Chevrolet Niva is a well-known Russian compact off-road vehicle, which is the successor of the famous Soviet off-road vehicle VAZ-2121 Niva. It is very popular among car enthusiasts, as evidenced by the assignment of this car by the Association of European Businesses of the Russian Federation to the best-selling off-road vehicles in Russia in 2004-2008, as well as the fact that the Chevrolet Niva was awarded the annual professional award of automotive journalists "Off-Road Vehicle of the Year 2009" in the nominations " SUV ”and“ Premiere of the Year ”, as well as the award“ For High Performance ”at the SIA 2012 auto show. But today more than 400 thousand Chevrolet Niva all-terrain vehicles are driving on the roads of the CIS countries and Russia, by the way, here.
History of the Chevrolet Niva brand.
For the first time, the concept of the new VAZ-2123 Niva SUV was shown at the Moscow International Motor Show in 1998. As conceived by the designers, this new car was supposed to become the heir to the famous Niva, which by that time had been produced for 22 years without major changes.
The new VAZ SUV, in fact, acquired only a more spacious five-door body, and its filling as a whole, the engine and transmission, remained without major changes. In 2001, at the pilot production of AvtoVAZ, they began to produce the VAZ-2123, but the matter never came to the introduction of this car into mass production. The reason for this unfortunate situation was the lack of sufficient funds for the serial production of a new car. As a result, the General Motors concern, which was very interested in this off-road vehicle, acquired the rights to the Niva brand (“Niva”), as well as a license for the VAZ-2123. Thanks to American engineers and designers, a significant number of changes were made to the VAZ-2123, which made it possible to consider the resulting car as an independent design.
Later, General Motors Co invested in the launch of a new assembly line, from which a new VAZ-2123 rolled off in September 2002, which, by that name, lost its VAZ marking and began to be referred to as the Chevrolet Niva. The manufacturer had high hopes for this model. These hopes were justified, and thanks to the Chevrolet Niva brand, the American company and the brand itself, in general, won the hearts of Russian motorists.
By the way, at the initial stage, with the full serial launch of the new Chevrolet Niva all-terrain vehicle, it was planned that its predecessor VAZ-2121 would be sent to a well-deserved retirement and removed from the assembly line. However, the old VAZ-2121 continued to exist and its production has not stopped to this day. The reason for this was the fact that the new all-terrain vehicle, due to its significant rise in price, jumped out of the price consumer niche of its predecessor and these two cars, in fact, were not competitors to each other. And yet, in 2006, the VAZ-2121 lost its famous name, and became known as "Lada 4 × 4", since the rights to the Niva trademark were finally transferred to General Motors.
The development and modernization of the Chevrolet Niva off-road vehicle has not stopped since its debut, technical improvements and changes were constantly made to its design, and on March 11, 2009, the release of a new restyled version of the Chevrolet Niva began, on the body of which the designers of the famous Italian studio Bertone worked.
Description, prices and history of model range.
As we already know, the life of the Chevy Niva lineup is divided into a pre-styling period and a post-styling period.
Initially, Chevrolet Niva had two basic versions L and GLS with a 4-cylinder in-line gasoline engine VAZ-2123 with a volume of 1690 cm3 and a multiport fuel injection system with a capacity of 80 hp. (58.5 kW), the maximum torque was 127.4 Nm. Such an engine made it possible to accelerate the Chevrolet Niva to a speed of 140 km / h. It also corresponded to the EURO4 toxicity class, and its consumption in the mixed type, according to the manufacturer's data, was 10.8 liters per 100 km.
The more expensive version of the GLS featured faux leather interior trim, 16-inch alloy wheels with an aluminum spare wheel bracket, audio preparation, heated front seats, tinted windows, as well as fog lights and other improvements.
Later, with the possibility of adding air conditioning, the LC and GLC trim levels appeared, which corresponded to previous versions equipped with this unit, which is very useful in hot weather.
In 2004, the company's management decided to complete all versions of electronically controlled exterior mirrors with heating and audio preparation.
Among the standard lineup of the time, such models as the Chevrolet Niva FAM-1 and Chevrolet Niva Trophy began to be produced as trial versions. The batches of these cars were initially very limited, but later their production was increased.
