Last August, Chevrolet previewed the new 2017 Niva subcompact crossver/SUV in the form of the Chevrolet Niva “Vision Concept.” Clearly it was a pretty production-ready vision.
Now, Paul Tan has captured the 2016 Chevrolet Niva testing in Southern Europe wearing a full-blown camouflage suit, but there’s no hiding the true identity of this model, especially with the spare tire sticking from the rear as it is. It’s quite a spritely-looking small-SUV, akin to the Chevrolet Blazer of yore, and we can even see some Ford EcoSport in the design, which isn’t a bad thing by any means.
Intel suggests that the small SUV will be powered by a PSA-sourced 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine producing 135 horsepower mated to a five-speed manual gearbox will be offered for the rugged-looking 2016 Chevy Niva SUV. That powertrain will replace the prehistoric 1.7-liter four-cylinder that only musters a measly 80 horses. What’s more, the 2016 Niva is also expected to grow 10 inches in length.
Why not throw a General Motors-branded EcoTec four-cylinder under the hood? The 2016 Niva will still very much be a price-conscious offering and will only be available in Russia and the CIS markets. And something tells us that it will ride on GM’s G2XX platform.
Have a look at the spy photos here, and let us know how you think the SUV is shaping up.
Comments
It looks good, why not bringing it globally as the Blazer as the Trailblazer little brother.3 For the engine GM has a plethora of good engines. So, why going to PSA to put a 135 hp 1.8. As GM own 1.8 produce 140 hp, the 1.4 produce 140 and the new 1.4 produce 150 hp, without forgetting the diesel engines, the 1.6 CDTI 136 hp and the 2.0 163 hp. So, in my opinion if Chevrolet will use PSA engine under the Niva hood it would be a great mistake.
I expect to see thus go global as Russia is not getting much support from GM with the political issues that are going on. I expect that there is a great risk the market may close at some point as long as Putin is in.
It’s not going global. Outside of foreign brands, the Russian car market is actually still alive and well (in the affordable segments). The Niva will be in one of these segments.
Remember that this isn’t a “pure” GM product, but rather that of the GM-AvtoVAZ joint venture.
As it relates to the Russian market closing… you are kidding, right? There is so much healthy demand and buying power that has been created over the last 10-20 years, that the current scenario imposed by the West to promote their own oil-based political agenda won’t last forever.