In the spring of this year, one-piece molded plastic panels will appear in the Niva Legend salon, which are still made by thermoforming. Sound insulation will also be improved, becoming solid in the front part of the floor. The mudguard lining will be made of wood-filled polypropylene, already used on the Granta and Vesta. As for the LED optics, its appearance is expected by the end of 2023.
A more serious modernization will begin after 2023 – the original 1.7-liter Niva Legend engine will be replaced with an engine from a front-wheel drive car and a new front subframe will be installed. According to Russian Automobile, most of the design changes should be done on the Niva Sport, which, however, has “problems with the timing.”