The legendary Lada Niva, one of the longest-running cars in the world that has been produced almost continuously since 1977, has received one of the biggest upgrades in its nearly five-decade history.
Russian manufacturer AvtoVAZ has introduced a modernized version of the Niva Legend model for 2026, which for the first time comes with an airbag for the driver, a more powerful engine and improved corrosion protection.
Although the external appearance has remained almost unchanged, a number of technical novelties are hidden under the distinctive bodywork. The most important change relates to safety, as the Niva is equipped with a driver’s airbag for the first time. The new steering wheel is taken from the Lada Grant model, and along with it, the air conditioning, ventilation, sound insulation, central locking and multimedia system have been improved.
Special attention was paid to protection against corrosion, one of the biggest drawbacks that has accompanied this model for years. Key body parts are now made of galvanized steel, which should significantly extend the life of the vehicle.
Under the hood is a new 1.8-liter eight-valve gasoline engine, taken from the Niva Travel model. It develops 90 horsepower and 153 Nm of torque, which is an improvement over the previous 1.7-liter unit. AvtoVAZ claims that the new engine brings better performance with reduced fuel consumption.
The modernization included more than 160 components. More than 100 all-new and 60 upgraded parts were installed, including modified suspension and ventilated disc brakes.
The start of production of the refreshed Niva Legend has been announced by the end of this year, while the prices will be announced later.
Although in recent years there has been more and more talk about a completely new generation of this model, the latest improvement shows that the iconic Niva still has no intention of going into automotive retirement.
