Lada Niva Travel: Russia’s more modern and refined ‘mountain goat’ SUV

By Ghaith Madadha - Jun 20,2023 - Last updated at Jun 20,2023

Photos courtesy of Lada

A more refined take on Lada’s classic, compact and uncomplicatedly capable Niva SUV line, the Niva Travel is a more comfortable, quiet and well equipped sister model to the better known classic Niva.

Complementing the 3-door Niva as a more modern and practical vehicle with 5-door utility and contemporarily rugged styling, the Niva Travel might lack some of the original and iconic Niva’s charms, but is by no means toned down or compromised in its extensive off-road abilities, and shares the same engine, drive-line and suspension design as the former.

A different take

Launched in 2021 by the now wholly Russian-owned and independent automaker Avtovaz/Lada, the rebranded and re-styled Niva Traval is in effect and evolution of the VAZ 2123 compact SUV first launched in 1998 and later marketed as the Chevrolet Niva as a joint venture collaboration with General Motors. Slotting in between 3- and 5-door versions of the classic Niva — now afforded the Legend moniker — the Niva Travel may share much of the same mechanicals, but distinctly differs in design from the uncluttered older model’s clean lines.

Different in design from the enduring Niva Legend and its beautifully proportioned and uncomplicatedly boxy design, the Niva Travel’s more modern styling themes include a big, wide and hungry trapezoidal grille flanked by slim, scowling and heavily browed headlights. It also employs trendy touches like more contoured and bulging surfacing, lower black cladding, black B- and C-pillars, stylised rear lights, and a more swept back windscreen. Its spare tyre is, meanwhile, repositioned from the Legend’s under bonnet location to external mounting on the side-swinging rear tailgate.

Compact and capable

Comparatively narrow and tall for manoeuvrability through off-road routes, the Niva Travel’s design, however, differs from more modern SUV in its low waistline and big glasshouse, which provides excellent road visibility for manoeuvring and accurately positioning it on- and off-road, and when parking. A compact 4.1-metre long mountain goat style off-roader, the Niva Travel rides high at 220mm above the ground and features short 749mm front and rear overhangs, which allows it generous off-road angles and the ability to transverse rough and inhospitable terrain.

Powered by a marginally detuned version of Lada’s familiar, long-running and uncomplicated longitudinally-mounted 8-valve 1.7-litre four-cylinder engine, the Niva Travel develops 79BHP at 5,000rpm and 94lb/ft at 4,000rpm. Giving away just 3BHP and 1lb/ft, but gaining 200kg compared with the lighter Niva Legend, the bigger and better equipped and insulated 1,485kg Niva Travel is nevertheless only slightly slower. Accelerating 0.2-seconds later through 0-100km/h at 19-seconds, the Niva Travel is capable of a 140km/h maximum, and returns 10.2l/100km fuel economy on the combined cycle.

Reassuringly rugged

Little changed in headline statistics, the Niva Travel’s additional weight over the Legend is, however, more noticeable on the move and in how it feels slightly blunted and less responsive. Requiring one to hold gears to higher revs to build enough power and momentum before up-shifting on steeper inclines, one is tempted engage the Niva Travel’s low gear ratio range for more robust low speed performance for certain on-road circumstances and topographies. That said, the engine is nevertheless smooth and rewardingly linear in operation and character.

Driving its permanent four-wheel-drive system through a 5-speed manual gearbox, the Niva Travel offers plenty of traction for sure-footed off-road driving. Riding on front double wishbone and rugged live axle and coil spring rear suspension, the Niva Travel’s extensive off-road abilities also include long wheel travel to traverse big obstacles while maintaining ground contact, and a locking centre differential and low gear ratios for demanding inclines and low traction conditions. Fording 500mm through water, it can, meanwhile, be optionally fitted with a high A-pillar mounted intake snorkel.

Comfort and composure

A small manoeuvrable SUV with reassuring road holding, the Niva Travel is an authentic, yet, rugged off-roader with terrifically unexpected refinement. If anything, it is its very refinement that detracts from sort of loud, visceral and ultimately engaging charisma of the older, lighter Niva Legend. That said, the Niva Travel proved stable and settled on the road, soaking up imperfections with forgiving composure. Turning in tidily but leaning somewhat through corners owing to its comfortable suspension, the Niva Travel’s steering and braking were meanwhile accurate and natural in motion.

Quiet and comfortable, the Niva Travel’s cabin provides a high but supportive and ergonomic driving position with its user-friendly controls and terrific road visibility. Its gear lever motion is crisp, clear and satisfyingly precise, and clutch intuitively precise.

Well packaged despite a narrow and compact frame, it offers decent legroom and generous headroom at the rear, while luggage space is well sized. Finished with honest well-built materials, the Niva Travel is comparatively modern and well equipped, and features a powerful A/C and clever driver’s armrest that rotates to alternatively serve as a rear cupholder.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS