In sensible driving situations and over short distances, though, it’s not half as arduous and exhausting to pilot as you might expect. There’s power steering, electric windows, air conditioning and even self-cancelling indicators (how very bourgeois), so once you’ve got over the ever-disorienting sensation of shifting with your right hand and the ever so slightly off-centre pedals, it’s a perfectly adequate runaround. Just get used to smiling and waving. A lot.
If you’ve ever driven an instantly recognisable classic like the Volkswagen Beetle, a once-commonplace relic such as the Morris Marina or even something as hilariously misplaced as the Hummer H2 on British public roads, you will appreciate just how much joy such cars bring to other road users and passers-by. Park, say, an FSO Polonez behind a Lamborghini Aventador in Knightsbridge and see which one attracts the most attention. It’s the same with the Niva: for every grimace-inducing thump from the suspension, steering column creak or graunchy gearshift, you’re rewarded for your sacrifices with a van full of beaming builders, a thumbs-up from a jealous tree surgeon or a nostalgic gaze from a one-time Lada owner.
Rarity will do that to a car, of course, but when that exclusivity is paired with almost unparalleled accessibility, it’s a recipe for a real people-pleaser. And boy is the Niva accessible. Key’s imported examples are priced from £12,495 before taxes, which makes the Russian off-roader about as expensive as a base-spec Citroën C3, if you’re in the mood for a tenuous comparison. A more obvious alternative is the Duster 4×4 from fellow Renault Group brand Dacia, but even that wants £19,245, while a Suzuki Jimny – with just two seats – costs more than £20,000 after tax.
In the interests of full disclosure, the Terra Brown-painted Luxe model you’re looking at here costs £17,795 (by virtue of its far jazzier alloy wheels, electric windows and aircon), which is about what you will pay for a 2007 Land Rover Defender 90 in two-seat commercial form.
The Niva could show its closest-priced rivals a clean pair of mudflaps on the rough stuff, too, with the not insignificant benefit that you won’t be so worried about dings and scrapes. Hell, a battered old 4×4 looks 10 times more purposeful and well used than a pampered example, so get it mucky.