Two Chinese and a new Niva: three crossover new products for Russia

The Russian concern AvtoVAZ is going through a stage of total renewal. Recently there was news about the VAZ Niva 2121 SUV and modification 21214.

The management of the concern plans to improve the appearance of the car and make it more modern. The interior of the Lada Niva will undergo changes, as well as the ergonomics of the cabin, which will be replenished with interesting options. The designers will give the model an updated engine with improved technical characteristics. Read about what the VAZ Niva 2131 2022 will surprise you with, when sales will start, what the configurations and prices will be in the review.

New 5 door Niva 2131

So far, only photographs of a prototype SUV are available online. It is assumed that a short three-door modification 2121 will be available, as well as a five-door 2022 2022 with an extended wheelbase and a more spacious interior. The appearance of the Lada Niva will retain its classic features and will also acquire some original elements.

1. The front part of the model has undergone global changes. The recognizable front optics will receive a sharper shape, equipped with new halogen lamps, the turn signals will become thinner, and will optionally be LED. The radiator grille with classic horizontal bars will change its shape, becoming more brutal.
2. The front bumper of the Lada Niva is made of plastic, which replaced the ordinary steel structure. Round fog lights appeared, located in the side segments. The central part received an insert made of protective material that masks it from scratches when driving off-road.
3. The side of the Lada has received an updated design due to the sharp slope of the windshield and camouflaged dark central pillars. Upgraded side mirrors are now two-tone, and there are silver roof rails for transporting long items and large cargo. The rear pillars with three signature slots like the classic Lada Niva remained recognizable.
4. The car in the new body has acquired textured side panels with sculptural stamping, and instead of standard steel wheels, cast wheels with an updated design will be offered as an option. The doors have handles for a natural grip and are painted in body color, which makes the car look impressive.
5. The rear of the Lada SUV has also undergone a number of changes: diamond-shaped red brake lights of the original shape and a small compartment for the reverse lamp. The fifth door has changed its appearance, the angle of the pillars has increased, and the opening to the loading compartment has become wider. The rear bumper received additional reflective elements on the side.

Especially for the new Lada Niva, a wide range of body colors is offered, numbering 9 shades:

• white;
• black;
• red;
• silver;
• grey;
• dark green;
• dark grey;
• camouflage;
• khaki.

The dimensions of the Lada Niva 2022 have changed slightly.

What does Duster have to do with it?

According to Nicolas Mora, an important date for the Lada brand will be the end of 2024, when the new generation of the Niva SUV will be presented. The president of AvtoVAZ also named a preliminary price in Europe - €12-16 thousand. If translated into rubles, then this is 1-1.3 million rubles, but it is not known what the ruble exchange rate will be in 2024.

Foggy Niva_1

Lada 4×4 Vision

Photo: Lada

To get an impression of the new Niva, you should take a look at its closest relative - the Renault Duster, sold in Europe under the Dacia brand. The Russian new product will share the CMF-B platform with it, but at the same time it is shorter in length and cheaper. The new Niva will have its own design - in the style of a classic SUV.

Judging by the sketches presented earlier, they will also retain a hint of a three-door design - due to the hidden handles of the rear doors. , as in the Lada 4×4 Vision concept by Steve Mattin, the production car will lose, Lada has changed its designer. In addition to the tastes of Renault head Luca de Meo, the fact that a simpler body is easier and cheaper to manufacture also played a role here.

Photos of the salon

The next generation Lada Niva 2121 should receive a redesigned interior. It is expected that the Russian SUV will borrow many technologies from its colleague in the concern, Renault Duster. The interior will feature a new three-spoke steering wheel equipped with additional multimedia control keys. Instead of the Niva’s archaic dashboard, a new device will be installed with two informative analog “wells” for the speedometer and tachometer.

The developers claim improved quality of materials and sound insulation. Thus, the Niva received updated door cards, which allow more noise reduction to be placed inside. The ergonomics of the model will reach a new level - the center console will abandon the old-fashioned stove with “runners”, receiving a convenient air conditioning unit with three rotating handles.

Niva's finishing materials include soft plastic or non-staining fabric, which is used to upholster the updated chairs. The seats will change their profile, increasing lateral support and taking on an ergonomic shape. This will allow the driver to achieve a comfortable driving position. The Niva's seat backs will become thinner to provide more space for second-row passengers. Inserts made of decorative silver plastic are visible throughout the cabin, and on the central tunnel there is a gear selector lever next to the drive mode selection knob.

Luxury package: photo video 2022 2022

The car will be produced with several equipment options.
The classic version lacks a number of options: air conditioning or sound system. These innovations are available for the advanced configuration of the Lada Niva Lux. This also includes a multimedia system with an information screen located on the center console (the same option is available for Renault Duster). Below is an audio player, as well as a climate control unit. Leather is available as finishing materials for the Luxury version, which is used for the steering wheel and gearshift knob. Multi-stage heated front and rear seats are optional.

Will become more expensive

It is already clear that Niva and Grand Niva will become the most expensive cars in the Lada line in Russia. However, the price of the new Granta, also built on a French platform, will also increase in price. According to Nicolas Mora, the sedan and hatchback will be released in 2023 and will cost about €9 thousand, that is, 770 thousand rubles at the current exchange rate. And here he clearly meant Russian prices. For comparison: now “Grant” starts at 550 thousand rubles.

“Nicolas More is considering the possibility of maintaining the production of the current Grant for some time, so that people have the opportunity to buy an inexpensive car,” Maxim Kadakov, editor-in-chief of Za Rulem, told Izvestia. According to him, in theory, it is possible to keep the classic Niva on the assembly line, in parallel with the new one and Niva Travel. At the same time, it is difficult to say how much the demand for Legend will subside after the release of the new generation car, the expert noted.

