUV would likely receive most of its competition from the Nissan Juke->ke3600.

Conclusion

Well, this is a very early development concept, so we are not sure if it'll hit production or not. We do know that it is sharp looking and we would like to see it come out in this form. Most likely, this concept will donate styling ques for other upcoming Lada vehicles and never see the light of day itself.