I photographed this Niva in a small town in France a couple years ago, but then sort of forgot about it. And that’s a damn shame. Because although the Lada Niva was always quite popular in France and is still a relatively common sight, it’s still a pretty exceptional vehicle for a number of reasons.
The Lada Niva is the Russian marque’s surprise hit. The ubiquitous Fiat 124-derived Lada saloons were designed to be a hit, but the Niva was not. Back in the early ‘70s, VAZ were not destined to be anything but the makers of the Eastern Bloc’s mid-level form of transportation – above ZAZ or Trabant, but below Volga or Tatra. However, the need for a cheap 4×4 was pretty clear, especially in the vast expanse of the Soviet hinterland. Soviet product planners therefore asked VAZ, AZLK (Moskvich) and IZh to design a “people’s 4×4” for civilian use.
The engineers at Togliattigrad had only one car to base their new model on, so they had to be inventive. The chassis and unit body would be designed completely in-house, but the engine was to be the Fiat-derived 1.6 that powered the VAZ Zhiguli, as the Lada saloon was known in the USSR. Transmission- and suspension-wise, the VAZ folks had to use as much of the saloon’s underpinnings and thus broke all the rules then in common use for AWD vehicles (save the Range Rover): coils all around and independent in front.
This unusual set of parameters was tested out on a bizarre-looking prototype in 1972, which showed promise. Compared to the UAZ or Moskvich 4x4s that were then in production, the VAZ was more comfortably sprung and lighter to drive. The engineers knew they were on to something fairly user-friendly. The only thing that could change the new vehicle dramatically was the styling: the Soviet product planners refused to consider the VAZ prototype due to its canvas top: only a fully-enclosed body would do.
Fortunately again, the design team headed by Valeri Pavlovich Semuchkin came up with a simple yet effective solution. This is one of the handful of prototypes VAZ made in 1973, taking into account the need for a hard roof. The front fascia was still a little rough around the edges, but all the elements of the finalized design are there. The model name Niva was already chosen by this point, as well. The prototypes fielded by Moskvich and IZh were deemed inferior, so VAZ were given additional resources to further develop their Niva.
Above: 1975 prototype; below: one of the 1976 pre-series cars
From then on, the Niva was refined through a lengthy period of tests. The model was officially green-lit for production, given a four-digit numeral (VAZ 2121) and presented to the top brass in Moscow in the summer of 1975. A batch of fifty handmade pre-series cars was extensively field-tested around the USSR in 1976 and production started in April 1977. The initial evaluation from the Soviet planners was 25,000 units per year, with almost all production slated to stay within the country’s borders. The car was deemed too rough to be exported widely, unlike the Zhiguli.
However, that was not at all how it panned out. In 1977, French Lada importer Jacques Poch visited Togliattigrad and was shown the new Niva. He stopped in his tracks, stared at it for a very long time and immediately pleaded that he be allowed to import these as early as possible. The car was slated to be shown at the upcoming 1978 Brussels Motor Show to make its Western European debut and Poch was adamant that a small contingent be shipped over to his network. The Soviets were a bit surprised by this display of unfeigned enthusiasm from one of their main Western importers, but decided to play along. After all, hard currency was always a high priority for the regime, especially as economic stagnation and increased military spending were squeezing the Eastern Bloc dry.
Above: West German advert, 1980; below: French Lada range, MY 1980
Poch’s inkling about the Niva’s sales potential was right on the money. The French could not get enough Nivas and soon the car also carved its niche in places like Australia, the UK, West Germany, Brazil, Greece, Canada and Scandinavia. There were a few other cheap 4x4s around by the ‘80s (e.g. Fiat Panda, Suzuki SJ), but Ladas were cheaper, were permanent 4×4 and had bigger engines, so they were essentially without competition. The 100,000th Niva was made by 1980 and production jumped to around 70,000 units per year by the middle of the decade – all to satisfy foreign demand.
Poch’s Niva specials, clockwise from top left: St-Tropez, Plein Soleil, Grand Large, Paris-St Raphael
The Poch network made several Niva specials and limited editions throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, as did importers in many other European countries. The cars that were shipped over from Togliattigrad always needed a substantial amount of tinkering to be marketable anyway, so re-spraying or re-upholstering them entirely was a sound idea.
For all its notoriously shoddy quality control and leaks, the Niva was appreciated as a very capable vehicle for off-road use. This was also proven on several tough trials, such as the grueling Paris-Dakar rally, where the Niva met with success. Jacques Poch did this with absolutely no backing from the Soviets, who still seemed to have less faith in their product than their French importer did.
The evolution of the Lada Niva was fairly limited, at least for its initial couple of decades in production. A fifth gear appeared on export models in 1985 and a Diesel version (Peugeot XUD) appeared in 1993 on some markets. But the first real facelift only took place in 1994, nearly 20 years after the car’s debut. This refresh was most visible in two places: the rear and the dash. Rear-wise, the original design’s horizontal taillights made for a very high hatch, which was one of the Niva’s least popular traits. The new vertical lights allowed Lada to redesign the hatch all the way down to the bumper.
