Starting from about 2016, a batch of Lada Niva imported into China in parallel has rekindled our memories of Eastern European cars. And when the first batch of Lada Niva landed officially appeared in front of us, we would be delighted to find that the current Lada Niva has not only some modern upgrades in some details, but also other designs. They have kept the original formula, which is really a wave of deep memories.
Most of the post-80s generation should have certain memories of Lada Niva. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a large number of Lada Nivas were imported into China in large quantities with the development of Sino-Russian trade. And this three-door short-axle off-road vehicle has also become an enlightenment model for off-road veterans for a long time.
Purely from the point of view of mechanical performance, the Lada Niva, which was born in the early 1970s, will not be outdated even now. For example, the driving form of full-time four-wheel drive is beyond the reach of most off-road vehicles.
At that time, Lada Niva can also be said to have created several firsts in the automotive industry, including the structure of a load-bearing body with an embedded girder, and the independent suspension of the front axle with coil springs. However, in the design of the steering system, Lada Niva adopts the standard recirculating ball steering system of hard-core off-road vehicles and even off-road trucks. According to unofficial records, the body configuration of the Lada Niva also successfully inspired the development of the first-generation Suzuki Vitara.
Therefore, in the following text, we will talk about those things about Lada Niva in detail.
The story of Lada Niva originated in 1971. At the 24th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union that opened in 1971, the then Soviet Prime Minister Alexei Kosygin formally proposed to design a car suitable for the vast rural areas of the Soviet Union. The car model used. At that time, most of the models used in the vast rural areas and cooperatives of the Soviet Union were cars such as Muscovites and Polonets. Obviously, these models are not suitable for the vast rural areas of the Soviet Union, especially the needs of rural areas in the Far East.
In the same year, VAZ Automobile Factory and AZLK Automobile Factory officially launched the design for this four-wheel drive “agricultural vehicle”. The first-round design scheme proposed by VAZ is based on the platform of Fiat 124 and Fiat 125 – most of the technical sources of VAZ come from Fiat. In 1972, the first prototype officially rolled off the production line with the internal code name BA3 2121.
From the appearance point of view, the prototype of the first round launched by VAZ obviously inherits the design method of classic off-road vehicles, including the three-door structure with soft top and short axle. The body panels, like the European off-road vehicles of the same period, are stamped from straight steel plates with simple craftsmanship, and the whole car is full of tough visual effects. In addition, the relatively high threshold also makes this prototype car have a better protective effect when dealing with the swamps in the Soviet Far East. On the platform of Fiat 124, the designers of VAZ re-developed the front suspension and body, and equipped with a four-wheel drive system. However, the design of the three-door soft top proved to be unsuitable for the cold Soviet Far East.
Therefore, on the second round of prototypes launched in 1971, VAZ’s BA3 2121 was designed as a hard-top three-door structure. From this time on, the Lada mud tiles we are familiar with now began to take shape. In terms of the shape of the whole vehicle, the design of the upper body line of the second engineering sample car borrowed the design style of the upper body of the Fiat 127 at that time. Although the latter is a hatchback sedan. Under the design concept of a typical hatchback car in the last century, the second engineering prototype of VAZ also presents a small and capable image.
Due to the adoption of the hard top design, the overall sense of the body has also been significantly improved, and a large number of rounded surfaces constitute the main body of the second BA3 2121 prototype. In terms of the front face, like the contemporary models, the round headlights and independent air intake grille constitute the front face effect of the second engineering prototype. Because of the improved practicality brought about by the hardtop design, this engineering prototype was quickly identified as the prototype of the Soviet socialist agricultural vehicle.
In 1974, the further optimized BA3 2121 engineering prototype was officially unveiled. Compared with the second engineering prototype, the third engineering prototype has completely presented the Lada Niva that we are familiar with now – the air intake grille extends to both sides and forms a whole with the headlights, and the taillights also It became a square combination taillight.
In terms of power, the third round of Lada Niva’s engineering prototype is equipped with the same 1.5L naturally aspirated engine as the VAZ-2103. Components are also shared with VAZ-2103.
