The Lada Niva Travel is a mini SUV produced by the AvtoVAZ Group since 1998. It was originally the VAZ-2123, was marketed as the Chevrolet Niva from 2003 to 2020, and received its present name on 21 December 2020.
Lada Niva Travel at a glance
| Maker | AvtoVAZ Group, formerly GM-AvtoVAZ |
|---|---|
| Production | since 1998 |
| Names | VAZ-2123 (1998–2002), Chevrolet Niva (2003–2020), Lada Niva Travel (since 2020) |
| Class | mini SUV |
| Body | five-door |
| Wheelbase | 2.45 m |
| Engine | 1.7-litre petrol with fuel injection |
| Front suspension | spring, independent, two-lever |
| Rear suspension | spring, dependent, five-rod |
| Brakes | front discs, rear drums |
| Tyres | 205/75 R15, 205/70 R15, 215/75 R15, 215/65 R16 |
| Turning radius | 5.7 m |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Lada Niva Travel.
History of the Lada Niva Travel
The VAZ-2123 was developed as a five-door crossover riding on a 2.45 m wheelbase, exactly between the 2.20 m and 2.70 m wheelbases of the original Niva. Although its body and interior were new, it was based on the old VAZ-2121 engine, transmission and most mechanicals, with a 1.7-litre fuel-injected petrol engine. In 2003 the car was awarded zero stars out of four by the Russian ARCAP safety programme.
Chevrolet Niva
In 2002 an agreement was signed with General Motors to establish serial production, and the joint venture GM-AvtoVAZ was created. The licence for the VAZ-2123 and the rights to the Niva brand went to the joint venture, while the first-generation Niva was marketed as the Lada 4×4 from 2006 until 2021. An export version with a reinforced bodyshell, a 1.8-litre Opel Ecotec engine and Aisin four-wheel drive was considered from 2003, but the project was cancelled in July 2005. It was revived in autumn 2006 as the Niva FAM1 for the 2007 model year; the price was much higher than the standard car, sales were slow and the version was dropped in April 2008, also because Ecotec engine production ended in Hungary.
In 2009 the model received a minor update with a slight restyling by the Bertone studio. The GLS and GLC versions also came with improved safety, including ABS and dual front airbags. A new-generation concept was shown in 2014, designed by Ondrej Koromház, with a longitudinally mounted engine, full-time four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case and a rigid rear axle; a production version was expected in 2016 but the project was suspended in September 2018.
Lada Niva and Niva Travel
In August 2020 Lada took over production of the Chevrolet Niva and rebranded it as the Lada Niva. In December 2020, following a new generation of the car, it was renamed the Lada Niva Travel, while the old Niva 4×4 became the Lada Niva Legend in January 2021. For 2026 AvtoVAZ announced a facelift and a 1.8-litre option for the Niva Travel, and showed an electric concept called the Lada e-Niva. The T-134 concept of 2025, a possible future Niva generation, was shown to President Vladimir Putin.
The chassis uses spring suspension front and rear, independent with two levers at the front and dependent with five links at the back. The turning radius is 5.7 m, and the car can tow a trailer of 1,200 kg with brakes or 600 kg without.
Design and features
- Niva mechanicals: the VAZ-2123 uses the engine, transmission and most mechanicals of the VAZ-2121.
- Longer wheelbase: 2.45 m, midway between the three- and five-door original Nivas.
- Five-door body: a new body and interior despite the old underpinnings.
- Four-wheel drive: permanent drive with a low range, as on the original Niva.
Lada Niva Travel versions
- VAZ-2123 (1998–2002): the original five-door version.
- Chevrolet Niva (2003–2020): the GM-AvtoVAZ joint-venture car.
- Niva FAM1 (2007–2008): the short-lived export version with a 1.8-litre Opel engine.
- Lada Niva Travel (since 2020): the current name, with a facelift announced for 2026.
- e-Niva: an electric concept shown by Lada.
The Niva Travel is a different car from the original Lada Niva, and it shares its engine family with the VAZ-2106-derived Niva mechanicals. More models are in the Lada collection.
Video: Crash Test Auto Chevrolet Niva VAZ (LADA) 2123
Video by Armen Hachaturyan (Crash Test AUTO) on YouTube.
Sources
- Lada Niva Travel, English Wikipedia: history, versions, technical parameters
