Despite the growing popularity of crossovers, real SUVs have always been, are and will be relevant. Today we will not consider foreign cars. In this article, we will pay attention to Niva. Everyone has seen this car and knows. Many people choose it as the main transport for fishing trips, and some still use it for the city. Indeed, the Niva is lighter than the UAZ, and more like a passenger car (a key difference in the absence of a frame). Of course, there are also disadvantages - this is a short base, which affects the amount of luggage and interior space. But this does not matter, because elongated modifications are produced from the factory. These include the Niva-2131. Reviews, photos and technical specifications are further in our article.
Description
So what is this car? VAZ "Niva-2131" is a Russian small-class SUV with permanent all-wheel drive and a supporting body.
The car is built on the basis of the three-door “Niva” model 2121. An elongated version has been produced since 1993.
Appearance
The car has the same design as its three-door modification. The body has simple and clumsy forms. On the front is the usual black grille and round halogen headlights. At the top are parking lights and turn signals. The bumper is made of metal. On the sides - a wide black molding with a huge inscription "VAZ-2131". Mirrors are black, without turn indicators and electrical adjustments. From the factory, stamped 16-inch wheels are placed on this machine. Separately, it is worth noting the new "Niva-2131", which was called "Urban". This car has a slightly different, more modern and pleasant design. Essentially, the bodywork remains the same. Of the changes, there are only bumpers that have now become plastic, and a radiator grill that has received a more stylish look (photo of the model is in our article).
The mirrors on the Niva also changed. By default, the machine is equipped with alloy wheels. Otherwise, there are no differences. This is all the same “Niva”, built on the basis of the “three-door”, which, in turn, was released back in the distant 70s.
Are there any problems on the body of this car? Some say that because of the elongated base on the Niva, it breaks down the power elements of the body, like a frame on the Gazelles. But in practice, no one has proved this, and these statements are just arguments. As for the quality of painting, this is really a weak point of Niva. Although compared to UAZ, this car is not so quickly covered with chips and rot. The metal itself is poorly processed at the factory, therefore, after purchase it is recommended to apply an additional Movil (or anticorrosive).
Sizes, clearance
Due to the long base, this model almost goes beyond the compact class. So, the length of the car is 4.22 meters, width - 1.68, height - 1.64 meters. The main advantage of the Niva-2131 car is its clearance. On standard wheels, the ride height is 21 centimeters. This is enough to drive through broken yards and even off-road. Despite the long base, the geometric cross-country ability of the Lada Niva 2131 decreased only slightly. But on the "Urban" low bumpers noticeably affect the corners of the exit and exit. On the road, it is they who become the most vulnerable part of the body.
Salon
Inside, the car looks the same as the three-door Niva. The front panel was borrowed from the "Lada" (five). The instrument panel is from the VAZ of the Samara-2 family. The steering wheel is the same as on the Classic. There are no adjustments to the column, and the steering wheel itself does not differ in a comfortable grip - they say in the reviews.
Also in the cabin is an alarming abundance of transmission levers. There are three of them. The first is responsible for the gearbox, and the other two for razdatku and lock. Nearby is also a 12-volt cigarette lighter and a small niche for small things. The regular glove compartment is also small. The seats are soft, without much lateral support. The armrest is not here. Airbags are also missing. But there are belts with retractors and a system for attaching child seats.
If we talk about the level of equipment of the car VAZ "Niva-2131", it is quite poor. All adjustments are mechanical, there is no heated seats and air conditioning. There are no acoustics and power windows. Moreover, in this configuration, the VAZ Niva-2131 car was produced right up to the release of the updated version of the Urban. The latter for a fee can be equipped with air conditioning, heated seats and mirrors, as well as electric windows. But then again, native speakers are missing.
The second row is designed for three people. For them, much more space is provided here than in the three-door.
Trunk
Due to the lengthening of the base, the trunk volume has also increased. So, "Niva-2131" is able to fit up to 420 liters of luggage. But that's not all. The second row of seats can be folded. Thus, a cargo area of 780 liters is formed. The spare wheel is under the hood, so the trunk has a low loading height.
In this case, the hinges on the trunk lid do not wear out, as in an UAZ. And the Lyada itself opens upward on the gas stops.
Specifications
"Niva-2131" was equipped with several engines. There are two of them. These are in-line, four-cylinder gasoline power units. Now the new Niva comes with only one engine. But about him a little later.
Initially, the Niva-2131 was equipped with a three-door engine. It was the motor of the model 21213. This engine was created on the basis of the engine of the Six and has almost the same design. So, the cylinder block is made of cast iron, the head is aluminum. The timing mechanism is chain. For each cylinder there are two valves (inlet and outlet). The motor has a carburetor power system. With a volume of 1690 cubic centimeters, this unit develops a capacity of 82 horsepower. Torque - 129 Nm at four thousand revolutions. The compression ratio is 8.5, the piston stroke is 80 millimeters. According to the owners, the resource of this unit is from 100 to 200 thousand kilometers.
