The Lada Niva is a long-running model of compact SUVs that were first introduced in 1977. The Niva, which has also been sold as the Taiga, Hussar, and Fora, was designed to be a compact car with strong off road capabilities in order to serve rural communities. While it has been predominantly built in a small SUV body style that resembles a hatchback, other body styles such as pickups and vans were also produced. The Niva has featured a range of engine options. 1.5L, 1.6L, or 1.7L inline four engines comprise the gasoline choices, while a 1.9L inline four in naturally aspirated or turbocharged forms consisted of the diesel options. Depending on the year, a 4 or 5 speed manual transmission has been fitted, sending power to all four wheels. In 2020, Lada introduced their own version of the 2003 Chevrolet Niva, so the Niva was rebranded to the Niva Legend.