Chevrolet Niva FAM-1 was released at the beginning of 2006, and by the end of the same year, it was decided to increase the production of this version. This version of the car received the designation GLX (index 21236 according to the VAZ specification). The car received a new Opel Z18XE engine and a 5-speed Aisin mechanics, which, together with the transfer case, were assembled as a single unit. In addition to the new power unit and gearbox, this modification has acquired an ABS system from Bosch, new drive shafts, and a 10-inch vacuum brake booster. Air conditioning, dual airbags, a more comfortable height-adjustable driver's seat, and seat belt pretensioners were added among other features.
However, in 2008, this seemingly very good version did not find a decent demand among buyers and was discontinued. By that time, about a thousand cars had already been produced,
Chevrolet Niva Trophy - tuning modification, which was developed and intended for fans of severe off-road.
The features that distinguished this modification from the basic version were the following:
- To avoid possible water hammer when the car was wading, a device was installed (a device that allows air to be taken from the surface space);
- Added the ability to force shutdown of the engine cooling fans;
- A mechanical chain tensioner was installed instead of a hydraulic one;
- The gearbox received increased friction;
- The transmission acquired the main pair with a higher gear ratio of 4.3 instead of the 3.9 of the basic version, and its breathers were brought into the engine compartment;
- Now you can mount an electric winch.
New Niva Chevrolet.
The next, updated version of the Chevrolet Niva, on which the masters of the Italian design studio Bertone worked, was released on March 11, 2009. The updated car, while retaining its general geometric parameters and recognition, has become more consistent with the general style of the Chevrolet brand. Basically, the changes affected only the design elements of the exterior and interior. The main technical improvement was the new headlights with a uniform light distribution. Manufacturers were able to achieve such an improvement using low beam headlights. Rear optics, in turn, changed only its design. Here .
The exterior received an updated front bumper, and the rear bumper acquired special openings to improve interior ventilation. There were plastic decorative linings on the wings, doors and sills, which in the more expensive GLS and GLC, unlike the basic versions, are painted in body color.
Also, the GLS and GLC trim levels, in addition to the previously existing differences from the basic L and LC trim levels, received the following additions: roof rails from the German company Jac-Products were installed, gearshift levers and handouts were supplemented with aluminum inserts, audio preparation was supplemented with two front-facing speakers, heated front seats and front bumper with fog lamps.
The interior of the new version of the Chevrolet Niva also received some changes. Designers have almost completely redone the space between the front seats: there is a place for cup holders and crayons. The joystick control for mirrors and the control unit for heated front seats have been moved to the lower part of the center console. The ashtray has found its new style in the form of a separate element: a glass with a lid. The headlining has also undergone changes, and a new console with an eyeglass case has appeared in the GLS and GLC trim levels.
Now let's take a look at prices. The new Chevrolet Niva of the basic configuration without air conditioning today can be purchased from 444,000 rubles. The same version with air conditioning (LC) will cost you at least 29.000 more. As for the more expensive equipment, the Niva GLS can be purchased at a price of 514,000 rubles, and the Niva GLC - from 541,000. Overview of the updated Chevrolet Niva 2014.
Recent improvements and plans for the future.
As for plans for the future of the SUV, the creators and owners of this brand share them very reluctantly. However, from those meager answers to the questions of some journalists, it became known that in the future, in connection with the expected transition of the Chevrolet Niva to the EURO5 toxicity standard, the car is expected to receive further improvements and additions. What kind of car we will see in the end, one can only guess and wait for its official presentation. Perhaps we will learn some new details in the near future. Well, for now, you should be content with the existing version of the Chevy Niva.
By the way, it is worth noting that the Chevrolet Niva all-terrain vehicle receives some improvements all the time. So, for example, only for the period from 2010 to 2012, the car received significant improvements in the suspension, which greatly reduced driving noise, and the safety and reliability of this unit was also increased. The car glass cleaning system has been improved. Improved seat belts. The car was equipped with a new jack. Let's hope that before the release of the new version of the Chevrolet Niva, the specialists will not stop at this and will not stop adding new improvements to the car. Reviews of the owners Niva Chevrolet.
Video.
