Lada has presented an optically thoroughly renewed Niva. The revised SUV not only gets a completely new muzzle, but also a modified rear. Although its name suggests otherwise, this is not a facelifted version of the angular all-rounder that has been known as Lada ‘4×4’ for several years now.
Lada is working on a radical rejuvenation cure. Earlier this month, the brand released a first photo of the facelifted Largus and today the Russian manufacturer presents us with photos of the renewed Lada Niva. Do not be alarmed, this SUV now called Niva Travel is not the successor of the Niva as it was also for sale in the Netherlands. The rudimentary off-roader dating from 1977 has simply been called 4×4 for years.
Lada Niva
No, this Lada Niva Travel is a thoroughly revised version of the Chevrolet Niva on the outside. It emerged in 1998 from a joint venture between General Motors and Avtovaz, Lada’s parent company. The Chevy Niva is a further development of the original Lada Niva and was even once intended as its successor. An SUV with its own carriage, but one that relies heavily on Lada technology. At the end of last year it was announced that Lada General Motors would buy out GM-Avtovaz from the joint venture and that the Chevrolet Niva would be transferred to Lada. Lada has a car with the model name Niva in addition to the once Niva-called ‘4×4’, but is carrying out a facelift on the model to give the SUV the current family traits of the brand.
The Lada Niva Travel gets a new front with flatter headlights, a curved bonnet and a different grille. Lada also releases an image of the back of the Niva Travel. This green copy is immersed in an extra spicy off-road dip and has a snorkel and black plastic trim all around. The rear lights are equipped with LED technology for the first time in Niva history.
What the youngest Niva Travel looks like on the inside, Lada is still keeping a secret. It is also not known whether the powertrain will be modernized. Currently there is another 1.7 from the 4×4 / Niva under the hood.
Previous plans
In 2014 Chevrolet had big plans for its Niva. In 2014, the brand already showed a production-ready looking foretaste of a successor during the Moscow Motor Show, although that car was already put on hold in 2018. The former Lada Niva, so the Lada 4×4, should one day be succeeded in a model that should be more contemporary. Two years ago, Lada showed the 4×4 Vision in Moscow, a concept car that served as a foretaste of a possible 4×4 successor.