The Chevrolet Niva is a mini sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by GM-AvtoVAZ, a joint venture between AvtoVAZ (the parent company of the Lada brand) and General Motors, since 1998. The car is a development of the Lada Niva and was previously known as the VAZ-2123 in the design stage.
It features an updated body and 1.7-litre gasoline engine with fuel injection. Although the body and the interiors are new, it is still based on the old VAZ 2121 engine, transmission and most mechanicals. Its off-road ability is exemplary compared with many modern budget SUVs, having been designed for tough tundra territory.
An export version with reinforced hull, 1.8-litre Opel Ecotec Family 1 gasoline engine and Aisin four-wheel drive has been under consideration since 2003. Although most of the engineering work has been completed, the release has been constantly postponed. Although the GM-AvtoVAZ considered building a new engine plant for the local production of Ecotecs, in July 2005 it was announced that the project was cancelled, along with plans for the long-anticipated "export" Niva. However, the project was revived in Fall 2006 and the "Niva FAM1" was introduced as a new trim level for the 2007 model year. The price was much higher than the standard trim, that made the project not as successful and led it to be discontinued in April 2008. Another reason was the ceasing of Ecotec engine production at the Hungarian plant.
In 2009, the model got a minor update, featuring a slight restyling, done by Bertone studio and some minor-changes. The GLS and GLC version also comes with improved safety, such as ABS and dual front airbags.
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