VAZ-21213 Niva

The VAZ-21213 is a facelifted VAZ-2121 whose initial Taiga name did not catch on. Changes included a stronger 1.7-litre carburetted engine with 81 hp and 125.3 Nm at 3,000 rpm, contactless ignition, a new Solex carburettor and an aluminium radiator. A thoroughly redesigned rear body lowered the loading height. It had permanent four-wheel drive with a locking centre differential and a five-speed manual gearbox.

Passive safety was its major weakness. In Autoreview's frontal crash test under EuroNCAP rules at 64 km/h, it scored zero out of sixteen, matching the VAZ-2107.

The miniature's workmanship leaves much to be desired. Only its numerous separate parts and opening doors are pleasing. Earlier versions also had an opening bonnet, but here it is sealed shut.