The car "Niva" for many people is considered the best "rogue". Off-road vehicle, at an affordable price, "SUV", easy to repair. Now in the market you can find a long "Niva" or a short, which is better, we will understand. For this, a review of each model will be carried out.
To decide clearly which "Niva" is better, you need to study all the advantages and disadvantages of each car.
History of creation
The initiative to develop a car capable of overcoming off-road belongs to the VAZ designer V. S. Soloviev. First of all, it was supposed to be transport for operation in any conditions by residents of villages and villages. Since at that time there were no analogues of this type, the emphasis was placed on just that.
In April 1972, the first test car was introduced to the world. The name of the car was not due to the fields, as many people think. The name was based on the first letters of the names of the children of designers Prusov and Soloviev. Natalya, Irina, Vadim and Andrey: in the combination of letters the “Niva” turned out.
The design came from the VAZ-2106. "Niva" is similar to the "six" both externally and by the interior of the car.
Since 1972, before the start of mass production, many prototypes of the Niva were produced, they were tested, many tests were carried out, long runs were organized to identify shortcomings. To evaluate and compare the car with existing analogues in the world, such cars as UAZ-469, Land Rover and Range Rover were used for the run. In 1975, an official decree was signed on the release of an SUV.
Production start
"VAZ-2121" first came off the assembly line on April 5, 1977. In the first year, the plant produced 25,000 cars. The following year, the number was doubled and reached 50,000 cars per year. Subsequently, the number was increased to 70 thousand units. In the 80s, the plan of the plant had an increase in production to 100 thousand units, but the oil crisis prevented it. Sales success was huge, Niva even sold in Japan.
After the crisis, the demand for Niva significantly decreased, which was caused by an overpriced price, one of the reasons was the small trunk of the car and only two side doors, which was not always convenient and practical. Another minus of the “Niva” was the high consumption of gasoline. And from the side of the automobile plant, a reduction in the price of a car in the amount of 15% was made. This was in 1985, and after the price reduction, the demand for this type of transport went up again.
In March 2013 AvtoVAZ produced two million Niva cars.
Inside, the interior looked like this:
The back row looked like this:
Specifications
The parameters and specifications below relate to the first manufactured version released on the conveyor in 1977. There were a lot of modifications, and each time something changed in the Soviet SUV.
- The Niva SUV, an all-terrain vehicle, has 3 doors.
- Carrier body.
- Body type - hatchback.
- The drive is full, permanent.
- The gearbox is a four-speed.
- Transfer case - two-stage.
- Center differential lock.
- Ground clearance - 220 mm.
- The angle of entry is 32 °, the angle of exit is 37 °.
- Wheelbase - 2.2 meters.
- Fuel tank - 42 liters.
- The engine is gasoline with a volume of 1580 cm³.
- Engine power - 80 horsepower.
- Length - 3740 mm.
- Width - 1680 mm.
- Height - 1640 mm.
- Weight - 1150 kg.
Modifications
Probably, in the history of the automotive industry, one can not find such a car that would have so many modifications. This version of the “Niva” is a pickup truck, and a right-hand drive model, and a variant of super-increased cross-country ability, a special version is a convertible. There is a variant of a car with a diesel engine, which was exported and the engine was from Peugeot, even an amphibian based on the Niva was produced. There were a lot of improvements with the release of the Russian SUV.
The elongated Niva is also one of the modifications of the short VAZ-2121. There were many five-door versions, this is an ambulance car, and many similar directions. "Niva" long or short - the comparison should put everything in place.
VAZ-2131
It is with that name that an elongated modified version came off the assembly line. The cabin of the long "Niva" by 480 mm differs upwards from the three-door version. The body is the same bearing and permanent all-wheel drive, like the VAZ-2121. The car already has not three doors, but five. Outwardly, it has not changed much, the same forms, the same recognition, it just got longer than the Niva’s body and longer wheelbase, a decent trunk also appeared.
