Lada 4x4
| Lada Niva | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | AvtoVAZ |
| Also called | Bognor Diva (Uruguay) Lada 4x4 (3-dr version worldwide since 2009) Lada 4x4M (Italy) Lada Bushman (Australia) Lada Cossack (United Kingdom) Lada Fora Lada Hussar (United Kingdom) Lada Job (Italy) Lada Neve (Japan) Lada Niva (worldwide) Lada Sport (Iceland) Lada Taiga (Austria, Germany & Italy) VAZ 2121 (Soviet Union/Russia) |
| Production | 1977–present |
| Assembly |
Amman, Jordan (LHJ) Quito, Ecuador () Bucharest, Romania (Dunarea) Cherkasy, Ukraine (Bogdan) Lutsk, Ukraine (Bogdan) Montevideo, Uruguay (Bognor) Tolyatti, Russia (AvtoVAZ, Motorica, Super-Avto & VIS-Avto) Thebes, Greece (Automeccanica) Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan (Azia Avto) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class |
Off-road car Compact SUV |
| Body style | 3-door and 5-door SUV 2-door, 4-door Pickup and van |
| Layout | Front-engine, full-time four-wheel-drive |
| Related |
Chevrolet Niva VIS-234600 VIS-234610 VIS-294600 VIS-294601 VIS-294610 VIS-294611 |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.6 L I4 (petrol) 1.7 L I4 (petrol) |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual 5-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,200 mm (86.6 in) (3-door SUV) 2,700 mm (106.3 in) (5-door SUV) 2,700 mm (106.3 in) (2-door pickup) |
| Length | 3,740 mm (147.2 in) (3-door SUV) 4,240 mm (166.9 in) (5-door SUV) 4,520 mm (178.0 in) (2-door pickup) |
| Width | 1,680 mm (66.1 in) |
| Height | 1,640 mm (64.6 in) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Chevrolet Niva |
The Lada Niva or VAZ-2121 (Russian: Лада Нива; Niva (нива) is the Russian word for "crop field") is an off-road vehicle designed and produced by the Russian (former Soviet) manufacturer AvtoVAZ. It was also marketed as the Lada Sport in Iceland,Lada Taiga in Austria, Bognor Diva in Uruguay, the Lada Cossack in the United Kingdom, and is offered since 2009 on most markets as the Lada 4x4.
It was the first mass production off-road vehicle to feature a unibody architecture, independent front suspension with coil springs, and is a predecessor to current crossover SUVs which nearly all follow this format; it inspired the Suzuki Vitara. Like the Vitara, the Lada 4x4 uses a recirculating ball truck steering box for off-road reliability. Pickup and emergency van versions are produced by VAZInterService.
The Niva (VAZ-2121) was described by its designers as a “Renault 5 put on a Land Rover chassis.” Development began in 1971, when a team of VAZ designers under Vladimir Solovyev began work on a "civilized" four-wheel drive vehicle. It was inspired in part by the IZh-14 prototype of 1974. It was VAZ's first non-Fiat based model. Much of its mechanicals are carried over from the earlier Fiat 124-based Lada models, though the body, four-wheel drive system, and front suspension were designed by VAZ. The first prototypes appeared in 1971 and 1972, but were rejected as too utilitarian, so doors and hardtop were added; this version debuted in 1973. This took inspiration from the VAZ-1101, and was created by designer Valery Pavlovitch. The engine was changed to a 1,568 cc (95.7 cu in) from the VAZ-2106, with permanent four-wheel drive and locking differentials. On trials during 1973 and 1974, it showed it could climb a 58° slope or ford 60 cm (24 in) of water or 100 cm (39 in) of snow. It was approved for production in 1977 as the Niva (Field).
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