When the prototype car was scheduled to go into mass production in 1975, the appearance of the VAZ-2106 delayed its mass production process. As a result, VAZ launched several rounds of prototypes for comprehensive testing. At the same time, the prototype was also compared with the UAZ-469 of the same period, that is, the Vaz Hunter, the Western Land Rover Series and the first-generation Land Rover Range Rover. benchmarked.
After benchmarking, it was found that the BA3 2121 prototype car won the overall performance in terms of off-road performance, and its main advantages lie in the full-time four-wheel drive system and differential lock. And the curb weight of just under one ton and the minimum ground clearance of 265mm provide good passing performance. The narrow tires of 175/80 R16 also provide high off-road stability-in the 1970s, narrow tires were almost standard equipment for classic off-road vehicles. In the test, the maximum climbing angle of the Lada Niva prototype reached 58 degrees-this data is hardly achieved by any off-road vehicle at present. Although the body is not high, the maximum wading depth has reached 60 cm, and the maximum snow wading depth is as high as one meter.
By 1976, after several years of testing, the design of BA3 2121 was officially locked. At this time, the engine had been replaced with a brand new 1.6L naturally aspirated engine. It is matched with a full-time four-wheel drive system and a central differential lock. After the 25th Congress of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, it was officially mass-produced in March 1976. The version launched against the socialist camp was named VAZ-2121 or Niva 2121, while the export version was named Niva 1600. The name of Niva also officially appeared in the car market, and the legend began.
In a certain sense, Lada Niva can also be seen as a presentation of the prototype of an SUV. In the official Soviet propaganda at that time, the Lada Niva was described as a model with the same speed as a car and the off-road performance of a UAZ. This is obviously the concept of cross-border performance emphasized by SUVs.
In April 1977, the first batch of exported Lada Niva officially appeared in the western market, becoming the first model exported to the west in the socialist camp at that time. Since there were no similar products in the Western auto industry at that time, Lada Niva quickly occupied the Western four-wheel drive market in the late 1970s, and its market share exceeded 40% in its heyday. It became Lada’s best-selling product at that time.
Subsequently, Lada Niva was also exported to Japan in the early 1980s. With its excellent performance, it became the reference sample for the development of Suzuki’s first-generation Jimny and Vitra. Since the Soviet Union at that time implemented the strategy of ensuring exports first, for a long period of time, there was a long wait for Lada Niva in the Soviet Union.
From the point of view of styling, Lada Niva is indeed worthy of the classic definition. The body design based on the Fiat 127’s bodywork has significantly reduced the height of the vehicle, and the inclination of the A-pillar has also increased significantly. This is completely different from the square and square image pursued by the classic off-road vehicles at that time, plus the small slip-back C-pillar. That’s exactly the way crossover SUVs are being designed these days. However, in the bottom part, the design of large tires has fully expanded the visual tension of the bottom plate of Lada Niva. The visuals are pretty good.
In terms of power, as mentioned above, the Lada Niva that debuted at the beginning is equipped with a 1.6L naturally aspirated overhead camshaft carburetor engine. From the book data, this engine can provide a maximum output power of 56 kilowatts and a maximum torque of 126 Nm at a speed of 5,000 rpm, and it is matched with a four-speed manual gearbox. From 1994, the transmission was upgraded to a five-speed manual. The matching four-wheel drive system is a full-time four-wheel drive system, and it also includes a central differential lock that works simultaneously with this four-wheel drive system. The operations of the central differential lock and the transfer case are mechanically operated, so in the sub-dashboard area of Lada Niva, in addition to the traditional shift handle, it also includes the transfer case control handle and the central differential lock control handle .
In terms of performance, the Lada Niva debuted at the initial stage has a maximum speed of 130 kilometers per hour. When the vehicle speed is at a cruising speed of 90 kilometers per hour, the fuel consumption per 100 kilometers is 8.25L. The maximum towing capacity is 860 kg. For a small off-road vehicle, such data performance is already very powerful.
In terms of chassis, Lada Niva adopts independent front suspension and rear non-independent suspension, and the four-wheel suspension adopts coil springs. The suspension form of the rear axle is a five-link monocoque suspension. According to the different markets, the main reduction ratio of the rear axle is 3.9 and 4.3. The minimum ground clearance is 235mm and the maximum wading depth is 510mm. Compared with the powerful performance of the prototype car, it has been weakened to a certain extent. The brake system adopts the structure of front disc and rear drum, and the system adopts dual-circuit hydraulic assistance, and the clutch also adopts hydraulic assistance. The steering system is still a recirculating ball steering system.
