Lada Niva legend
During the reign of Bo Andersen, the VAZ team prepared the Niva-3 project – their own design, without using the Duster platform. Two body types were planned (three- and five-door). The chassis should have used modernized units from the current Niva, the track width and base would be increased. The steering mechanism is rack and pinion. The disk is permanently full with a demultiplier. Instead of the old Zhiguli engine – a sixteen-valve 1.8. At the end of 2017, they wanted to put such a car on the assembly line, but Andersen was forced to leave and the project was shelved – the new management decided that the new Niva should still be built on the basis of the Duster. It turned out – in vain.
Lada Niva Travel
At the 2014 Moscow Motor Show, the prototype of the new generation of Chevrolet Niva became the loudest premiere. Then the rights to the Niva brand belonged to the jiemites. Bold design, differential four-wheel drive with reduction gearbox, rack and pinion steering. The suspension scheme should have been kept: a two-lever at the front and a through-axle at the rear. A license for a 1.8 engine (135 hp) was purchased from the PSA group. The gearbox would be from Isuzu. But in the promised year 2016, the new Niva did not come on the assembly line: the estimate was constantly growing, and as a result, GM refused to finance the project.
UAZ patriot
The “Russian Prado”, promised in 2020, was a highly modernized patriot. The updated body prepared to rely on a stronger frame. The front suspension was going to be independent and the rear axle was planned to get rid of the springs. A revolution was brewing under the hood in the form of a 2.3 petrol turbo engine with an output of 170 hp. Of. A completely new interior was prepared – with a media system screen protruding above the front panel. In rich versions, they wanted to add all-round cameras, blind spot monitoring and a DVR. The launch into production required so much money that the owner of the UAZ did not have. And now we have neither the Russian Prado nor the original Japanese …
But we tested these SUVs in their current form.
And now we know for sure which of these three cars is better suited for a family. Answer is here.
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All three should be updated at this point. But it didn’t work out…
New generation Lada Niva Legend, Niva Travel and UAZ Patriot