The Lada Niva in Russia has been a lot like our Suzuki Bolan, which, thankfully, was recently discontinued. It’s been around since the late 1970s—1977, to be exact—and keeps making comebacks whenever AvtoVAZ gives it just enough of a refresh to call it “new.” This time, it’s the Niva Sport, a “sportier” version with a more powerful engine and a dash of athletic ambition.
On the outside, it gets a red Sport emblem on the plastic grille, a fresh set of 16-inch alloy wheels, wide fender extensions, extra front LEDs, and a hood scoop. Strangely, Lada skipped the body-colored bumpers seen on the Urban and Black trims, as well as the more aggressive grille and headlight housing from the Bronto, both of which would have fit the design nicely. According to Lada, this sportier version draws inspiration from rally Nivas, including one that recently claimed victory in the 2024 Silk Way Rally Marathon.
Inside, the Niva Sport showcases red accents on the seats that pop against the black upholstery, with the theme carried over to the red stitching on the steering wheel, instrument cluster, glove box, gear levers, and seats. From the available interior photos, it seems the Niva Sport comes with air conditioning, electric mirrors, and electric windows, but oddly, no audio system—though that could likely be added later.
The Niva Sport comes equipped with a new longitudinally mounted 16-valve four-cylinder engine, delivering 122 hp of power and 151 Nm of torque. These figures significantly improve over the 82 hp and 129 Nm produced by the standard 1.7-liter petrol engine found in the rest of the Niva lineup.
The engine is paired with an upgraded 5-speed manual transmission that includes a reinforced 5th gear, a sturdier clutch housing, and a single-lever transfer case. Power is sent to all four wheels through a permanent 4WD system. Lada has also added “sporty suspension and brake settings” to the Niva Sport, claiming it offers better driving dynamics than its more basic siblings.
Lada hasn’t shared details yet about the Niva Sport’s market launch or pricing, promising more information later. However, local reports suggest the new model might break the 2,000,000 ruble mark (around $20,000), potentially making it the priciest option in the lineup. For comparison, the current Niva range starts at 981,000 rubles ($9,800) for the basic Classic trim and goes up to 1,485,000 rubles ($14,800) for the rugged Bronto Prestige.
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