Wheels for the Niva (VAZ 2121): what tires should the Niva have?

Expert: Boris Evgenievich Kononov

*Review of the best according to the editors of expertology.ru. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

The Russian SUV Chevrolet Niva is highly popular among domestic motorists. One of the reasons for stable demand is high traffic. In addition, the machine is unpretentious in maintenance and has an affordable price. In order for a car to realize its full potential, it is important to choose the right tires. It is best to do this taking into account the time of year and the nature of the roads being overcome. With the help of our experts, we will try to determine the range of suitable tires.

Chevrolet Niva: wheel size

The wheel size for this SUV is in accordance with the parameters of the installed wheel rim. The disk on the Chevrolet Niva has the following parameters: disk offset (ET) - 40 mm, bolt pattern - 5x39.5 mm, hub hole diameter - 98.5 mm. The mounting diameters of the wheels, depending on the modification of the SUV, come in sizes 15 and 16 inches.

"Niva Chevrolet"

As standard, the SUV is equipped with aluminum and steel stamped wheel rims. Owners can change them to purchased cast or forged ones.

Various possible options for Niva of various modifications

In addition to the standard Niva - VAZ 2121, there are also other modifications - VAZ 21213 and 21214. In terms of tires, it doesn’t matter, regardless of the modification, all the options given are suitable for each of the modifications of the Niva.

Tire size for Chevy Niva

The tire size determines the mounting diameter of the wheel rim. In the case of the Chevrolet Niva, the manufacturer completes various modifications with tires of excellent size. On the L or LC trim levels, which are considered basic, tires for 15-inch wheels are installed. The LE package comes with 16-inch wheels made of light alloys. The tire width for the basic version is 205 mm, for the luxury version - 215 mm. The height of the rubber profile is either 60% or 70-75%. The low profile is used in the city, and the second option is used on highways and off-road. Some owners prefer to use two sets per year, while others make do with all-season tires.

Which diameter is better: R15 or R16

R15 tires are most often installed on them. This size is perfect for urban asphalt. If you use the car off-road, you can install tires with a diameter of R16. But this will require a number of changes to the chassis, namely the use of spacers to increase ground clearance.

In other words, the choice of the best diameter should be made based on what roads, soils and under what conditions the vehicle will have to drive.

Tires for even greater cross-country ability: 235/75 R15 and 240/80 R15

For those for whom standard cross-country ability is not enough and want to go into the real wilds, then you just need to take R15 tires with this dimension (235/75) and put it in the Niva. These dimensions will make the car a real jeep, which will essentially go everywhere it can go. So whoever has such goals should put such wheels on the Niva.

But it’s not so simple, in order for such tires to become normal, you will have to do a lifting, this is a kind of tuning of the Niva. You'll have to raise the suspension and widen the wheel arches. But this is not a problem at all, because even at the plant in Togliatti there are special lifting kits, thanks to which the wheel axle can be made lower by 4 cm, which will be enough to install such off-road tires R15 235/75.

The lifting kit includes:

• cross rod,
• upgraded spring cups;
• spring spacers;
• reinforced longitudinal rods;
• spacers for the ball joint.

If you install this kit correctly, the shock absorbers and springs will fit as they should. But that’s not all, for a full ride you still need to make some changes: change the pairs of front and rear gearboxes. If they come from the factory 3.9, then you need to put 4.44. The result will be increased acceleration dynamics, and there will be less load on the engine and clutch.

You also need to remember that there is also an offset of the wheel rims, this parameter needs to be increased slightly, for this you need to make special spacers from aluminum alloy and install them in the hub. Masters usually know how to do this.

After such improvements, the hub assembly will operate under increased loads, so it is recommended to install hubs with 2-row bearings on the steering knuckle. This kind of Niva tuning will require a little time and money.

All-season tires 205 75 15

All-season tires are installed on the Chevrolet Niva at the discretion of the owner. They differ from other types in their tread. The inner side of an all-season tire is used for driving on loose snow, and the outer side removes water from the tire contact patch. The standard size of all-season tires suitable for this domestic SUV is 205/75 R15.

These tires are perfect for the following situations:

• The region has fairly mild winters with stable above-zero temperatures.
• The car owner's budget is limited for the purchase of both winter and summer tires.
• It is not possible to store two sets of winter and summer tires.

All-season tires also have their disadvantages:

• high noise;
• increased fuel consumption;
• dynamic characteristics are reduced;
• increased wear.

Of the all-season tire models of this size, the following are suitable for the Chevrolet Niva:

• The Maxxis AT-771 features an aggressive tread design that provides excellent traction. The tires have a zigzag sidewall that improves handling on dry and wet surfaces.
• The Goodyear Wrangler HP is a high-performance 4x4 hard-road tire. They show excellent handling on the road.
• "Kama-Euro 228" have good directional stability when driving on highways and dirt roads, as well as high wear rates and low rolling resistance.
• Forward Safari 540 from the Altai Tire Plant is a radial tire, tubeless, with a metal cord in the belt. The tires have an all-terrain tread pattern and are designed for a maximum speed of 160 km/h. They have increased maneuverability on soft soils.

All-season tires

All-season tires are used by many RVers year-round, and most car owners keep all-season tires as a spare at all times. In regions with mild winters without snow or frost, drivers make do with an all-season vehicle all year round.