In 1998, a conceptual model of the VAZ-2123 Niva SUV was presented at the Moscow Motor Show. As planned by the designers, the car was supposed to replace the outdated Niva model, which had been produced unchanged for more than 20 years. The new car was distinguished by a spacious five-door body. However, the engine and transmission as a whole remained the same. The release of the VAZ-2123 model, as a prototype, began in 2001. But AvtoVAZ did not have enough money to introduce the car into mass production. As a result, General Motors received a license for the car along with the rights to the Niva brand. The Americans made about 1,700 changes to the components and assemblies of the car, and in 2002 they began to produce a serial model of the Chevrolet Niva. It was expected that after the new Niva was launched into mass production, its predecessor, the VAZ-2121, would be removed from the assembly line. But this did not happen due to the high cost of the Chevrolet Niva model. In March 2009, GM-AvtoVAZ began production of a restyled version of the car. Specialists from the famous Italian studio Bertone were involved in the development of the updated model. The main part of the changes fell on the exterior and interior. As for the technical component, the Chevrolet Niva model received new headlights.
Video
Specifications Chevrolet Niva
station wagon
SUV
- width 1 786mm
- length 4 048mm
- height 1 652mm
- ground clearance 200mm
- places 5
| Engine | Name | Price | Fuel | Drive unit | Consumption | Up to a hundred |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.75MT (80 HP) | gls | ≈ 514,000 rubles | AI-95 | Full | 8,8 / 14,1 | 19 s |
| 1.75MT (80 HP) | glc | ≈ 541,000 rubles | AI-95 | Full | 8,8 / 14,1 | 19 s |
| 1.75MT (80 HP) | l | ≈ 444,000 rubles | AI-95 | Full | 8,8 / 14,1 | 19 s |
| 1.75MT (80 HP) | lc | ≈ 473,000 rubles | AI-95 | Full | 8,8 / 14,1 | 19 s |
Generations
Test drives Chevrolet Niva
Comparison test October 23, 2015 Not taking the road For the updated Renault Duster, it is difficult to find a direct competitor in its price range. We decided to compare the "Frenchman" with the Chevrolet Niva, as buyers often choose between these two cars.
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Test drive March 26, 2013 Reasonable minimum Change from a domestic car to a foreign car - what could be more natural for a Russian driver? What if it's the other way around? Sometimes it happens! For example, my neighbor, an avid hunter, drives a Land Cruiser, but he absolutely does not want to stick it in the mud, swamps and deep snow - he says, "the toad is choking." For forays into nature, he is seriously considering buying a UAZ or a Chevrolet Niva.
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Karelian mirages-2 
Comparison test
We continue the report on the big summer trip of the editors. We will tell you how three Chevrolet cars drove from Lake Ladoga to Lake Onega, what oddities we discovered in the city of Medvezhyegorsk, why the Karelian rapids are insidious, whether the White Sea-Baltic Canal is carefully guarded and much more.
Karelian mirages
Comparison test We often undeservedly neglect our country. And this despite the fact that our natural and man-made beauties can often give odds to foreign ones. A vivid example of this is the Russian North, in particular, Karelia. It was there that we equipped the expedition on three Chevrolet off-road vehicles - Niva, Captiva and Tahoe.
I think it’s time to talk about the Chevy Niva transfer case, because those who just bought this car do not really know how to use the transfer case at the very beginning of use, what rules exist, and in general, when to turn on the lowering and when to lock. Now we'll figure it out. It’s a pity, of course, that I didn’t record a video on today’s exit along a rather blurry road. Well, nothing, I’ll write it down and clearly on the video and show it. And while in words.
In general, the razdatka switches to a lower gear, as well as to blocking, and you can and even need to do this at the same time. It’s convenient on Shevik — this is done with one lever.
Turn on the lower - right up. Add lock - pull the lever to the left to the end. Look on the switch handle, it's painted there. The letter designation - L (low) - reduced, N - neutral, H (high) - increased, that is, normal.
How does interaxle blocking work - read. There you will also learn about self-blocks - a real cool upgrade of the Chevrolet Niva, which will allow you to drive even further.
Well, now we will figure out when it is better to turn on the lowering, and when also the lock. And how to do it right.
It looks something like this - we are driving across the field in the usual second / third gear. Suddenly, a terrible puddle lies ahead. We stop and turn on the lowered one.
