There have been many good cars in the history of the domestic automotive industry. And the best one is difficult to choose. Moreover, the criteria by which a particular model is assessed can be very different.
The automotive industry of the USSR reached its heyday in the 50s and 60s. It was at that time that many interesting and original designs were created at the level of the best foreign designs. The 70s were marked by the construction of the domestic giant VAZ, which began to mass produce the most popular Zhiguli and Lada in our country.
VAZ cars
Almost every VAZ model can be called a people's car. VAZ-2101 at one time became the first "people's" car in our country. With the beginning of its release, the car became available to many Soviet citizens. The VAZ-2106 at one time became not only the most comfortable VAZ car, but also the most dynamic, second only in speed to the Chaikas and government ZILs. The VAZ-2107 set a record for the duration of production: having got on the assembly line at the end of 1981, it held out until 2012.
The VAZ-2108/2109 family became the first domestic front-wheel drive vehicles. In the eighties and early 90s, these models became symbols of perestroika, the dream of many young people.
In the nineties, VAZ became the leader of the domestic market. The ZAZ plant became a foreign car, "Moskvich" fell into a protracted crisis and eventually went bankrupt, IZH never gained wide popularity. Only "Volga" could make "Ladam" more or less serious competition.
Since the beginning of the 2000s, VAZ took care of updating its model range. They began to produce a deeply modernized version of the VAZ-2110 - "Lada Priora". And since 2004 - the modern and affordable Lada Kalina. After the merger of VAZ with the French auto giant Renault, the model range was replenished with Lada Granta, which replaced the ancient VAZ-2107 on the assembly line.
SUVs VAZ
Separate words should be said about the "Niva" VAZ-2121. In the late 70s, it was a revolutionary SUV for its time. I must say that in those years, foreign SUVs were built exclusively on frame, on primitive rigid suspensions, with Spartan salons and low-power diesel engines. Lightweight design, powerful engine, cozy interior and soft suspension strongly distinguished Niva and foreign competitors. Since the start of its production, 80% of the cars have been exported. "Niva" became the first and only car delivered to Japan. Foreign experts compared VAZ-2121 with Range Rover and Jeep Wrangler.
With the start of production of Chevrolet-Niva, the classic VAZ-2121 was not sent to rest. Both of these SUVs have become the leaders of the Russian market in the SUV sector. Having an almost identical chassis and power units, they are still designed for a different target audience. The classic Niva is the most affordable SUV, while the Chevrolet Niva is a more modern, more elegant and more comfortable car, albeit more expensive.
