The new 2021 Niva Urban model combines comfort and high cross-country ability

All about the new AvtoVAZ LADA 4x4 SUV

No matter how much abuse the auto community and domestic car enthusiasts pour out at VAZ, the largest automaker still tries to monitor changes and new trends in the market. Although this happens with a considerable delay. The idea that the Niva, so beloved by the people, was hopelessly outdated has been in the air since 2012, but they still started modernizing it, albeit quite late. Representatives of AvtoVAZ collected information, conducted surveys, and in 2014 the first copies of the urban version of Urban rolled off the assembly line. 2 years later, a version with 5 doors appeared. Today we will talk about what the 5-door Niva Urban is.

Salon

The interior of the Lada Niva Urban 2021 is almost completely identical to the standard version. However, photos of the interior indicate that this is a rich version of the model, equipped with almost all the options available for an SUV.

1. The main differences were better noise and vibration insulation. The door cards and engine compartment have it.
2. The Niva's steering wheel is familiar from other models in the family - a large four-spoke steering wheel with small horn buttons.
3. The instrument panel has a standard layout with two analog dials for the tachometer and speedometer, and small additional scales in the side segments.
4. The updated seats of the Niva Urban received a combined upholstery made of non-marking fabric with bright orange stitching. The dense filling and good fixation allow even a driver with above average height to sit comfortably. Already the basic equipment received heated front seats. But lateral support and the range of adjustments leave much to be desired.
5. The back row of the Niva is an ordinary ascetic “bench” with a flat back and two seat belts. Among the innovations are ISOFIX child seat mounts.
6. The center console has air conditioning with old-fashioned slider controls. The system performance is not enough - the windows fog up when it rains.
7. Below are the seat heating buttons, as well as buttons for controlling secondary functions.
8. Among the innovations is a decorative overlay for the central tunnel with cup holders and three transmission levers. The first is a standard gearbox selector, the second turns on the de-multiplier, and the last is responsible for locking the differential.

Exterior view of Niva Urban with 5 doors

The base model of the car has rolled off the production line virtually unchanged since 1975. In 1994, minor changes were introduced and production of the car continued until 2014, and after that an urban version called Urban appeared. The 5-door version appeared a little later - in 2021. The appearance of the new model with 5 doors now has bumpers with plastic, which replaced the standard “frames” made of aluminum. The changes also affected the radiator grille - the car is now equipped with a plastic grille, in the center of which is the Lada brand logo. A factory nameplate was also installed on the trunk lid, and the door handles were slightly darkened (they are now matte, as on the three-door version of the popular SUV). Instead of chrome elements, black moldings are now installed on the doors.

Oddly enough, the updated 5-door Niva Urban is still associated with military equipment among people who are not very knowledgeable about cars. It’s not entirely clear what this is connected with, but the appearance of the updated car is as close as possible to urban conditions - the plastic elements of the body were supposed to somehow adapt the appearance of the body to the urban environment. In general, the chief designer of the domestic automaker managed to achieve his goal: the five-door Niva retained its proportions and shape, slightly refreshing its appearance. The overall picture is complemented by large rear-view mirrors and updated 16-inch alloy wheels.

Photos of the salon

In the Niva Urban with 5 doors, the passenger seats have undergone some changes (unlike the three-door model). The new chairs are supplemented with elements of lateral support, which increases comfort and convenience for the seated person. The seats are covered in dark velor with white stitching, which visually makes the interior more attractive. The dashboard has not undergone any significant changes; the only innovation here is the appearance of a regulator that controls the air conditioning. The central control panel has buttons for turning the heated seats on/off.

The panel separating the front row seats was supplemented with a block for adjusting the side mirrors and buttons for controlling the window lift mechanism. The trunk of the updated Lada Urban (5 doors) is now equipped with lighting from the factory. In addition, a socket has appeared in the trunk niche for connecting a compressor or a portable refrigerator (an irreplaceable thing for a family trip out of town). The luggage compartment is no less than 420 liters, which is quite enough for everyday use. The luggage compartment space is expanded due to the rear seats, and increases to 780 liters.

The rear row of seats is made as standard: in the form of a sofa, without any dividers. The negative point here is that the rear seats are still not equipped with headrests (this miscalculation has been haunting the Niva since its inception). Otherwise, the interior has not undergone any changes: the same minimalistic design, standard ventilation manifold grilles. The archaic block with three handles (reduction gear, gearbox and transfer case) also remains in place.

Specifications

It was not so easy to adapt the off-road Lada Urban, and even with 5 doors, to an urban environment: the dimensions, in comparison with the “three-door”, have changed. The length has increased to 4140 millimeters, the height is 1640 millimeters, and the width is 1690 mm. The gap between the axles is now 2700 mm. Under the hood of the engine compartment there is a standard 1.7 liter engine with an 8-valve gas distribution system. At maximum power, it will be possible to “squeeze” 83 hp out of the engine. at 5 thousand rpm. This unit works in tandem with a five-speed manual transmission, which provides traction to all 4 wheels. There is no alternative to a manual transmission on the Niva Urban, and most likely it will not appear. Acceleration from zero to hundreds takes an average of 18 seconds, and the maximum possible speed (in practice) is limited to 135 km/h. The “urban” origin of the updated SUV is fully reflected here.

