ZAZ 968A Overview: Generations, Specs and Which One to Buy
Overview of the ZAZ 968A two-door sedan (1973–1979): its single generation, the 41 hp 1.2 MT version, and buying guidance.
The ZAZ 968A is a two-door sedan produced from 1973 to 1979, offered with a single 41 hp engine, manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. It suits collectors of Soviet-era classics and drivers looking for a simple, compact rear-engined car with minimal equipment rather than modern performance.
ZAZ 968A generations
1 generation (1973–1979)
The first and only generation of the ZAZ 968A was built from 1973 to 1979 exclusively as a two-door sedan. Every ZAZ 968A carries a 41 hp engine paired with a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive, and the lineup counts just one modification. The core version is the ZAZ 968A 1.2 MT (1 generation) with a 1198 cc engine producing 41 hp, accelerating to 100 km/h in 35.0 seconds while consuming 5.5 l/100km. That combination of low output and low fuel appetite defines the whole model range: the power spread is 41–41 hp, so there is no faster or slower variant to weigh against each other. Across the six production years from 1973 to 1979, the specification stayed constant: one body style (sedan 2 doors), one gearbox type (Manual) and one drive layout (RWD), with no automatic option and no alternative engine ever offered in this generation. The 35.0-second run to 100 km/h places the ZAZ 968A firmly in the unhurried category, but the modest 1198 cc displacement keeps running costs low, with fuel consumption of just 5.5 litres per 100 kilometres.
Which ZAZ 968A to buy
- 1.2 MT (1 generation): the only modification of the ZAZ 968A, its 1198 cc engine delivers 41 hp with fuel consumption of 5.5 l/100km — the mass-production version and the sole choice in the range.
On the used market, every ZAZ 968A dates from 1973–1979, so any example is around five decades old; the single-generation, single-modification lineup means there are no trim or drivetrain differences to compare — condition and completeness of a specific car matter far more than the version badge. The mechanically simple layout of one 1.2-litre engine and one manual gearbox also makes it straightforward to verify that a car matches factory specification: the correct configuration is always 41 hp, Manual and RWD.
Since the ZAZ 968A range contains only one version with identical figures across the board, there is no dominated modification to avoid — the ZAZ 968A 1.2 MT (1 generation) with 41 hp, 35.0 s acceleration and 5.5 l/100km represents the model in full.