In terms of size, the Lada Niva has a body length of 3740 mm, a body width of 1680 mm, a body height of 1640 mm and a wheelbase of 2200 mm. Under normal circumstances, the trunk volume is 480L. When the second row of seats is folded down, the trunk volume can be expanded to 1330L. Like the Zhiguli of the same period, the Lada Niva’s front seats can also form a double bed with the rear seats after being folded back. With such a space arrangement, it is hard to think that this is the design of an old man who has always had a rough personality. The spare tire was placed in the engine compartment just like the Fiat of the same period.
The configuration of the Lada Niva that appeared in the early stage was very simple. It was not until the early 1980s that the exterior rearview mirrors on both sides, rear seat belts, rear wipers, rear window heating and radios were standard. In the 1994 version, comfort configurations such as air conditioning, anti-lock braking system, and electric windows officially appeared. For products sold in the west, dealers also provide optional configurations including front and rear anti-collision bars, winches, roof racks, and front auxiliary light sources. Therefore, the Lada Niva sold to the Western market looks more foreign than the model sold to the socialist camp.
In the first half of the 1980s, Lada Niva ushered in improvements. Due to the discontinuation of VAZ-2103, the chrome-plated front bumper and exterior rearview mirrors that were originally shared with it were equipped with a century-old black color scheme. In addition, the interior has also been slightly optimized. So, the Lada Niva launched before 1985 has become very rare today.
Production of the first generation Lada Niva continued until 1993. In this process, Lada Niva has also derived a variety of derivative models including convertible versions. The soft top form of the convertible also has different changes according to specific market differences. In 1983 a soft-top version was also introduced.
At the end of 1993, the first-generation Lada Niva ushered in a brand new version. This can also be regarded as a minor facelift. Compared with the model before the facelift, the main changes of the Lada Niva this time are concentrated in the rear of the vehicle. The opening dimensions of the rear doors extend down to the area of the rear bumper fascia, forming a standard liftback tailgate.
In addition, the taillights on both sides have changed from the previous horizontal design to the vertical design, and the larger trunk opening size has fully optimized its convenience. Moreover, the roughness brought by the horizontal taillights on the old models has also been weakened. In addition, the facelifted Lada Niva has also weakened the scope of application of chrome-plated bright strips in terms of details such as the front face and body, and replaced them with black plastic.
Inside the vehicle, details such as the instrument panel and seat folding of the facelifted Lada Niva have been optimized. And due to the addition of the air conditioning system, starting from the VAZ-2106 series models, the triangular ventilation windows on the side windows were cancelled. ABS and power steering began to appear as optional equipment.
In terms of power, the slightly facelifted Lada Niva is upgraded to a more powerful 1.7L inline four-cylinder gasoline engine, and the carburetor is replaced with single-point fuel injection. The maximum output power has been upgraded from the previous 75 horsepower to 80 horsepower. The transmission was upgraded from a four-speed to a five-speed unit. The ignition mechanism has been upgraded from mechanical ignition to electronic ignition, and the suspension and exhaust system have also been optimized in detail. This 1.7L inline four-cylinder engine has also been used until now. In the facelift in 2014, Lada Niva replaced the single-point EFI system with Bosch’s multi-point EFI system.
Beginning in 1993, the long-wheelbase version of the Lada Niva began to appear and was named VAZ-2129. This long-wheelbase version of the Lada Niva has only existed for a short period of one year, and the stock is very scarce. It is different from the four-door long-wheelbase version launched later. Although the VAZ-2129 adopts a longer wheelbase, it still retains the three-door structure, which leads to a less obvious improvement in convenience.
By 1995, a standard five-door version began appearing, designated VAZ-2131. The increased wheelbase makes VAZ-2131 completely change the inherent image of Lada Niva, and the elongated body makes the original model proportions completely broken. The lower body height and short front and rear overhangs make the lengthening effect of the five-door Lada Niva stronger than that of any other car. The size of the additional rear door is basically the same as the size of the front door, and the small window of the trunk is also retained. From a practical point of view, the five-door Lada Niva has been significantly improved. However, from another perspective, the lengthened design also weakens the essence of Lada Niva a lot.