This is the first rule - when you turn on the downshift, you must definitely stop, this is how the Shevik differential works. But the lock can be turned on and off without stopping. But is it necessary to constantly enable the lock? The question is interesting and here's what I'll tell you - I use it in exceptional cases, when the dirt does not go out of the blue, but there are all sorts of potholes and where there is a risk of catching the "diagonal".
You may ask - how long does it take to turn on the lock, and then turn it off? Here lies another nuance - very often, many owners of the Chevrolet Niva have a problem with the lock - it does not turn off. It just jammed and that's it, you have to drive along the highway with blocking. This, you understand, is very harmful for the machine and in such cases it is necessary to turn it off.
How to turn off the interaxle? There are several options - turn on the reverse gear, accelerate a little and try to knock out the lock right while driving. You need to do it at speed, it works quite often. Moreover, you can accelerate forward and also try to turn off the lock. I also got stuck once, but even then I didn’t notice right away and this is not buzzing. Therefore, look at the on-board computer - when the lock is on, the following combination will “burn”:
In bright sunny weather, sometimes it is not possible to see. Be careful. Well, that's about turning off the center axle - I managed to turn it off just the same when reversing. Needless to say, now I turn it on only in the most terrible cases. In the rest of the others, a lower gear is enough for me.
Just today I went to the lake to check if the ice had melted. The road was washed out, the snow had already melted and turned into liquid mud, it’s not safe to ride on mine through such mud. It feels like it’s dragging in all directions, but the most important thing is that I’m driving, I don’t get stuck, and sometimes there was a track almost to the very bottom, when you shuffle, you always don’t like)) After small rides, the car looked “combat-like” - all in mud , went to the city - people look back))
And here is another observation of mine - it is better to drive through the mud slowly but surely. This applies to downshifts - if the dirt is serious, then I always drive in first, tight, trying to feel the spinning of the wheels through the mud. If you rev a little, you can immediately "burrow", this is the case when there is no hard coating under the liquid mud. This happens when driving through spring fields. And therefore it is better to go slowly, on the first. Pedal, don't step on the gas, feel the car really rushing - it feels great on the first one.
Well, a lot, of course, depends on the rubber. Sometimes, if the rubber is toothy, it is useful to accelerate so that the tread cleans itself. For Nivka and Shevik, I highly recommend Cordiant Offroad tires, and if there is a little more money, then import Kumho and, of course, Hankuk Dinapro MT. Imported rubber is more comfortable, it is better to move around the track, because it is soft. Well, in terms of cross-country ability, everything is also very cool here - after all, the class of Mud Terrain tires, which means they are simply made for mud.
When you turn on the second lowered car, it accelerates, but if you get into a mud pit, there is a risk that the engine will “choke” (it is very difficult to spin the wheels on the second when stuck) and you will stall. Needless to say, stalling in a deep puddle can be dangerous. And therefore, if you decide to overcome a puddle or a muddy area from acceleration (very often it makes sense), then be prepared in the middle, if you suddenly start to fail, immediately switch from 2 to 1 low so as not to stall.
All this knowledge - when to go to the first, and when to the second, when to turn on the lock, and when not to - all this comes with experience. Ride through the mud and already begin to understand that it’s better to take a puddle over there from acceleration without blocking, and that clay hill with potholes over there is only 1 lowered and with the blocking turned on. Think first of all with your head, and do not rely on the car to pull it out. Niva Chevrolet — the car is great, if not stupid.
I remember when we made our way to an abandoned village, we reached one really dangerous place, so there was an UAZ and did not dare to pass. We scouted and decided that we would pass. And we drove, slowly, vnatyag, not revving much.
And therefore, one more rule (which I always adhere to) - if the place is dangerous, there is a risk of getting stuck, then get out of the car, poke with a branch, find out the depth of the puddle, rut, find a solid place where you can drive. This is the work of the navigator, and therefore let your partner get out of the car, do not be lazy. Spend 5 minutes reconnaissance so that you don't have to spend hours trying to get out of an ambush.
Chevrolet Niva is a car in which excellent cross-country ability and an attractive price are combined with a large list of potential problems.Chevrolet Niva was introduced back in 1998 as the VAZ-2123. But, since the domestic plant did not have the funds to put it on the conveyor, the license was sold to General Motors and four years later production began at the GM-AvtoVAZ joint venture with a high degree of localization. By 2017, more than half a million copies have already been sold.
