THE BEST RUSSIAN CARS FOR BAD ROADS

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Russia is a truly gigantic territory, and its vast wilderness is full of treacherous obstacles. With the snowy expanses of Siberia, steep mountains, muddy swamps and large natural reservoirs, Russia has the opportunity to test the strength of any car. That is why there are many fans of all-terrain vehicles among its population, able to cope with such obstacles.

We have presented here only a small part of the most common off-road vehicles that anyone who is loyal to the Russian auto industry can buy.

Lada Niva

Officially - VAZ-2121x "Niva", export name - Lada Niva 4 × 4. The most famous SUV from Russia. Serially produced since 1977. The price starts at 812,000 rubles (2020, basic Off-road variation without any options).

Engine 1.7 l, gasoline, 58.5 kW / 80 hp;
Standard 4WD system, low gear;
Suspension: front - independent, rear - rigid axle.

The car has excellent off-road capabilities due to its low weight and good drivetrain. Can go through very difficult places, but does not like continuous off-road running.

The used Niva breaks down infrequently and, more importantly, the components have pleasantly low prices. This is the best starter car for exploring Russian off-roading. And not only Russian. The car is known in Canada and even in New Zealand, where it was supplied in exchange for oil.

Farmers loved the low gear ratios for climbing very steep hills, the ease of repair and of course the price. And the lack of power and comfort has never bothered, making up for impressive durability and cross-country ability.

Chevrolet Niva (AvtoVAZ-GM, LADA ZAPAD TLT JSC)

This is a new generation car Lada Niva, more precisely - VAZ-2123. Produced since 2002.

It has a five-door body, more comfort inside, in terms of performance, it roughly corresponds to the Lada Niva, but a little more expensive to maintain.

1.7L engine, gasoline, 80 HP;
Standard 4WD transmission, all-wheel drive through a center differential, low gear;
Unframed;
Suspension: front - independent, rear - rigid axle.

Post-Soviet publications of Niva criticize more than praise, but from an engineering point of view, it is still the same amazing car. And new items like LADA 4X4 Urban 2020 give grounds for optimism.

We took a quick look at civilian SUVs. But there is a stronger branch growing from the military side - this is the UAZ family. Its manufacturer in Russia has the same fame and reputation as Jeep or Land-Rover. He only makes SUVs, only on a frame and only with a rigid axle suspension. So, meet our third challenger.

UAZ 469

This paramilitary modification remains the most popular. Now it is UAZ Hunter (since 2002), but you can buy a used 315x (1985-2005) or even 469B (1972-1985). The model changed names after modernization.

Engine 2.7L gasoline, 135 hp, or 2.2L diesel, 115 hp;
Body on frame, incomplete 4WD (4x4 with front-wheel drive plug-in) and low gear;
Suspension: spring in front, leaf in rear.

The average level of equipment will cost about 830,000 rubles.

The role of this car in the life of the army, law enforcement agencies, travelers, field workers and many other people is much higher than the role of Niva and other vehicles combined. This is a Russian Land Rover Defender.

UAZ has a robust design and at the same time is lightweight. This gives it the best off-road capability among other local vehicles.

Finally, about the famous UAZ bridges. They were developed for military purposes and have a portal design. Often, bridges are installed on many types of cars - on other types of UAZs, pickups from Japan, Niva, etc. Super-reliable undercarriage, high cross-country ability, trouble-free operation in difficult conditions and the ability to quickly repair with your own hands are very valuable things in the local off-road market.

UAZ Patriot / Pickup

This is a highly modernized 31622 "Simbir" - a modern and more comfortable UAZ model. In mass sales - since 2005.

Engine: 2693 cm3. Basic - 135 hp, improved version - 150 hp;
The system of the connected all-wheel drive (Part-Time, incomplete 4WD), downshift;
Body on the frame, front and rear suspension - rigid axle;
Price - from 800,000 rubles;
Seats - 5 + 4, pickup with 5 seats.

Some people say that the UAZ Patriot is a piece of junk. But others do great things on it. For example, they are making a successful trans-Asian expedition from Moscow to Singapore.

UAZ Hunter (UAZ-315195)

Frame SUV, developed in 1998, serial production since November 2003.

The price of the car is about 750,000 rubles (initial configuration, manufacturer's price). Engine: 2.7L gasoline, 128-134 hp, 2.2L diesel, 100-114 hp

Commercial UAZ

Also known as "Loaf" (because it is shaped like a loaf of bread - "brick"). Utility van, 4x4, the oldest model on the list has been produced since 1965!

Gasoline engine 2.7L with a capacity of 112 hp;
Reinforced frame, Part-Time all-wheel drive system;
Seats: 2-11 (depending on modification).

This Russian off-road van has no rivals among commercial 4x4s. The model is also very popular as an expedition vehicle.

GAZ Gazelle / Sable

A very popular commercial truck and minibus. It has existed since 1994, the current generation was released in 2013. The engines are different, the most popular are diesel 2.8l, 120 hp, and petrol 2.9l, 115 hp.

Body on a frame, standard 4WD, front and rear rigid axles.

GAZ Vepr NEXT 4х4

A mega-pickup truck for work in hard-to-reach areas, hunting, fishing and just extreme recreation, which grew up on the "bones" of an all-wheel drive truck "Sadko".

