It has a water-displacing hermetic hull which provides improved fording performance and a 4x4-type chassis with independent suspension and a centralized system of tire-pressure control.

It is powered by a 175 hp (130 kW) diesel engine giving a top speed of 112 km/h (4 to 5 km/h when swimming).

Front module consists of a power department and management, divided sealed bulkhead.

In other words, a single chassis can perform several functions, depending on the installed modules: The vehicle has a switchable front wheel drive, independent torsion bar suspension, central tire inflation system, power steering and a powerful system for heating and air conditioning.

The main gun is not stabilized (neither in the BTR-80 nor the BTR-80A), so accurate fire on the move is limited (to low speeds), and the rotation mechanism is manually operated.