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For the first six to seven years, the Chevrolet Niva body resists corrosion well, but then red dots gradually begin to appear at all joints and corners of the car. The gas tank cap, hood, fender and door edges suffer the most. Deep chips on the paint rust quickly enough, of course, we are not talking about any galvanization.
The paintwork is average in quality, chips and scratches do not appear as quickly as on other cars. Of course, this is additionally influenced by more than 20-centimeter clearance and a plastic body kit. However, quite often the paint can start to blister on its own, especially on the arches and on the hood. Often the lining between the tailgate and the rear bumper will peel off.
How to deal with rust on thresholds.
A heavy spare sooner or later causes the back door to sag and it starts to close poorly. Bumper mounts weaken over time and quite noticeable gaps form between them and the body. Often there is a backlash at the driver's door and door handles. Glasses with frequent lowering gradually become covered with scratches and eventually warp and seize.
The weak point of the lower part of the car are the spars. They rust and are often deformed from jacking. The engine protection can rub against the curved spar while driving, the creak is especially audible during turns. In older cars, the fuel pipes around the right wheel often rot.
The trunk is quite modest, only 320 liters, folding the seats allows you to increase its volume to 650 liters, but the depth of the resulting opening will be small for transporting long items. The upholstery is very practical and easy to clean, but with additional niches it’s just a disaster, there really is nowhere to put the driver’s belongings. Some configurations include a branded shovel hanging on the fifth door on the other side of the spare wheel.
Salon Niva Chevrolet is a hodgepodge of VAZ models of the late 90s, most of the parts are from model 2115. The plastic is hard, booming, but wear-resistant. Only the new steering wheel, which appeared in 2009, will climb. Drivers complain about the small number of containers for small things and the terrible rattling of the glove box lid.
Noise isolation is very poor. Both the engine and tires are clearly audible, and at high speed, the whistle of the wind from the side mirrors is added to them. At certain engine speeds, between about 2500 and 3000, the gearshift lever begins to vibrate. And in the range from 80 to 100 km / h, the transfer case howls insanely, usually the owners try to drive either faster or slower.
A clogged drain behind the expansion tank can cause water to enter the passenger compartment. The heater radiator also often leaks, and it does it right on the legs of the front passenger. Replacing it with a model equipped with air conditioning will require complete disassembly of the panel. The control cables for the dampers of the ventilation and heating systems are stretched and burst. The stove makes a lot of noise, but it heats very well.
Oversized drivers have loose seats. The front panel under the influence of direct sunlight can be deformed, especially the glove box lid (it just stops closing). Cold air can blow through the torn anthers of the gearbox and transfer case levers, and water can seep through the steering shaft seal and antenna mounts.
In 2009, the car was seriously upgraded. The Italian design studio Bertone led the update, so the restyling touched on the appearance of the car and interior decoration. The radiator grille has changed, new linded headlights have appeared, and the lanterns have acquired a different pattern, the bumpers have changed, and the rear one has received a comfortable rubber pad that facilitates the loading of bulky cargo.
In the cabin, there is now a different steering wheel with three spokes and a more comfortable gear knob, an open box and two cup holders between the seats, other seats and a better upholstery of the ceiling have appeared. Finally made a normal ceiling lighting and eyeglass case. Door seals are thicker, optional roof rails are available, as well as door handles and mirrors painted in body color. Revised sound insulation and pattern of rims.
Chevy Niva is one of the few cars on the Russian market that does not have an airbag in the basic version. However, starting from the GL configuration, both the driver and the front passenger have it, they also have belt pretensioners. Of the active safety systems, there is only ABS.
The car was crash tested twice, both times in 2011. Representatives of the company GM-Avtovaz smashed the export version in the maximum configuration and he did well, by 12.5 points out of 16 possible. But AutoReview journalists tested the basic model for our market and the result turned out to be predictably terrible - only 1.6 points out of 16.
Failure in AutoReview tests
As for the electrics under the hood, the main problems are mainly related to the generator, more precisely, with the wiring around it. First, it burns, then the contacts, and finally the diode bridge. In 2014, the node was upgraded. Another weak point is the starter. It has a small resource, since it is located in close proximity to the exhaust manifold and operates in unfavorable temperature conditions. When parked for a long time, the battery is often discharged.
