VAZ-2131 "Niva" - low-cost off-road vehicle

Three-door "Fields" "AvtoVAZ" was released in 1977. Naturally, at that time the model seemed to be a masterpiece in terms of patency, and in terms of comfort. As time went on, the Niva continued to descend from the assembly line, but after decades, despite a certain modernization, they no longer seemed comfortable or modern.

"Trehdverka" for its history has become truly legendary: it was produced for domestic sales and export, conquered deserts and mountain peaks, passed where it would seem, you can only move on a tank.

However, the legend had a number of significant flaws, which over time proved to be even more serious. Firstly, it's a very spartan salon (developers did not really think about any comfort), which was normal for the 70s of the last century, but for the present millennium it became unacceptable. Secondly, a car with 3 doors is not very convenient for trips with a full cabin: rear passengers are difficult to get out and go. And, thirdly, the design features of the all-wheel drive of this car were a masterpiece of the last century, but not the present one.

The manufacturer has been thinking about updating the model of the domestic SUV for a long time, working in several directions simultaneously. One of the rather successful experiments was the VAZ-2131 (an extended five-door version).

In addition to the enlarged base and the added 2 doors, which undoubtedly added to roominess and comfort, the new "Niva" became more comfortable and safe. The running characteristics of the car, naturally, were also improved, thanks to which AvtoVAZ has another real SUV - VAZ-2131. The technical characteristics of this version did not become so sensational, as in her time as her ancestor, but quite deserved attention not only at the state, but also at the world level.

A more comfortable cabin and thoughtful safety of the driver and passengers made Niva not only the "off-road queen", but also a good car for trips around the city. VAZ-2131 is convenient enough to use it for daily trips. At the same time, his driving qualities allow you to go hunting, fishing, and even participate in extreme auto racing.

This car is often chosen for suburban trips, not only Russians, but also residents of Europe, America and even Africa. This is due to the high cost of cars of other models with similar qualities. Any other SUV with driving characteristics similar to the VAZ-2131, is at times more expensive. So they buy "Niva", then to go through the deserts, climb mountains or participate in a safari.

In the domestic remote areas, too, there are whole regions where you can drive only on an off-road vehicle. For them, "Niva" is a police car, a car for the huntsman, and sometimes even "First Aid" - it is possible to get to remote villages and farms only on it or "UAZ". And since the VAZ-2131 is much more comfortable than the "masterpiece" of the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, the choice is not in favor of the latter.

The cost of the new "Niva" is about 386 thousand rubles, which easily explains the increased demand for this model. The only thing that does not really please the owners of this SUV is the fuel consumption. Of course, given the all-wheel drive, the 1.7-liter engine will not seem very gluttonous to some, but in city traffic jams the car sometimes "eats" up to 15 liters per 100 km (which is quite a lot for a budget car ). In the rest, VAZ-2131, whose owners' reviews are flooded with auto forums, does not cause any criticism. But before buying it is better to get acquainted with the opinion of those who have already traveled on the five-door "Niva" for a while.