The Lada Niva is one of those cars that has become a household name not through its accomplishments, but through its comedy value. The frequent subject of jokes among car enthusiasts, this boxy off-roader is Russia’s most famous automotive product. Famous for its poor build quality, it is a rare sight outside Russia, and those examples that made it to the western world are sure to attract attention.

The Niva has, incredibly, had a very long production run spanning nearly half a century. It has been in continuous production since the late 70s, and the current version is not showing signs of leaving anytime soon. This year, Lada’s parent company Avtovaz has made a big announcement: a new model, the first SUV produced by the company in over three decades, is on the way. Let’s take a look back at the legendary Niva, and the new addition to the Lada lineup, the Azimut.

An Unlikely Off-Road Hero: The Lada Niva’s Early History…

The Lada Niva story begins in the early 1970s. Soviet prime minister Alexei Kosygin, in talks with state-owned automaker Avtovaz, gave the firm the task of building a car suitable for people living in rural areas. The team set out to design a new 4×4 model that could tackle the rough terrain and harsh weather conditions of rural Russia. Although the new prototype was officially the first Avtovaz car not derived from a Fiat, it still carried over many mechanical and design elements from Fiat models like the 124, 125, and 127.

In the years before its release, the Niva was put through a grueling testing process. This involved the car being driven across several types of tough terrain all over the Soviet Union, such as Siberia, the Ural Mountains, and deserts in modern-day Kazakhstan. The purpose of this testing was to evaluate the Niva’s off-road capabilities and compare it to other vehicles, including Western off-roaders and Soviet military vehicles. The production model eventually arrived in 1977. Although the Niva was primarily designed for Soviet citizens, Lada did produce an export model too, which was introduced to the world at the 1978 Paris Motor Show.

The initial version of the Niva was powered by a 1.6-liter inline-four engine, paired with a four-speed manual transmission and an AWD layout. Over the course of the Niva nameplate’s long history, several other variants of the model were produced, with a varying lineup of engines going up to 1.9 liters. The four-speed manual transmission was eventually replaced by a five-speed unit in 1993.

…And Its Modern Incarnation

The Niva’s production run continued uninterrupted for decades, although the model did not evolve much from its original form until very recently. A modern version of the Niva was initially launched in 1998, under the name of VAZ-2123. This model shared many of the original Niva’s underpinnings, with a more modern design and bodywork.

Later on, thanks to a joint venture between Avtovaz and General Motors, the car was marketed as the Chevrolet Niva. The Chevrolet branding lasted from 2003 to 2020. From 2020 onwards, the Niva lineup was split in two. The original Niva continued to be produced under the “Niva Legend” name, while the new, more modern version was sold as the Niva Travel. The current Niva Travel is powered by a 1.7-liter inline-four, paired with a five-speed manual transmission.

The First New Lada SUV In Three Decades: The Azimut

There has recently been a big announcement in the Lada world: the company has brought out a new model, the first in almost three decades. The new arrival is a crossover called the Azimut. The company has described it as “technologically independent”, citing the fact that it was made without Western help. Although Lada claims to have come up with the Azimut’s design and engineering entirely on its own, this isn’t strictly true. The average car has around 30,000 parts, and the Azimut only has 996 new or improved components, meaning it’s not quite as “new” as Lada is describing it.

Before the start of the Ukraine conflict and the sanctions against Russia that followed, Lada had worked closely with Renault. The platform for another Lada model, the Vesta, was Renault-sourced; this platform has now been used for the Azimut as well. The Azimut’s design is also reminiscent of models from Dacia, Renault’s budget-focused sub-brand. This is one core similarity the Azimut has with its ancestor, the Niva. The Niva was also advertised as being entirely the product of Avtovaz, but many of its elements were derived from another western brand: Fiat, which had collaborated with Lada in the past.

The Azimut’s design reinterprets many traditional Lada elements in a modern way: the boxy, squared-off silhouette is largely made up of simple straight lines. Its design has many visual similarities with both the classic Niva and the modern member of the Niva lineup, the Niva Travel. The Azimut also shares several design elements with crossovers built by European brands, such as Dacia itself. One element of its interior, however, is definitely Russian. The infotainment system was designed by Russian state-owned bank Sber, which added features such as the ability to pay for fuel directly from the vehicle.

The Azimut will be powered by a choice of two inline-four engines: a 1.6-liter unit producing 120 hp, or a 1.8-liter unit producing 132 hp. A third, turbocharged option producing 150 hp is due to join the lineup later on, however at this stage details are still scarce. Lada has not even confirmed whether the existing lineup of engines is gas or diesel, but it is likely they will be gas-powered. In terms of transmission options for the Azimut, a six-speed manual will be offered alongside a CVT.

Lada’s Other Current Models: An Overview

The Niva may be Lada’s most famous model, but it isn’t the only vehicle currently being produced by the brand. Lada also produces several other vehicles, including compact cars, wagons and sedans. Let’s take a look at some of the lesser-known models currently in the Lada lineup:

Granta: The Granta is a subcompact car, which began production in 2011 for the 2012 model year. It is based on the same platform as one of Avtovaz’s earlier models, the Lada Kalina, which went out of production in 2018. The Granta is available as a four-door sedan, or in three different five-door configurations (hatchback, liftback, and wagon). Power comes from a 1.6-liter inline-four engine, paired with a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic.

Vesta: The Vesta is a compact car which has been in production since 2015. At the time of its launch, it was the first Lada to be based on an all-new platform in several years. It enjoys a good degree of popularity in Russia, quickly becoming one of the best-selling cars in the country shortly after its launch. It is available as a four-door sedan or a five-door wagon; power comes from either a 1.6-liter or a 1.8-liter inline-four engine, paired with a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed CVT.

Aura: An extended-wheelbase version of the Vesta, the Aura is one of the most recent additions to the Lada lineup, having started production in 2024. It is powered by a single engine option, a 1.8-liter inline-four unit paired with a CVT.

Largus: A compact MPV, the Lada Largus is essentially a rebadged version of a Renault model, the Dacia Logan. The Largus has been in production since 2012, and is available both as a passenger wagon and as a van. Power comes from a 1.6-liter inline-four engine, paired with a five-speed manual transmission.

Sources: Lada