The car was demonstrated in the summer of 2017 at a military technical review in the Moscow region. Soon it was supplemented with a cargo-passenger van (an off-road version of the Sobol with a shortened body from the Gazelle).

Four-wheel drive with the ability to connect the front axle, self-locking differential, pneumatic pumping of wheels with all-terrain tires, ground clearance of 315 mm. Engine: 4.4 liters, diesel, turbocharged, 149 horsepower.

Of course, the world of Russian off-road vehicles is not limited to these representatives. There are LuAZ cars built in Ukraine, but actually designed in Moscow in 1959 - then both countries were part of a single Soviet Union.

The first prototype 049 "Ogonyok" was followed by a line of Soviet cargo-and-passenger subcompact off-road vehicles led by the multipurpose "969".

There is also something larger: ZILs, Urals, KamAZs, GAZs, KrAZs, MAZs and other equipment, laid down in Soviet times. Not all models (and there were dozens of modifications in each family) have survived to this day, but many are still widely used. And for that matter, there are still legends about the Zaporozhians, Muscovites and Zhiguli who perform miracles in the field without any special off-road "bells and whistles." These simple, cheap and surprisingly capable machines have helped out their owners more than once in difficult moments.

New developments

Russian craftsmen love to experiment and often create exciting "one-off" cars, designed, manufactured or modified by creative people in their own garages. Some Russian mechanics can create a miracle from any old junk.

But creating amazing mechanisms is one thing, but selling them is completely different... You need to find someone with a rich imagination to discern the prospects, sufficiently interested in such developments and not obsessed with money.

The task is difficult, but some of the craziest ideas still make their way to the market.For example, if your car cannot cross ravines or a river, there is no need to buy a new one. Just replace the wheels with four giant ones and no obstacles will stop you!

We recently learned about a new Russian SUV called Sherp, and it is very different from the bulky 8-wheeled Shaman from Avtoros, first presented in 2012 at the International Automobile Salon in Moscow in a form ready for serial production.

The Sherpa is pretty small all things considered. At 3.4 meters, it's shorter than the Honda Civic and half the size of a full-size off-road pickup. It also has the same width and height (2520 mm), so it looks like a cube on wheels.

Speaking of wheels, Sherp rides huge tubeless ultra-low pressure tires that are over one and a half meters high. Combined with a short wheelbase, they can pull the car through mud holes and piles of stones, allow climbing steep hills and provide enough buoyancy to make the car a true amphibian.

Sherpas can sail directly across lakes and rivers - the tires serve as giant rowing drums - and then calmly get out onto the soil or ice. In fact, this is a snow and swamp-going vehicle, which falls more under the concept of special equipment than an ordinary car, but are not SUVs part of the army of all-terrain vehicles - "technical means of special purpose"?

The Sherpa is interesting both as a personal car and as a rescue vehicle due to the following features:

Reliable Japanese engine - 1.5-liter 4-cylinder turbodiesel Kubota-V1505-t, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. It produces only 44 horsepower, but the torque reaches 120 Nm, which allows the Sherpa to accelerate to 45 km / h. On water, it "accelerates" only to 6 km / h - it doesn't sound very good, but it's better than looking for a detour;
fuel reserve for long distances - four 55-liter canisters are optionally added to the regular fuel tank on board, which are built into the centers of the rims;
full-fledged 4x4 drive, coupled with a small turning radius and 600 mm ground clearance;
pneumatic recirculating suspension with adjustable tire inflation for different terrain;
lifting capacity up to 1 ton plus 2.4 ton trailer;
closed and heated cabin provides 4 comfortable berths;
continues to work, even while standing on three or two (diagonally) wheels.

One frustration is the price. The basic Sherp model with a soft top, without wipers and a heater, costs more than 6 million rubles.

Conclusion

It's sad to admit, but people buy Russian SUVs only because of the low price and cheap parts. Many who drive the Patriot would buy a Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol or another imported SUV if finances allowed.

There are comfort, safety and ergonomics issues to work on. The Japanese joke that "not a single bolt has been tightened on the UAZ." Many motorists who have had experience with really cool SUVs make a scary face: "No, no and no, they are made with feet, not hands, the quality is terrible, forget about this idea!" They simply do not know that among Russian cars of poor quality there are only those that are produced for the domestic market, while the outstanding ones for export are much better, therefore they are not scolded. And the versions produced for the military are always more reliable and of better quality than for civilians.

In fact, an SUV should have three things at the fore. No, not fashionable technologies, a prestigious nameplate and a stylish look, but quality, ease of maintenance and, of course, working ability (because this is the main reason why such cars are generally bought!). Especially considering the Russian realities - the harsh climate, the lack of roads in many places and the tendency of car owners to make spare parts using a lathe.

The buyer of a Russian all-terrain vehicle needs to be creative rather than wealthy. Russian developers are still not trying to compete with the Germans and Japanese in quality, hiding behind the fact that they want to keep the cost of domestic cars at a low level. But at least they promise that "new models will increase off-road capabilities" and "will plunge you into an amazing world full of various obstacles!" The latter is definitely not lying.