CHEVROLET NIVA test drive since 2002 SUV

From each according to needs

Agree, it's nice when others guess your desires. For example, someone will think that you dream of a foreign car with a moderate price and here it is, assembly production in Vsevolozhsk. Or will it consider that you want a passion as you want something expensive, but the domestic will be lucky with Kaliningrad components for BMW. The most entrepreneurial decided to play on the eternal values \u200b\u200bthe needs of a wide Russian soul in communication with native nature. So on a par with the Niva stood a product of joint creativity of Russian designers and American investors Chevrolet Niva. More precisely, he didn’t even get up, but climbed and began to push his elbows. It does not hurt, but assertively.
To see who is pushing anyone, we took new, from a needle, an elongated VAZ 2131 field with a carburetor engine ($ 7700) and a chevrolet niva in the fulfillment ($ 9900).
What are the options? Thirty -first can be chosen with an injection engine ($ 7900). And Chevrolet-Niva in the suite ($ 11,100) with cast wheels, tinted glass, heated front seats, velor salon.
Dealer happiness
Once, at the time of the formation of a joint project, Ji-Em had a rigid installation of a new field in the same car dealership from the old one could not sell. They were afraid that such a neighborhood would ruin the reputation of the Chevrolet and would not affect the image of the new items poorly.
Now, after only one and a half years, the principles of sales have cracked. In Moscow (yes, probably in other cities), both Togliatti all -terrain vehicles are sold in full swing together. It is curious that representatives of official centers selling, in addition to Chevrolet-Neva, more expensive blazers or trail-blizers, sometimes allow themselves skeptical statements about the Russian product. And gray dealers, so unwanted for the joint venture, on the contrary, often present the car as the top of the achievements of the domestic automobile industry.
It is not difficult to understand why the gray ones are such a hunt with such a hunt. Firstly, these machines are noticeably better assembled than vases, gases and Izhi, with their pre-sale preparation less trouble. Secondly, they are more expensive, so the dealer is able to earn not only on the installation of alarm, anti-corrosion processing and other additional services, but also on the sale of the machine itself. Thirdly, during the planned maintenance of the new Niva, the owner pays a norm for $ 25, and not $ 10. Is it worth it to be surprised that the question of which Niva to buy, the VAZ seller warmly recommends Chevrolet.
The degree of versatility
It is unreasonable to buy a high -grown to ride it exclusively in the city. At least sometimes such cars should leave asphalt, justifying their purpose. In these happy moments, they require spaciousness, carrying capacity, comfort on the highway, and finally, successfully overcoming impassable areas.
In these disciplines, the elongated Niva VAZ 2131 is not inferior to a more expensive relative. Of course, there is less comfort in it, but the capacity and carrying capacity are above 360 \u200b\u200bliters of useful volume in the trunk versus 260 (own measurements with standard cubes) and 500 kg instead of 400 according to the instructions. Here, by the way, there is reason to be perplexed. Data on the total mass of the joint production in its instructions and on the engineering plate differ by 40 kg! If you believe the latter, Chevrolet Niva has no right to take over 360 kg on board, which causes only a smile. After all, an eye is able to take people and the cargo as much as 340 kg! In general, we will assume that we accidentally mistaken in the plate.
On off -road, cars are approximately equivalent, although the hydraulic power control makes Chevrolet control much more pleasant. On the broken asphalt, the differences are small again: a joint car with the VAZ 2123 index plays the rear bridge less thanks to more vertically installed shock absorbers. He has a little more front suspension, which is also good. However, high -quality noise insulation creates the feeling that this machine tolerates potholes worse. The thump of suspension in silence is perceived by a driver without enthusiasm.
But the weekend or vacation quickly end, and the fields return to the city, pouring into the grooves slowly crawling along the streets. Here, the driver is not worried about the road clearance and the volume of the trunk. But he evaluates the ease of governing bodies and visibility in full. And then, between our experimental, the abyss opened exactly. The heavy steering wheel of an elongated field is in any comparison with the more ergonomic and easy control of the Chevrolet, and the tiny external mirrors of the old women cause only annoyance. How long will they disfigure cars?
Comparison of machines in urban conditions, as you might guess, a game of one gate. Perhaps the only tangible plus VAZ 2131 is cheaper service, however, there is an underwater stone: it is supposed to be carried out every 10 thousand km, and not 15 thousand, like an opponent.
Comparing all of what has been said, you come to an obvious conclusion. As a universal car for all occasions, Chevrolet is better, but more expensive. But if the car is bought only for special tasks of nature travel on a weekend or on vacation by the whole family, an old acquaintance VAZ 2131 may well compete with a joint production product.
MACHINE PARTS
To the indisputable advantages of Chevrolet, a pretty body with good aerodynamics, updated suspension, imported hydraulic power, modern sound insulation we add several unobvious, but significant. Here we include an effective system of ventilation and heating with the filter of the cabin, better electrical wiring, better corrosion resistance of the body.
The obvious drawback of the new Niva is the higher cost of the car and its subsequent maintenance. There are, of course, the disadvantages are not so obvious. Among them are a large deficiency of some spare parts. Fortunately, consumables, elastic bands, etc. do not include this.
There is no point in giving a list of spare parts to Bestseller. Firstly, it will be out of place by the release of the magazine. Secondly, soon a year as the manufacturer promises to take radical measures to solve the problem assure that it was not long to wait.
There are features that are worth paying attention to when accounting for VAZ 2131. First of all, decide on the injection or carburetor engine (see ZR, 2003, No. 11). The choice in favor of the latter today motivates not only (and not so much) less price. Against the background of eight with a small thousand, which will cost the car after the anticorus, installation of alarm and radio, the difference of $ 200 is hardly significant. But the lack of a neutralizer and the ability to maintain a car in any provincial workshop can be important for the buyer.
In turn, the engine with distributed fuel injection is better pulling on the bottoms, allowing with a reduced transmission to crawl up the mountain at almost idle speeds. Yes, and the appetite of such a smaller motor.
 
 

 

 
Alexander Budkin. Photo: Alexander Kulnev and author

Source: The magazine "Driving"