Foggy Niva_5

Niva Travel

Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexey Danichev

“If a person can hardly reach the first Niva, he will not be able to reach the new one. So there are prospects until there are legislative bans on safety or ecology,” Kadakov noted.

According to the expert, the large Grand Niva crossover also has a future - in theory, buyers could consider it as an alternative to the more expensive Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage.

Specifications

In this regard, the car is identical to a standard SUV. Under the hood is a 1.7-liter gasoline engine. The power of the installation is 83 horsepower with 129 Nm of torque. Due to the “low-level” nature of the engine, it can move in low gear without pressing the gas pedal.

The Lada Niva SUV is equipped with permanent all-wheel drive with a rigid center differential lock. This, coupled with the impressive ground clearance, allows you to feel at ease when leaving the asphalt. The Niva's engine has a classic 5-speed manual transmission, but a 6-speed transmission is being developed, which is also borrowed from Duster. An older 1.8-liter engine with increased power to 99 horsepower, improved dynamics and traction is expected to appear. The Lada Niva SUV is stopped by ventilated disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear.

To conquer Europe

At the same time, in Europe Niva Legend continues to be sold by “gray” dealers. This is still a legend for which buyers are willing to seriously overpay and put up with an outdated design. Now the “classic” Niva costs more than €16 thousand.

Foggy Niva_4

Niva Legend

Photo: Lada

“Spartan” tensed: how far will the electric car from Ulyanovsk go?

Test drive of an electric UAZ

For the “anniversary” Lada Niva Legend 50th Anniversary Limited Edition, the German company Partisan Motors is asking €20 thousand. And another company from Germany, Schmid GmbH, has developed an electric car with a range of 300 km based on a Russian SUV. By the way, another legendary Russian SUV, the UAZ Hunter, was also converted to electric power.

Therefore, Denis Le Vot, general director of the Dacia-Lada business unit, calls the new Niva a “weapon for conquering” export markets. With its help, it will be possible to reach the level of 100 thousand cars for export. In the long term, Dacia and Lada will be able to produce a million cars annually on the same platform, De Vot told Challenges.

New body, configurations and prices

The VAZ Niva 2131 of the 2021 model year will be presented in several versions. The basic modification will receive stamped steel wheels, halogen optics, front electric lifts and a 12-volt outlet in the cabin.

Advanced Niva specifications will receive an audio system, air conditioning, and multimedia. To all this, 16-inch alloy wheels, heated front/rear seats, and electrically adjustable side mirrors will be added.

The anti-lock braking system ABS and EBD brake force distribution are responsible for the safety of passengers. The maximum configuration sports a tire pressure sensor, two airbags, and an ESP stabilization system.

It is planned to release a modification of the Lada Niva 2022 with off-road tuning. The car will receive an electric winch and different rims shod with aggressive tires.

What is known about the new generation?

The official website of AvtoVAZ JSC still contains information about the Lada Niva 4×4 Vision Concept, a new generation Niva crossover concept that was being prepared by the manufacturer even before the announcement of Renault’s new strategy.
The exterior of the SUV is made in the then corporate style with X-ray graphics on the sides of the body, on the front and in the rear optics, which helped to organically fit it into the existing Lada lineup.

But it seems that the French decided not to use this concept, preferring a slightly different car design. Which one - they showed this with the help of a render, placing the new Niva next to the new product from Dacia - the Bigster crossover.

VAZ Niva 21214 2022

The SUV needs to undergo a major update. Among the main changes to the Lada Niva model:

• redesigned appearance;
• improved interior ergonomics, sound insulation, and finishing materials;
• new instrument panel;
• extended list of options for the basic configuration;
• increased range of body colors.

What awaits in 2022

The car is almost ready for sale. The modernized Lada Niva SUV has advantages over its competitors. These will be: Renault Duster or Chinese crossovers such as Lifan X50/X60/X70, Yak C3, Gili Emgrand X7 or Cherry Tiggo 2.

Pros:

• excellent off-road performance;
• low price;
• cheap spare parts or service;
• improved sound insulation.

Minuses:

• big appetite;
• archaic motor;
• empty basic configuration;
• small trunk;
• mediocre ergonomics.

When will it be released in Russia?

The development plan from the Renault Group, called Renaulution, in the next five years measures the period from 2023 to 2025 for the Lada brand, when 4 new models will appear.
First, two representatives of the B-segment should enter the market, which could become new Grants. Then - a Niva of the same class, and finally - another crossover, but this time of class C.

In addition, the French promise that they will consider the possibility of making two body styles for the Niva Vision 2022, one of which is extended. We will find out in the next 5 years whether this will work out and how successful the new project to unite two budget brands will be.

Innovations in the interior

There is not much information about what will be added and improved in the interior of the updated model. There is information that the new Lada 4x4 will have air conditioning, electric mirrors, and heated seats in the first row, which will come in very handy during winter operation. It is also known that the center console will radically change in its appearance.

The manufacturer also proudly stated that the sound insulation and sealing have been redesigned, which has led to a noticeable reduction in extraneous sounds in the cabin. Evidence of this was the installation of new vibration-damping materials, especially under the hood.

AvtoVAZ gives future consumers a guarantee that the doors will close tightly the first time. Apparently, these innovations were borrowed from the Granta lift, which was presented to the general public in the spring of 2015. Regarding the glass, we can say that they have already been updated; now the isometric version is used.

There is no other information at the moment; let’s hope that the management of the car plant will give the car in its basic version at least a simple audio installation. You shouldn’t even hope for a navigation system and a multimedia complex, unless in the most “charged” configuration.