Lada Niva

The Lada Niva is a Soviet, later Russian, compact four-wheel-drive off-road vehicle built by AvtoVAZ, introduced in 1977 as one of the first vehicles in the world to combine monocoque unibody construction, full-time four-wheel drive and coil-spring suspension in a single affordable off-roader, rather than the heavier body-on-frame construction typical of contemporary 4x4s. Built for the demanding rural and agricultural conditions common across the Soviet Union, the Niva proved capable, simple to repair and inexpensive, and it was exported widely to Western Europe, where its combination of genuine off-road ability and low cost won it a loyal following distinct from its intended domestic market. The Niva has remained in production, through successive updates, for more than four decades, making it one of the longest continuously produced vehicle designs still sold anywhere in the world.