1997 Lada Niva GL review from Australia and New Zealand
"A fully enclosed farm tractor with radio"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The rear bench seat would unlock and fold forward if I braked too hard.
The car would smell strongly of petrol when entering the car.
The "fuel empty" light would light up when turning a corner.
The headlights would flood with water when crossing rivers.
General comments?
The Lada Niva was a mountain goat off road. It's good ground clearance and attack/departure angles meant it could handle very rough ground easily.
On road comfort left a lot to be desired. The original off road tyres were extremely noisy at any speed over 20km/h.
Acceleration was below par when compared to most cars built in the 1990's.
This car may be OK for a second car purely for off-roading, but don't purchase it as a family car, as the rear seat issue would be a death trap for children even in a minor accident.
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  | 1997 - Niva 21213 1.7 carburetor Good cheap 4x4 for bad roads |
| With a healthy sense of humor, even you could be a proud Lada Niva owner |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 1998 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 carburettor petrol Manual |
| Performance marks | 3/10 |
| Reliability marks | 3/10 |
| Comfort marks | 3/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 90 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 1500 kilometres |
| Previous car | Ford Fairmont |
| Date of Entry | 27th June, 2003 |