The average consumption of a 5-door Urban Niva is 9-9.5 liters per 100 kilometers. In urban conditions, it will increase to 12 liters, and driving outside the city, on highways and freeways will require an average of eight liters per 100 kilometers. The “Urban” version is equipped with an all-wheel drive transmission with a center differential. This made it possible to divide the torque between the bridges in equal volumes. The city version was not deprived of the traditional “transfer case” with the ability to forcefully lock the center differential. There is information that the car will subsequently be equipped with an electronic locking system, as a result of which there will be fewer controls (by 2 levers). The SUV's suspension remains standard (a spring system on wishbones in the front part of the body, and hydraulic shock absorbers in the rear). The control has been upgraded with a hydraulic booster.

Despite the fact that this is a full-fledged SUV, it is still not recommended to conquer endless forest expanses without proper preparation in an extended 5-door Niva Urban. The story where a five-door car literally “sits” on a bump approximately in the middle of the body is still relevant today.

Photos, prices, characteristics

When developing the technical part of the SUV, the main emphasis was on improving cross-country ability. Under the hood of the Niva there remains a standard 1.7-liter gasoline injection unit with 8 valves. Its maximum power was 83 horsepower with 129 Nm of torque.

The all-wheel drive system has a symmetrical center differential, dividing power in a ratio of 50:50 between the axles. The transfer case has a reduction gear and a screw-type self-block. This system shows excellent cross-country ability when driving off-road. The downside is the two-point mounting of the transfer case, which causes increased noise and vibration.

There is an independent suspension on steel arms at the front, and a Panhard rod design at the rear. The Lada Niva Urban 4x4 will be stopped by front disc brakes in combination with rear drums.

Price of 5-door Niva Urban

Stock equipment will cost 527,000 rubles. It is positioned as Luxe, and so far the only one. For this price you will get the interior equipped with anchors for child seats and a whole set of safety systems (ABS and auxiliary braking complex) inherent in a typical city car. The same package of options provides a main socket (12V) and an additional one: which is located in the trunk niche, electric windows in the front doors, air conditioning, power steering and standard body vibration insulation. The windows are lightly tinted from the factory, and the mirrors are now heated as standard. They are still controlled by the same electric drive.

What will we see in the salon?

Having familiarized yourself with the exterior of the Lada 4×4 Urban, it’s worth taking a look inside this car. First of all, the small steering wheel with a diameter of 38 cm is somewhat confusing (in the old version it reached 42 cm). At the same time, such an innovation was expected. Even more, this solution has become a significant advantage of the model, because with the built-in power steering there is absolutely no need for a massive steering wheel. At the same time, the compact steering wheel allows you to customize the driver’s workplace as conveniently as possible.

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A significant change was also the presence of an air conditioning system. Thanks to it, being in a vehicle is now much more comfortable. A high-quality air conditioner allows you to set the optimal air temperature in the cabin, no matter what the weather is like outside. Thermal glass, which does not allow hot air currents to penetrate inside the car, will help keep you pleasantly cool on a hot summer day.

But the innovations that affect the comfort of the driver and passengers do not end there. The seat heating function allows you to feel great when driving in a car, regardless of the time of year.

The entire interior has become newer. This is facilitated by the modern lining of the floor tunnel. I'm glad that there are cup holders - now you can conveniently put a cup of coffee or a bottle of water there, without fear that the liquid will splash on you.

Side mirrors can be adjusted to suit you using an electric drive. In principle, the option is not very important, but quite pleasant. In addition, the outside mirrors are heated, which greatly helps with visibility in the cold season. Additionally, this parameter is increased by the extended rear window cleaning area. In general, the visibility of the new vehicle is excellent.

Owner reviews

I have been an ideological supporter and owner of the domestic SUV since 1990. I inherited my first car from my grandfather, produced in 1983. The car I received was very shabby and looked as if it had been pulled out from the bottom of the river, where it had been for at least 5 years. I had to spend more than one night in the garage before its second birth took place. Surprisingly, I drove it after that for no less than 4 years. Even then, I realized that the car was very practical and practically indestructible, no matter where we drove it, and fishing on weekends and through gullies and thickets - there were no complaints. Now, my lifestyle is no longer as active as before, and despite this, I bought myself a new Niva, but with 5 doors. There weren’t any new impressions, except that I was pleased with the air conditioning and was disappointed with the quality of the plastic of the bumpers

(Anatoly, Nizhny Novgorod)

Niva Urban became my first personal car. Since I work as a sales representative, I deliberately chose the version with 5 doors, since I constantly have to deliver goods to retail outlets, and sometimes even drive the car right under the roof. Consumption in the city is of course brutal - after all, with a domestic engine, driving around the city in traffic jams is not easy. I haven’t had time to try out the transfer case and downshift yet, so the car’s full potential has not yet been revealed to me. Otherwise, my only complaints are about the interior finishing: I’m still used to greater comfort.

I took a ride in the new Niva in the Urban version, fortunately an acquaintance just recently purchased this “unit”. As for me, it’s a simple restyling, I didn’t notice any special changes. This is still the same oak Niva as it was - they just changed the appearance a little, making it more modern. The car is too utilitarian, and it apparently makes no sense to expect something new from it.

Car capacity

In principle, the cabin can easily accommodate five people.

Perhaps in terms of comfort it will not be as convenient as in new premium SUVs from Japan, Germany and other countries, but there are no particular complaints here. The trunk is also quite roomy; if necessary, its volume can be increased by folding the rear seat backs. To further increase trunk space, the spare tire was placed next to the engine.

At the same time, when opening the trunk you need to be quite careful - if you do everything carelessly, you can hit the third door quite hard, which is pushed out quite sharply. You should also close the lid slowly, so as not to cause a strong roar that will scare everyone in the area.

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At the same time, the trunk rises very high, which will allow you to use its lid as a kind of canopy in case of bad weather. This is another small plus for a domestic car.

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