In the cabin, the fuel level gauge is usually the first to be surrendered, then the coolant temperature, then the wiper and turn relay. But all this most often happens closer to the hundred thousandth run. Often the heating of mirrors, seats and rear windows, as well as power windows fail. Moreover, they do it spontaneously, they can stop working on a new machine.
The native key fob for controlling the central lock is extremely short-lived. When the dimensions are turned on, the ignition sometimes works, despite the fact that the key is not even inserted into the lock. The headlights are quite good, especially after restyling, however, due to poor contacts, lamp holders sometimes burn and the plastic of the reflectors melts.
The suspension is energy-intensive, but on normal asphalt this leads to excessive body sway, which is most felt in corners. It is especially not comfortable for the rear passengers, it even throws them up on speed bumps. The car fully opens up on rough terrain, long suspension travels and permanent all-wheel drive allow you to pass where modern crossovers with complex electronic filling fail.
Up to about 50,000 km, usually nothing knocks, does not rattle, but then intervention is most often required. The ball bearings in front and silent blocks of jet rods in the back are the first to be surrendered. The rubber-metal joints of the upper right arm burn out due to the constant thermal effects of the exhaust system. By 100,000 km, many parts, including shock absorbers, may require replacement.
A separate conversation will be about wheel bearings. They require adjustment and tightening approximately every 30 thousand kilometers, then their resource will be about 80 thousand. Regular forays into nature with races through mud and water reduce the life of wheel bearings, as well as brake drums, by about half.
06.12.2016
- a small car that, at first glance, seems like an SUV, but, in fact, it is a real SUV. Due to its small size, short base, permanent all-wheel drive with a symmetrical differential, the presence of locks and a low gear, this car is able to get out of almost any swamp. Over the fourteen years of its existence, the car has not undergone practically any changes, the only thing the manufacturer decided on was adding a plastic body kit. But, is everything so stable with reliability and what to expect from a used Chevrolet Niva, now let's try to find out.
A bit of history:
The history of the Chevrolet Niva dates back to 1998, at the same time, at the annual auto show in Moscow, the concept of the VAZ 2123 Niva car was first presented to the public. The novelty was supposed to replace the outdated model VAZ 2121 Niva, which had been produced without any changes for more than 20 years. But, at that time, the AvtoVAZ concern did not have the funds to launch the mass production of new items. As a result, the management of AvtoVAZ decided to sell the license for the production of the Vaz 2123 and the right to the Niva brand to the General Motors concern. Before the start of sales, the designers of the concern made a huge number of changes to the appearance of the Niva, which is familiar to us, which made it possible to consider it an independent model.
The novelty debuted on the world market in 2002. It was assumed that the previous version would be discontinued, but this did not happen (changed the name to "LADA 4 × 4"), since the novelty turned out to be almost twice as expensive as its predecessor. On the market, Chevrolet Niva competes in price with foreign SUVs, but, alas, not in quality. In 2009, an updated version of the SUV was presented, the changes affected only the exterior and interior, but the technical part remained unchanged.
Advantages and disadvantages of Niva Chevrolet with mileage.
The body of the Chevrolet Niva begins to rust already in the fifth year of operation, corrosion centers appear at almost all joints and corners of the car. The paintwork is very weak, especially on the plastic elements of the body. Many owners do not recommend washing the car with high pressure washers, as it often knocks out pieces of paint. If you constantly drive with a spare tire on the back door, then, over time, its hinges are pulled back and the door starts to close poorly. To avoid this trouble, many owners carry a spare tire in the trunk.
Engines
Two engines are available on the car - 1.8 (125 hp) manufactured by Opel, they are equipped only with export cars and 1.7 liters (80 hp) manufactured by AvtoVAZ, this engine is intended for the CIS market. Cars with a 1.8 engine are a real exotic for our market, therefore, there is no point in talking about its reliability. Motor 1.7 has a good resource and has a number of significant drawbacks. The timing drive is equipped with a metal chain. The main disadvantage of this unit is the unreliable design of the standard timing tensioner, which often leads to a chain jump. A rattling sound from under the hood when starting a cold engine and a diesel rumble at idle will serve as a signal to replace the tensioner. If a running engine often randomly stalls, most likely a flush or replacement of the throttle sensor and fuel injectors is required (flushing is recommended at least once every 70-90 thousand km).