Inside, the ‘70s-style dash with its five separate dials was replaced by a more modern instrument binnacle, together with a new steering wheel and a completely new centre console. The rest of the interior wasn’t changed all that much, though fabric seats started becoming available on some markets. Under the hood, the Fiat-derived 1.6 was replaced by a Russian-designed 1.7 litre providing 84 hp. This new engine was available with a GM-sourced EFI and catalytic converter in overseas markets (Lada switched to Bosch after 2000), enabling the Niva to comply with the latest EU emissions regulations. LPG versions were also made for some markets.
The Niva sprouted new LWB models, including a five-door version, but these were only for the domestic market, as far as I know. As the 21st Century dawned, the car remained popular in Russia and a number of foreign markets where Lada still had a presence, including Egypt, most Soviet successor states and, strangely enough, France. A new blue logo arrived on the car’s grille in 2002 and the Niva name disappeared from the rear hatch in 2006, but other than that, there were few additional exterior changes. Internally, the bulkhead structure had to be revised quite a bit to pass new EU crash tests. It seems only export models got these structural updates – Russian ones are still using the original chassis.
It seems AvtoVAZ were thinking of retiring the Niva at some point a few years ago. They signed a deal with GM to build a thoroughly revamped and restyled version of the 4×4, marketed under the Chevrolet marque in Russia and as a Daewoo in Western Europe. The Chevrolet Niva was a 100% Russian product, though. And it was an utter failure: too expensive, too big (it was based on the LWB Niva) and very poorly built, it ended up not being exported anywhere and sold in Russia only from 2005. The company kept making the old model anyway. Last December, AvtoVAZ (now controlled by Renault) announced they were buying out GM’s share of the deal, thereby regaining access to the Niva nameplate.
The 4×4-formerly-known-as-(and-soon-to-be-called-again)-Niva got a new round of minor changes in 2009 and has kept on going ever since. In 2010, Lada still produced about 40,000 units, half of which were exported. Most were still assembled in Russia, but some were also being put together in Egypt, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. I haven’t found any recent data, but it seems the assembly line is still going strong.
Exports are another thing, though: after years of dwindling sales, Lada-France, which took over from Poch as the marque’s importer in 1993, finally went under in 2018, but it seems German imports are still happening. In Russia and quite a few other places, the old VAZ 2121 is still alive and kicking. And because they were exported there for nearly four decades, Nivas are still seen in France on a fairly regular basis, and will be for some time yet. But just in case, I figured it would be good to document a fairly recent one in CC, as it’s probably the most successful Russian-designed car ever made – and still being made, 43 years and counting.
Related posts:
Curbside Classic: Lada Niva Pickup Truck, by David Saunders
COAL: From Russia, With A Whole Lada Love, by David Saunders
CC Capsule: Lada Niva For Sale, by Robert Kim
CC Capsule: Lada Niva–With A Drop Top And A Body Kit, by David Saunders
No konechnya! (But ofcourse!)*
To behold, the reason for its survival is not hard explain: it is a design classic, whatever the virtues it had as a vehicle.
The hard part, which I leave to others here, is how to define what design classic means.
My rather vacuous contribution would be to say only that it had no line out of place from the day it was finalized. The original Range Rover has likewise never been bettered by Land Rover, (for sure, in my view, not at all). They could make the 1970 model tomorrow. In fact, they buy old ones today, and for a vast price, do just that.
I’m sure it is not coincidental the Niva brings the Rangie to mind, but it is not a facsimilie by any means.
Best I’ll offer it that it looks substantial, but sits lightly on the ground. An athlete assassin, or somesuch nonsense. Should sell it as the Putin.
The ones that got to Oz got in the late ’80’s seem mostly still to be plugging on. The hard-nut slime-slipper bush crowd loved them, and do still.
Excellent info, Dr T.
*a thousand years ago, in a galaxy called late teenage, in a constellation of great naivete and wildly misplaced optimism, I learned Russian and briefly went there. Nu shto, we age, we learn (though not permanently, as I can barely remember a word of it now!)
Lada was derived from Fiat 124. Model 126 is the tiny one that was made in Poland.
Whoops! Slip of the keyboard!
Thank you — fixed it.
I seem to recall at least one was fitted with a Fiat twin cam engine in Australia and used for rallying.
Some of the ones that went across the Sahara had a souped up PRV 6-cyl. churning out something around 230hp. But the stock ones performed better, apparently.
The Fiat twin cam is a somewhat popular engine swap.
There was even a rotary powered one in some fashion for the home market. Probably ultra low production.
Europe got a diesel engine for a few years.
The 1.7L engine is just an enlargement of the 1.6L with TBI fuel injection from a Chevrolet Cavalier fitted.
I actually saw at least 1 or 2 of these in my travels overseas in the Navy, they were smaller than I expected them to be. But then, it was back before RAV4 and CRV were even on the drawing board.
As far as the design goes, I always thought that the turn signal ABOVE the headlights looked odd, but now I see it as being practical.