- Length - 4220 mm.
- Width - 1680 mm.
- Height - 1640 mm.
- Ground clearance - 210 mm.
- The wheelbase is 2700 mm (for the short version 2200 mm).
- The angle of entry is 40 °, the exit angle is 32 °.
- Weight - 1350 kg.
- Trunk volume - 420 liters, if you fold the cabin, then 780 liters.
- Engine displacement - 1.69 l.
- Engine power - 83 horsepower.
- The fuel tank has a capacity of 65 liters.
- Type of fuel - AI-95 gasoline.
- Speed - 140 km / h.
- Acceleration to 100 km / h - 19 seconds.
- Fuel consumption - urban cycle - 12.2 liters.
- Consumption on the highway - 8.3 liters.
- The combined cycle is 11.2 liters.
Which is better ...
Short or long Niva? Probably, this question comes to mind for many who are considering the purchase of this Russian SUV.
It is important for yourself to emphasize what tasks are set for the car during its operation. After all, each "Niva" has its own characteristics. To do this, you need to consider the advantages or advantages of the short version and similarly consider the advantages of a long VAZ-2131.
Advantages of Niva 3D
Short or long Niva - which is better? Soon the answer will be obvious, but for a start I would like to consider the advantages of a short “Niva”.
- Less weight, as a result, less gas mileage;
- Short wheelbase - better cross.
- Small-sized.
- Maneuverable.
- Winning in dynamics.
- Low price in comparison with foreign analogues.
- Easy to repair.
- Inexpensive parts.
Advantages of long
Continuation of the topic about which “Niva” is better - long or short. Analysis of the advantages of a long version of the car:
- Due to the long wheelbase, the car became more stable on the road.
- Smooth running compared to the three-door version.
- Doors for rear passengers.
- Plenty of room for rear passengers.
- The trunk is large.
- The tank volume is 65 liters, against 42 liters on the three-door version.
- Big payload.
- Low price in comparison with foreign counterparts.
- Prices for spare parts and maintainability.
Common disadvantages
Choose a short "Niva" or long is not easy. The three-door version has better cross-country ability, but at the same time it is much worse in handling on the highway, compared with the five-door model. The three-door Niva has a rather low level of comfort, but it is maneuverable. The five-door car is spacious, good in handling on the highway, but it has much more fuel consumption. Based on the above advantages, you can find the cons of each.
Patency
There are times when, in terms of cross-country ability and not to say one hundred percent, which car is better, short “Niva” or long, there are different reviews. It all depends on weather conditions, on how many people are in the car, what rubber is. If we consider the situation that two cars drive on shallow mud, then which "Niva" - short or long - is better? Most likely, the car that weighs more will pass, and the short car will get stuck. She is not enough weight. But in those situations where there are no stones, or logs, or some kind of obstacles, the short version will fly off due to its 220 mm wheelbase, and the long version, which is 50 cm longer on the wheelbase, can sit on the obstacle. In regular and dry weather conditions on dried mud, which is better - short "Niva" or long? Most car owners believe that on the cross all the same VAZ-2121 will win.
Eventually
As a result, everything comes down to tasks again. If the goal is to drive and there is only one driver and passenger in the cabin, then the short Niva wins, it is light, small, nimble due to weight, maneuverable, in the city it can jump onto any curb. It’s like a small car in size, it’s convenient to park, and even if the family has very small children, then the three-door version is the very thing, because the baby will not fall out, accidentally open the door. On the five-door version there is no automatic closure, and the child can easily open the door. This is such a lyrical digression.
Short or long Niva - which is better? If comfort comes first, if the size of the fuel tank, the big trunk and the convenience of the rear passengers matter, but the cross is a small minus, then you should give preference to a five-door car.
It is best to take both cars for a test drive, drive each one, sit inside the passenger compartment as a passenger, and as a driver, and only then make a choice.