Also, the ignition module is not famous for its reliability, a signal about the need to replace it will be a deterioration in dynamic performance and engine tripping. About once every 100,000 km, hydraulic lifters need to be replaced, if they are not replaced in time, this will lead to premature failure of the ramp and burnout of the valves, which, as a result, will significantly reduce compression in the cylinders. In order to extend the life of hydraulic lifters, specialists from branded service stations recommend monitoring the oil level and keeping it above average. In a car with a mileage of more than 150,000 km, oil consumption increases - up to 300 grams per 1000 km. Often, the cause of increased oil consumption is hardened valve stem seals, on average, once every 100,000 km, the oil pump, idle speed controller, mass air flow sensor, cylinder head gasket and starter are required to be replaced.
The cooling system is disappointing with the frequent occurrence of radiator leaks, and the quality of the expansion tank does not stand up to criticism (cracks), as a result, it has to be changed every 15-20 thousand kilometers. Periodically, it is necessary to pay attention to the condition of the connecting clamps of the lower pipe leading to the radiator in order to avoid leakage of coolant. Also, the exhaust manifold mounting bracket is not famous for its reliability; extraneous sounds resembling rattling will serve as a signal of the need for replacement. The noisy operation of the fuel pump is a fairly common phenomenon, this feature is not treated in any way. Once every 4-5 years, check the condition of the fuel pipes that are under the bottom, as over time a large amount of dirt and reagents accumulate on them, which contribute to corrosion, which will result in gasoline leakage. 
Transmission
Chevrolet Niva is equipped with only a five-speed manual transmission. As operating experience has shown, the mechanics are quite reliable, but it has enough minor flaws. Of the main ones, one can single out: vibration of the gear knob at high engine speeds (2500 and above), on warranty cars, the dealer changed the lever assembly under warranty, but this did not solve the problem for long. Some owners have managed to eliminate arm vibration by replacing the fork and bearing. If, on the car, it began to knock out fifth and reverse gears, most likely, adjustment of the backstage of the gear selection mechanism is required. Loosening the backstage clamp often leads to a shift of the lever forward, as a result, the fifth and reverse gears stop turning on. The clutch has a decent resource (80-100 thousand km), but the release bearing may need to be replaced already at 40,000 km, and it is also necessary to monitor the condition of the anther of the working cylinder. Another Achilles' heel is considered to be a razdatka, leakage of the transfer case seals is a fairly common phenomenon. It is also worth mentioning that every third car, even a serviceable transfer case, makes a terrible howl when driving.
Driving performance Chevrolet Niva with mileage
The Chevrolet Niva suspension has a fairly simple design and does not cause any particular problems. Due to the design features, wheel bearings must be adjusted and tightened at least once every 25,000 km, and if this requirement is not neglected, the bearings will last up to 80,000 km. Also, do not forget to check the anthers of the CV joints for cracks at each maintenance and to inject the crosspieces once every half a year. Most often, rear suspension rods need to be replaced - every 40-50 thousand km. The disadvantages of the front suspension include silent blocks of the upper arms and ball bearings, their resource is 50-70 thousand km. Once every 70-90 thousand km, it is necessary to replace the thrust bearings, shock absorbers and their springs. Every five years of operation it is necessary to change the brake hoses for new ones. Service lines of front brake pads up to 50,000 km, rear ones - up to 60-80 thousand km.
Outcome:
Chevrolet Niva is a fairly reliable, unpretentious and inexpensive SUV. The car will be a great option for outdoor enthusiasts (fishing, hunting), who are not afraid and like to do repairs on their own. The listed problem areas are just statistics of the most common malfunctions, according to the owners of this car and specialized service stations. When buying this car, you must understand that anything can break here, therefore, Niva is not a friend for pedantic motorists. When buying this car, a lot depends on luck, as a rule, the lucky ones sing odes about its reliability, but those who are unlucky have to constantly fix annoying minor malfunctions.
Advantages:
- Good off-road performance.
- Low cost of maintenance and repair.
- Balanced suspension.
Flaws:
- Weak paint finish.
- The quality of finishing materials.
- Outdated design.