If Fiat had been smart, they would have produced something like this…but I guess they felt that the Panda 4×4 was good enough?
Classic? Perhaps in the sense that it still looks “modern”? Or perhaps because you can imagine any major car manufacturer on the planet producing it?
I like the bull bars on the front of your sample. They fit well, and make it look aspirational.
Regarding Germany there was a small Lada CKD line near Hamburg. They produced that Lada below, but I don’t know if they still exist. When I was working for a large auto supply company in Germany we used to sent parts there. Joints, gaskets, tensioners, stuff like that.
I will send an EMail to my former dispatcher and ask him how Lada Niva is doing and then post the outcome here.
Still available here in Austria as 3 and 5 door…
https://www.lada.at/
Sometimes the stars converge, even over Russia, to create a genuine evergreen classic. It seems so obvious in retrospect, but apparently it’s quite difficult to do so deliberately.
Brilliant little 4x4s though assembly quality was kinda iffy, Some were towed onto ships for export and towed off and wrecked for parts new never having been run, there still a functioning Lada dealership here in Napier New Zealand, for parts though no new Ladas can be got, interesting that Lada used the Peugeot diesel engines their closest competition in vehicle size Suzuki also used Peugeot diesels well into this century.
I read that Lada in Germany was also closing down last year. And its a pity the Chevrolet Niva didn’t work out, seemed like an attractive product on paper!
Ladas are also sold in Chile now, back from when they left in 1998, but I’ve only seen some new 4×4 and one Kalina. Even UAZ is trying its luck here, but I haven’t seen any out of their showroom.
Very interesting article for a U.S, person because we never saw them here and I never took much notice of them on my trips to Canada. Great name, though. Based upon the word for SNOW. Thanks for the information.
Actually, in Russian, the word Niva means “plowed field”. The connotations are both rough terrain and bountiful harvest. The car was meant for the countryside, so the name is kind of rural. It is fortuitous that the word is short and easy to pronounce for non-Russians.
I have seen at least two Nivas in the USA and quite a few in Canada, where they were imported officially.
Also, as far as I know, the town is called simply Togliatti, not Togliattigrad. It was named after the head of Italy’s communist party. They wanted to honor the Italians somehow, but couldn’t simply go with “Fiat-grad”.
When I lived in Panama for a few years back in the mid-90’s these were available new and cheap. However, although I saw tons of Ladas used as taxis, I didn’t see very many Nivas. Like everyone here, I became enamored with the design, and started looking into buying one. It would have been less than $10,000 new, and I rationalized that even if I lost $4K or even $5K over 3 or 4 years (selling it used upon my departure) it would still be a helluva lotta fun for $1500 a year or so. I had visions of bombing around on the beaches and in the jungles in my “don’t care/go anywhere” 4×4.
However I had a couple of Panamanian friends who actually became concerned that I might really buy one, and both of them went to great lengths to discourage the idea. I don’t know what their reliability reputation was in France, but in Central America it was pretty bad, especially noting the popularity of the ‘fix it with a hammer and some stolen parts’ Lada sedans.
Still think I should have done it though.
Big fan here, a bucket list item to at least drive, if not own. There’s one in my town now, someone brought it over last year, and I’ve seen several others in other places over the years, seems like a perfect size and with everything one may need and nothing one doesn’t. Thanks for the excellent write-up, comrade!
I got offered one cheap with transfer case issues seemed like a simple fix pull it out sort it out reassemble have fun, But I knew a guy who worked at the importer of these in Hobart town as a mechanic so I went to see him nice guy took over a repair shop in the town I lived in, to put it back together you need special tool # such and such the drive train must be aligned correctly How hard could it be was met with these arent Hiluxes or Landrovers where you just bolt in replacement units and drive away, Nivas are different and the clincher was if you cant fix it dont bring it here. Aparently some were scrapped new due due to misaligned drive trains that could not be cured by the dealer with the special tools, so I let that deal go, and built a Crolla out of dead ones as a work beater instead.
Kudos for putting together another look at the Niva, with far more detail and a different perspective compared to what I wrote several years ago. The Niva was a domestic and international success much like the Jeep Cherokee, an early boxy SUV from the same era, and like the Cherokee it has become a surprise classic. I had many rides in Nivas in Russia over a quarter century ago and remember them as spartan and brutally rough riding on Moscow’s beat-up streets of the early 90s, but back then I was always a passenger and never the driver, and had no experience riding in 4x4s back home, so I wasn’t in a position to appreciate the Niva’s good points. I would love to take one on an off-road drive and see what it is capable of, compared to the FJ40 Land Cruiser that I owned several years ago.
They sold them in Canada for awhile the sedan and the Niva. Local dealer switche to Hyundai when the Pony was released. The sedans were biodegradable but the Niva was pretty neat if very basic. 4×4 reminded me of an old Jeep CJ,shift levers in a cluster on centre console. Dealer had a open field with berms,mud and sand if you wanted a test drive. It was a little tank in 4 low but noisy as hell of course.