The wheels are recessed into the rounded sidewall, so the sides of the car get dirty much less than those of the "nines". Sixty percent of the body parts of the "ten" are galvanized, which increases their corrosion resistance. The windshield, rear and triangular side windows are glued into the body, act as power elements and increase its rigidity. The disadvantage of this option is that it is more difficult to replace the glass. The curb weight and especially the speed vary greatly.
Let's look at the engine compartment. The power unit is mounted on supports that differ from the "Samara" ones in their better characteristics and support points. During operation, the engine vibrates significantly less than that of the "nines". There is no need to protect the oil pan and engine compartment from dirt, moisture and dust. All parts and units are well protected. There are no fragile "nines" brackets for anti-roll bars in the front, which often broke.
The front hood of the "ten" has gas struts; despite the fact that it is heavier and wider, it opens and closes easily and conveniently. And most importantly, it is more reliable than the stops on the "nines". The hood has noise-absorbing protection.
In the luggage compartment of the "ten" the hood opens with an electric lock, but in the "Samara-2" the trunk itself has a lower loading height than in the "ten", and increases the size of its opening. The volume of the trunk increases in both cars when the rear seat is folded down. But in the "Samara-2" the back of the rear seat becomes vertical, and in the "Lada-102" it can be removed from the car, while the volume for placing luggage increases. This is an important factor for those who carry a large amount of cargo. By the way, in imported cars of this class this is definitely not provided.
These models have spare wheels stored in special niches under the boot floor, but they are stored differently. Anyone who has changed the spare wheel in a "nine" with a full boot, even envied the 41st "Moskvich", in which the spare wheel was under the boot. On the "ten", the niche for the wheel is moved back, towards the bumper, and now, to get the spare wheel, it is not necessary to empty the entire boot. And the wheel in the niche also lies differently. In the "ten", you can use the wheel rim niche for spare parts and small necessary items. In the "nine", this wheel niche is practically not used.
The interiors are almost identical in terms of comfort, as they are equipped with similar devices. The rear seat is more comfortable for passengers of the "ten", three additional centimeters play their role, and the armrest allows the arms to rest; if you lift it, you will have access to the trunk.
The engines of such cars are the same, 8-valve with injection. The sensations from starting off and accelerating to 100 km/h are the same, but with a further increase in speed, the "Lada-102" picks it up noticeably easier.
It is easier to change gears on the "ten", but the changeover is slower, since the gear shift lever travel is greater than on the "Samara-2". The reverse gear is better engaged on the "ten", before it is engaged you need to press the lever, and then engage the gear, this eliminates the possibility of an unplanned engagement of the reverse gear.
The VAZ-2115 is easy to drive, especially on turns, the car obeys immediately, but you need skills in driving. The VAZ-21102 is easier to drive, it forgives mistakes, "it thinks what the driver is doing". Therefore, when passing turns, you need to work your hands well.
Another positive side of the "ten" compared to the "Samara-2" is that when driving at high speed it holds the road well, this is especially noticeable on the station wagon and hatchback. The "ten" goes smoothly, silently, which cannot be said about the "Samara-2".