Lada Niva Legend gets a 1.8-liter engine

AvtoVAZ began mass production of the updated Lada Niva Legend on July 20, timing the launch to the model’s 60th anniversary. The shape is unchanged, but the hardware is not: the company says the SUV gets more than 350 new or upgraded parts and assemblies across the engine, chassis, and safety systems.

The biggest change is under the hood. The Niva Legend now uses a 1.8-liter 8-valve engine rated at 90 hp. Torque is up by 24 Nm, and 80% of torque is available from 1,000 rpm, a change aimed at both city driving and off-road use.

There is also a practical gain in efficiency. In the mixed cycle, fuel consumption drops from 9.9 liters to 9 liters per 100 km.

Other updates focus on durability and day-to-day usability. For the first time, the classic Niva Legend gets galvanized steel body elements in the most vulnerable areas, including:

• the radiator grille panel
• the hood
• the roof
• the inner and outer rear door panels
• the outer rear body panel

The SUV also receives several firsts and revisions:

Recommended reading

Tesla puts Starlink V5 into Cybercab’s roof

• a front driver airbag
• ventilated front brake discs
• a redesigned gearbox and transfer case drive

According to the source, those changes matter in a market where the Lada Niva still has relatively few direct rivals in Russia’s affordable off-road segment, with nearby alternatives often either pricier or more city-focused.

AvtoVAZ said it will announce pricing and trim levels for the updated Lada Niva Legend when sales begin.