Due to the increase in weight brought about by the longer wheelbase and larger body, the power system of the five-door Lada Niva has also been upgraded to a 1.77L four-cylinder power, with a maximum output of 85 horsepower. Production of the long-wheelbase version continued until 2015.
On the basis of the long-wheelbase version, the pickup version of Lada Niva has also begun to appear. As mentioned earlier, due to the adoption of a load-bearing body platform, the pickup version of Lada Niva also provides two different versions. Design, which makes its overall image somewhat different from the traditional pickup.
In the design of the VAZ-2302 pickup unveiled in 1993, Lada made it a semi-load-bearing design, that is, the position of the cab maintains the structure of the load-bearing body, and the longitudinal beams appear independently after crossing the cab. A very standard Australian-style cargo box is arranged above it. Due to the limitation of load-bearing body rails, the height of this cargo box is relatively high, and it has crossed the lower sash line of the side window glass.
The VAZ-2329 unveiled in 1997 adopted an integral side wall, and the cab adopted a row and a half design to retain a part of the small trunk window, and designed a vent at the position of the C-pillar. In terms of the length of the cab, the VAZ-2329 pickup is not much shorter than the five-door Lada Niva. At the position behind the C-pillar, a small cargo box is built, and a closed optional kit or gantry is also provided.
The practical derivation brought by the long-wheelbase model is not only reflected in the pickup truck, and then the long-wheelbase high-roof model was born, and the high-roof model is widely used as special vehicles such as ambulances.
In 1999, Lada Niva appeared as the first diesel-powered model, which was equipped with a 1.9L four-cylinder diesel engine derived from Peugeot, with a maximum output of 75 horsepower. Due to the cold climate in Russia, diesel power was not popular, and after Peugeot stopped production of this engine in 2001, the diesel version of Lada Niva also went into history.
Built in 2006, Lada Niva officially changed its name to Lada 4×4 due to the entry of GM and the right to use the car name of Niva. However, due to the great reputation of Lada Niva, this time the name change has not been widely used, and the market still calls it Niva. And GM also created a Chevrolet Niva based on the Lada Niva to market in Russia, and this Chevrolet Niva can also be regarded as an important branch of the Lada Niva family. At the same time, the Lada Niva name continued to the Lada Niva-2, which is the same as the Chevrolet Niva.
In 2014, the newly remodeled Lada 4×4 Urban was officially unveiled. Compared with the old Lada Niva, the Lada 4×4 Urban uses a new front and rear bumper mask, which makes its integrity better. Moreover, details such as wheel hubs and exterior rearview mirrors have also been modernized and upgraded. After a series of modernization and optimization, Lada 4×4 Urban has become more fashionable and rounded. The wheels have also been changed to aluminum wheels, and the tires have also been replaced with large-size tires. The interior has also been completely upgraded. However, the appearance of the Lada 4×4 Urban did not affect the production of the old Lada Niva, and the two were produced in parallel.
During this period, the long-wheelbase version of the model has also been followed up and modified. In 2016, the long-wheelbase version Urban with the same exterior as the Urban version was also launched.
In 2017, Lada launched a very interesting Lada 4×4 BRONTO model. On the basis of the original Lada, Lada 4×4 BRONTO adds a set of black off-road protection kit to wrap the underbody of the body, and adds a luggage rack on the roof. Ground clearance has been raised by 35 mm and it is fitted with 235/75 R16 all-terrain tires. With the lifting kit and off-road protection kit, the solidity of the Lada 4×4 BRONTO small off-road vehicle has been comprehensively improved, and in terms of optional kits, kits such as winches and auxiliary light sources have also been added. The interior adopts the same modern design as the Lada 4×4 Urban.
Also in the same year, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the birth of Lada Niva, Lada also launched a limited edition Lada 4×4. The wheels and the new retro color scheme.
In the more than forty years from the 1970s to the present, Lada Niva has not experienced a decent replacement in a strict sense, and it is because of this lack of replacement that Lada Niva has become a classic. of off-road vehicles exist in the market. Perhaps, this is the power of classics.
