The most durable Soviet cars

The normal life of a car model is 5 to 10 years. There are of course notable exceptions such as the French Renault 4 which was produced from 1961 to 1994, the Indian Hindustan Ambassador which was produced from 1954 to 2014 and of course the original Volkswagen Beetle whose first car was produced in 1938. and the last one in 2003, 65 years later.

However, socialist brands also have a very strong presence on the list of the most durable models. The explanation is simple: in the Eastern Bloc, industry was never able to meet demand, and car-hungry citizens were willing to buy anything while it was moving. Consequently, the motivation of factories to change was not very high. The next selection includes 14 Soviet cars that were produced the longest, some of which are still in production. 

Chevrolet niva

In production: 19 years, ongoing

Contrary to the opinion of many, this is not a budget product of General Motors. In fact, this car was developed in Togliatti in the 80s as the VAZ-2123 in order to inherit the allegedly outdated first Niva (which does not prevent it from being produced today). Production began in 2001, and after the financial collapse of VAZ, the American company bought the rights to the brand and the plant where the car was assembled.

By the way, since last month this car is again called Lada Niva, after the Americans withdrew and returned the rights to the name of AvtoVAZ. Production will continue until at least 2023, with over half a million units produced so far.

GAZ-69

In production: 20 years

The well-known Soviet SUV first appeared at the Gorky Automobile Plant in 1952, and although it was later transferred to the Ulyanovsk plant and replaced its emblem with the UAZ, in fact, the car remained the same. Production ended in 1972 and the Romanian ARO plant was licensed until 1975.

In total, about 600 units were produced.

GAZ-13 Chaika

In production: 22 years

For obvious reasons, a car for the highest party echelon will not surprise you with the number of units produced - only about 3000. But the production itself lasts 22 years without any significant design changes. In 1959, when it first appeared, this car was not so far from Western designs. But in 1981 he was already an absolute dinosaur.

Volga GAZ-24

In production: 24 years

"Twenty-four" - the most massive "Volga" in history, about 1,5 million units were produced. It remained in production from 1968 to 1992, when it was replaced by the upgraded GAZ-31029. In the past few years, the 24-10 version has indeed been released with a new engine and an updated interior.

GAZ-3102 Volga

In production: 27 years

The seagull was intended only for members of the Supreme Soviet and the Politburo; the rest of the high-ranking nomenclatures had to be content with GAZ-3102. Debuting in 1981, this car was only reserved for party use until 1988, and ordinary citizens could not buy it, making it the most coveted car in the late USSR. But in 2008, when production finally stopped, nothing remained of this status. The total circulation does not exceed 156 pieces.

ZAZ-965

In production: 27 years

The first "Zaporozhets" from the 966 series appeared in 1967, and the last rolled off the assembly line only in 1994. During this time, the car received several new versions, such as the 968, received a slightly more powerful engine and a slightly more luxurious “interior”. But the design remained the same and was in fact one of the last surviving small rear-engined cars. In total, about 2,5 million units were produced.

VAZ-2104

In production: 28 years

A universal version of the popular 2105 appeared in 1984, and although the Togliatti plant abandoned it at some point, the Izhevsk plant continued to assemble it until 2012, bringing the total production to 1,14 million units.

Lada Samara

In production: 29 years

In the mid-1980s, VAZ was finally embarrassed to produce Italian Fiats of the 1960s and offered updated Sputnik and Samara. Production lasted from 1984 to 2013, including several later modifications such as the VAZ-21099. The total circulation is almost 5,3 million copies.

VAZ-2107

In production: 30 years

The "luxurious" version of the good old Lada appeared on the market in 1982 and was produced until 2012 with very few changes. In total, 1,75 million units were produced at the factories in Togliatti and Izhevsk.

VAZ-2105

In production: 31 years

The first "updated" car at the Togliatti plant (that is, differing at least in design from the original Fiat 124) appeared in 1979, and on its basis were later created a "four" station wagon and a more luxurious "seven". Production continued until 2011, with assembly in Ukraine and even Egypt (like Lada Riva). The total circulation is over 2 million.

Moskvich-412

In production: 31 years

The legendary 412 appeared in 1967, and in 1970, along with the closest 408, underwent a facelift. At the same time, a model under the Izh brand is being produced in Izhevsk with minor design changes. The Izhevsk version was produced until 1998, a total of 2,3 million units were assembled.

VAZ-2106

In production: 32 years

In the first decade after its appearance in 1976, it was the most prestigious VAZ model. However, after making the changes, 2106 continued production, suddenly becoming the most economical and affordable new car in the former Soviet republics. It was produced not only in Togliatti, but also in Izhevsk and Sizran, the total production volume exceeded 4,3 million vehicles.

Lada Niva, 4x4

In production: 43 years and ongoing

The original Niva appeared as a VAZ-2121 in 1977. Although the successor to the new generation was developed in the 80s, the old car remained in production. It is still produced today, and recently it was called Lada 4 × 4, because the rights to the name "Niva" belonged to Chevrolet. Since this year, they have been returned to AvtoVAZ.

UAZ-469

In production: 48 years, ongoing

This car was born as UAZ-469 in 1972. Later it was renamed UAZ-3151, and in recent years it proudly bore the name UAZ Hunter. Of course, over the years of work, the car has undergone many modifications - new engines, suspension, brakes, a modernized interior. But basically this is the same model created by Ulyanovsk designers in the late 60s.

Questions and answers:

What are the most reliable used cars? Among the models produced in 2014-2015, the most reliable are: Audi Q5, Toyota Avensis, BMW Z4, Audi A3, Mazda 3, Mercedes GLK. From budget cars it is VW Polo, Renault Logan, and from SUVs it is Rav4 and CR-V.

What are the most reliable cars? The TOP three included: Mazda MX-5 Miata, CX-30, CX-3; Toyota Prius, Corolla, Prius Prime; Lexus UX, NX, GX. This is the data of analysts of the American magazine Consumer Report.

What is the most reliable car brand? JD Power has conducted an independent study of used car owners. according to the survey, the leading brands are Lexus, Porsche, KIA.