this 4x4 from russia is a fraction of the price of a new land rover .
off-road , the niva is in its element , with low and highrange gears .
but , forget luxuries because the niva is an unabashed frills-free zone .
a highly capable , ruftytufty 4x4 from russia -- for a fraction of the price of a new land rover .
it 's a confident charmer that stands out from the crowd , with high suspension , pressed steel wheels , soviet-style looks and real rarity value . expect to get gawped at : someone offered to buy mine on its second trip out . always fun .
now available in the uk from niva imports through its dealer , bb motors , in corby , northamptonshire -lrb- 01536 202207 , lada4x4.co.uk -rrb- .
on the road , the basic 1.7-litre petrol engine -lrb- your only option -rrb- is deafeningly noisy , but tolerably smooth . power steering , manageable dimensions and a tight turning circle make it reasonably practical for the supermarket or school run .
the seats are comfy and thanks to a high driving position and large wing mirrors , all-round visibility is good . top speed is 91 mph .
off-road , the niva is in its element , with low and highrange gears , differential lock and a sturdy monocoque construction . it is lighter and more sprightly in the mud than many big-name utility 4x4s , with 220 mm ground clearance , a 600 mm wading depth and a climbing ability of up to 58 per cent . tall , slender tyres give it an added advantage when things get mucky .
you wo n't have to agonise over pages of extras ... they 're more or less nonexistent . this is a very basic utility vehicle , after all .
choose in white , blue , green or red , then decide whether you 'd like the snorkel or snow plough -lrb- really -rrb- attachments . an lpg option is available for an extra £ 999 -- but you lose boot space .
reasonable fuel economy at 33mpg and affordable to insure -- once you 've explained exactly what it is . meets euro 5 emissions standards . the heated blower , presumably designed with siberia in mind , has plenty of muscle for icy winter mornings .
also available in a compact van format -lrb- £ 10,590 , excluding vat and road tax -rrb- .
spartan on the inside . forget luxuries such as radios , cup-holders , central locking and electric windows -- the niva is an unabashed frills-free zone . the upside of its simplicity is that the plastic interior is easy to mop down after a day in the mud , and there 's not much to break or go wrong .
there are only four seatbelts and a slightly pokey boot .
do n't trust the petrol gauge , which regularly aims to deceive .
no warranty is offered as standard -- although a two-year plan is coming soon -- and spares may need to be imported -lrb- bb motors will assist -rrb- .
only available in lefthand drive -- unless you put in an order for more than 500 of them !
shhhh ! you did n't hear it from me . but patriotic russian president vladimir putin made a big play of driving a lada niva back in 2009 -- but fitted it with a german engine .