Except for a few minor adjustments, the Lada Niva has remained pretty much untouched over the past 40 years, and yes, that’s a very, very long time.

However, this is about to change, as the Russians have confirmed work on a new generation of the classic off-roader. Confirmed by AvtoVaz’s CEO, Nicolas Maure, who recently spoke to Capital on the matter, the SUV will finally enter the 21st century.

Despite some claiming over the years that a successor of the current Lada Niva will share its nuts and bolts with the Dacia/Renault Duster in an effort to keep production costs down, the upcoming vehicle will not be related to the affordable SUV in any way.

It’s still too early to talk about its design or what engine it will use, but once its hit the market, possibly as early as next year, it will complement the brand’s Vesta and Xray offerings, and it’s expected to come in two body styles, with 3 and 5 doors.

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