The Lada Niva debuted in 1977 and was the first mass-produced unibody off-road vehicle. It is capable of driving through mountainous terrain while offering the convenience of a hatchback. While designed with simplicity the Niva is capable of some pretty impressive feats. It is capable of crossing water up to 19 inches deep, towing 1,650 pounds, and going up impressive slopes. This 1980 Lada Niva is said to have 55k miles and is listed on craigslist for $5,200. Thanks to Tony Primo for the tip.
The exterior is finished in what appears to be a factory green. The paint has blemishes throughout which should be expected for an off-road vehicle of this age. The paint on the hatch door is in notably worse condition than the rest of the body but could presumably be fixed. The Niva is equipped with a snorkel which will come in handy should the next owner wish to take the car through deeper water.
The interior is finished in black and is in decent condition for a vehicle intended to be used in rough terrain. It’s simple but efficient and has ’80s charm. Nivas are certainly not known for being luxury vehicles, but this one looks relatively comfortable.
A 1.6l 4-cylinder engine sends 76 horsepower to all four wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission. The engine bay is equipped with a spare tire. The motor is said to have been rebuilt before the car was imported from Costa Rica two years ago. The car is also said to run and drive well. The car is sold with its importation documents and a bill of sale. This is a great car for someone who wants something a little different with a lot of functionality. While parts may be tricky to find, this example currently only needs cosmetic restoration work and could be a very fun addition to someone’s collection. If you think this Lada Niva is for you contact the seller via craigslist.
From Russia 🇷🇺 w Love ❤️ ❄️
A pal of mine has one; he lives in Macedonia these days. No complaints, as far as I know…
Interesting that it’s for sale in Santa Barbara,but can’t be
legally registered in California.
Can’t be registered in California, maybe that’s why its for sale? Were these Fiat based, like the Lada sedans? That upright steering wheel seems to be a Fiat thing. This is a pretty unique ride in the U.S., but if you want to be different it won’t cost you a lot of money to do it and they already Armoralled the interior for you.
No, only the old Lada sedans were Fiat-based on the 124 platform. This was all Russian tech., and it showed. Watch how these hold up in accidents on Youtube. They DESINTIGRATE just like all Ladas do in wrecks! I wouldn’t ride in one of these for all the tea in China. It would end up being my coffin! The spare tire under the hood comes loose and becomes a missile into the interior. You chances of survival are same as leaping from the edge of the Grand Canyon!
I bought one of these new, here in Canada. yes, a lot of Fiat in it. It was one of the most reliable vehicles I have ever owned. Bad paint, I am not surprised to see the paint blemishes in it. Other than oil changes and routine maintenance, it towed a pop up tent trailer on long drives, carried a full cord of firewood inside ( stacked to the roof ), went thru any snow Canadian winters could throw at it, never got stuck, ever, always started, no block heater at -40.
My family hired our neighbor with one to plow our cabin in Quebec. Worked fine.
Very cool. Another genre that the US has completely missed out on.
But, hey, we have SUVs that look just like every other SUV, that’s what’s important! SMH
What a interesting toy put some aggressive off road tires on it a nice light bar and A winch then go have some fun
Aggressive off road tires for looks but no light bar, that would be overkill . A wench for some fun would be good !
Yes, “A wench for some fun…” is always entertaining. (Thanks, autocorrect.)
Troy , It seems that no one noticed that I substituted ‘Wench ‘for winch. Do they not appreciate the difference ?
I suspect these were made with the same steel that Fiat bought from the Soviets – specially formulated to rust upon exposure to sunlight, fresh air, paint, oil and rock and roll music. Quite a few were sold in Canada but nearly all have dissolved by now.
I used to go up to Winnipeg on weekends. Had an off and on again girlfriend there. Anyway, she drove a Lada. I used to call her and the car, Comrades. When I first knew her, I couldn’t believe she owned a Soviet car, but she laughed and drove me to the dealership. Sure enough, lots of shiny new ones. We used to drive that car to get french fries and vinegar. (Canadian thing. Not the best, she wouldn’t have ketchup with hers, but she made it worth my while to try them that way, trust me) Haven’t seen that girl in over half a century, wonder if the car is still around?
When I was in Kosovo in the early 2000s, the Kosovo Police Service had several of these cars. I drove one once. It reminded me of the Yugo I once owned.
I thought Ladas were available in only one color, black. At least the spare tire will be nice and warm when you need to use it.
Awesome looking vehicle. I’ve heard of the Lada Niva, but sadly it was never offered here in the USA for obvious reasons. I consider it unforgivable that anything made East of the Wall during the “Cold War” wasn’t allowed in the USA.
These are very good off roaders, especially with very little overhang at each end they have great approach angles.
They survived the Russian winters pretty well. Just a shame there permanent 4wd..
Watch out for pebbles! (and I don’t mean Fred Flintstone’s daughter.)
Reminds me of a Yugo, which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
I live in Ontario, Canada. I am a licensed truck repair tech and restored one of these Ladas. It was a complete tear down. I replaced the engine with a Pegault diesel from another Lada. The car received a two inch lift, 16″ wheels with the largest tire, a winch and all the restomods I could buy or build.. As a stock Lada these cars were unstoppable and were built for the Russian outback. Look up some of the Lada videos and see how well they do off road. When Ladas compete in the Australian out back they come in i, 2, 3, at the finish line As far as the 4 wheel drive is full time makes little difference as these cars give great fuel mileage compared to other brands. My restoration cost nearly $ 50,000.00.therefore this price tag here is a good deal. The person who buys this Lada need to contact me as I have spare transmissions, tow side doors, three tranfer cases and a lot of other goodies.
I live in Ontario, Canada. I am a licensed truck repair tech and restored one of these Ladas. It was a complete tear down. I replaced the engine with a Pegault diesel from another Lada. The car received a two inch lift, 16″ wheels with the largest tire, a winch and all the restomods I could buy or build.. As a stock Lada these cars were unstoppable and were built for the Russian outback. Look up some of the Lada videos and see how well they do off road. When Ladas compete in the Australian out back they come in i, 2, 3, at the finish line As far as the 4 wheel drive is full time makes little difference as these cars give great fuel mileage compared to other brands. My restoration cost nearly $ 50,000.00.therefore this price tag here is a good deal. The person who buys this Lada need to contact me as I have spare transmissions, tow side doors, three transfer cases and a lot of other parts goodies. This comment is new and not a repeat like Craig
I helped train the Bosnian Army in 1998, after I retired from the U S Army. The Bosnians used them for ambulances-medic vehicles. It amazed me at their off-road abilities and suspension travel. Never saw one broke, they always returned from recovery missions in the forested mountains. Not your normal Fiat based vehicle.
I rented one on Aitutaki. It went everywhere I pointed it. I was impressed…
Carbage. The Rooskies were decades behind the west in automotive technology, in 1980.
Ya we are so behind the Russians with technology yet I have yet to find one recall on the Lada.
Yes the Russians were so far behind with automotive technology yet I have not found one recall for the Lada.