Since 2006, Niva-2131 has been equipped exclusively with an injection engine. It is the motor of model 21214. This unit was built on the basis of the previous one. The block and head are made of the same materials. The timing drive is a chain drive, the mechanism itself is an eight-valve. With a volume of 1.7 liters, this unit develops a capacity of 83 horsepower. Torque - 129 Nm. The engine resource has increased slightly and amounts to about 200-250 thousand kilometers.
Transmission
This car works with a five-speed manual gearbox. The transmission is also borrowed from the three-door Niva and has the same problems - deterioration of synchronizers and increased noise of gears. The gearbox oil must be replaced in this gearbox every 40 thousand kilometers.
Dynamics, expense
The car is pretty heavy. Therefore, Niva does not have acceptable dynamics. Acceleration to hundreds takes from 22 to 25 seconds. The maximum speed is 135 kilometers per hour. As for fuel consumption, the average figure is 11 liters. The car can stay in the general stream, but you will have to forget about any races forever. This car has a completely different purpose.
Carburetor or injector?
When buying a VAZ Niva-2131 automobile with mileage, many motorists ask this question. What problems do owners of injection SUVs face? Since they meet Euro-3 standards and above, the exhaust system must have a catalyst and an oxygen sensor. These two elements may fail. And it all wears out very quickly. There are frequent cases when the catalyst was changed under warranty. But as the operating experience shows, a much better and reliable solution is to install a flame arrester (a simple, hollow pipe) with a deception of the oxygen sensor. As a result, exhaust gases will be easier to leave the combustion chamber, and this positively affects the throttle response and engine power.
As for carburetor engines, the Solex carburetor is installed here. According to reviews, it is more reliable than DAAZ, Pekar and other Soviet units. But still requires periodic adjustment. Today, there are fewer specialists who are able to properly configure it. If we talk about performance, "Niva-2131" injector is more high-torque and economical. In the city, this car spends up to 12 liters of gasoline, while the Niva spends at least 13 on a regulated carburetor. On the highway, an injection car consumes 10 liters. With a carburetor - per liter more.
Which motor is better to choose? As practice has shown, it is much more profitable to buy an injection engine. This system is more reliable and unpretentious in maintenance. There are no special requirements for fuel quality. As practice has shown, the engine "digests" easily 92nd gasoline.
Suspension
The chassis is the same as on the three-door Niva. So, in front there is an independent suspension with coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers. Behind - a bridge with transverse traction. Driving performance of an elongated Niva is slightly better than that of a shorty, reviews say. Due to the long base, this car feels great on the track. It is more stable and easier to fit into corners. The owners also note a smooth ride. Due to the heavier body, the suspension seems even softer (although the moves on the three-door Niva are simply huge). In addition, the car has large wheels on high-profile rubber.
Of course, the previous problems remained. These are weak brakes and a slack steering wheel. Previously, the car was not equipped with an amplifier. In addition to the play, the steering wheel was still quite heavy. At Urban, this problem has been resolved. The machine is equipped with a hydraulic booster. But still the driver has to taxi while driving.
Patency
The car, regardless of configuration, has four-wheel drive and a transfer case. These two factors make it easy to use the Niva off-road. The machine even on factory tires is able to overcome a ford, a primer or a sandy road. Regarding the UAZ, the five-door “Niva” is easier, so it is very difficult to put such a car “on the belly”. Also, "Niva" has great potential for tuning. There are many ready-made sets of power bumpers, winches, arch extensions, mud tires and roof racks.
Price
On Avito, the Niva-2131, which had been in operation for about 10 years, costs about 150 thousand rubles. Relatively new copies of the 2014 model year with mileage of 70 thousand are also sold.
They can be purchased at a price of 230-280 thousand rubles. But the new “Niva Urban” costs from 440 thousand rubles. This applies to the basic configuration. A luxury is available at a price of 545 thousand rubles. There is already air conditioning, electric seat heating and other "benefits of civilization."
To summarize
So, we found out what the Niva-2131 car is. At the moment, this is the cheapest and most affordable SUV in Russia. The same UAZ will cost more. But to acquire it is not always relevant. In terms of cross-country “Niva” is not inferior to him (even a five-door). But in terms of comfort and driving performance UAZ noticeably loses. Chinese SUVs should not be taken into account, since they cost an order of magnitude more expensive and also do not differ in high build quality. "Niva" is a universal car that is suitable both for trips to nature and for city driving.