Choosing between MT and AT

A couple of words should also be said about the correct marking of tires for the VAZ 21214. Initially, it comes in several types:

• universal, AT (from the English word All Terrain - Any Terrain), well suited for cases when the driver travels more on an asphalt road and to a lesser extent off-road;
• mud, MT (from the English word Mud Terrain - Mud Terrain), this is already heavy Russian off-road, swamps, sandy surfaces, etc.

The problem of choice is that normal off-road tires on the VAZ 2121 are only good off-road. You can’t really accelerate with it on an asphalt road; it consumes extremely quickly and uneconomically on hard asphalt, has an extended braking distance, and performs poorly in cornering and handling. But all this only applies to city roads and highways; on muddy and swampy terrain, MT tires simply flourish, allowing you to confidently storm even the most unrealistic obstacles for conventional AT wheels.

The main differences between mud tires on the VAZ 2121:

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• increased off-road capability of the vehicle;
• special tread pattern, more reminiscent of a tractor, special rubber edging;
• a special rubber compound that provides increased softness (VAZ 21214 mud tires can also be operated with reduced pressure and can easily withstand collisions with rocks, towing on clay, sand, mud, etc.);
• self-cleaning anti-pollution system;
• increased fuel consumption.

In the Mud Terrain tire class for VAZ 21214 (Lada 4×4) there are a number of special offers. For example, mud tires for the Niva labeled Lite are the simplest, they can withstand forced driving on asphalt most easily, but do not have a deep enough and complex tread pattern. Classic - for lovers of rational choice and a whole bunch of specialized rubber: Extreme - the deepest tread with large and sparse patterns; A special shape of the pattern, as well as Modern - well-proven in handling on asphalt roads.

What off-road tires should I put on a Chevrolet Niva?

For off-road conditions, the Chevrolet Niva is equipped with M/T tires. It is not suitable for asphalt due to high noise, poor handling and rapid wear, but it is perfect for dirt, country roads, fields, and swamps. This tire is made from special rubber and is very soft. Off-road tires maintain low pressure perfectly, and at the same time they are not damaged when colliding with rocks. M/T tires for Chevrolet Niva are most often represented by such models as I-569 Medved, Cordiant off Road, Hankook Dynapro MT RT03.

Off-road tires

Eventually

Instead of standard tires, you can put more serious tires on the Niva. It is possible to install off-road mud tires without modifications, and it will be quite bearable, but it is possible to make a lift and some other modifications to the suspension and install real off-road tires on the Niva, after which off-road driving will become a pleasure.

Next is a video about wheels on a Niva with normal tires:

The size of the tires and wheels greatly influences the behavior of the car on the road. AvtoVAZ recommends installing tires and wheels of a strictly defined size on the Niva; only in this case the manufacturer guarantees the service life of the components and assemblies of the chassis and suspension. In the review, we will tell you what the size of the wheels affects during the operation of the machine and what recommendations the manufacturer gives.

Wheel alignment angles "Niva Chevrolet"

The wheel alignment angles on the Chevrolet Niva SUV are as follows:

• The longitudinal inclination angle of the turning axis is 3° 40'+/-30'. This is the angle between the vertical and the projection of the line that passes through the centers of the ball joints onto a plane that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine. It stabilizes the steering of the wheels in the direction of straight-line movement.
• Wheel camber angle - 0° 30'+/-30'. This is the angle between the plane of rotation of the wheel in a straight position and the vertical. It is responsible for the correct position of the rolling wheel during suspension operation.
• The wheel toe value is 0+/-1 mm. This is the angle between the plane of rotation of the wheel and the longitudinal axis of the car.

Wheel alignment angles on Niva Chevrolet

Summer tires for Chevrolet Niva

To choose the right summer tires for an SUV, you must strictly follow the manufacturer's recommendations. The tire size must correspond to the size recommended by the manufacturer.

An important parameter when choosing summer tires for a Chevrolet Niva is the speed index. Since the Chevrolet Niva has a maximum speed of 140 km/h, tires marked M and N are suitable.

Yokohama A349A tires are perfect. They have an improved drainage system, which is achieved thanks to longitudinal drainage grooves and transverse grooves located in the shoulder area. This tire model is characterized by excellent stability, including when driving on rough terrain or mud. Tread blocks assembled in even stripes provide acoustic comfort. The price per unit starts from 5,000 rubles*.

Often, the Chevrolet Niva is equipped with the domestic model of two-ply Kama Euro 129 tires. They have an asymmetric tread pattern. This rubber is quite wear-resistant, excellent road grip and good resistance to aquaplaning are also noted. The price per unit is 1500-2000 rubles*.

Summer tires for Niva Chevrolet

The choice of wheels and tires for the Chevrolet Niva should be taken with full responsibility - after all, the correct choice will determine how the car will behave on the road in the future and what driving performance it shows. The correct choice of tires, taking into account all the nuances, will give the car owner real pleasure from driving the car.

*Prices are current as of February 2022.

Characteristics in the rating

The domestic off-road vehicle Chevrolet Niva is very popular in the Russian market. Moreover, the operation of this machine is possible in different conditions that require the presence of appropriate “shoes”. The factory installs tires of size 205/75 R15 or 215/65 R16, so when choosing new tires you should be guided by these data, choosing similar tires or the ones most suitable for these sizes (for example, 215/75 R 15).

Our review presents the best tires of different brands that will provide excellent driving characteristics for this car. The rating was compiled taking into account the declared properties of rubber, the opinions of service center specialists and, of course, owners, whose reviews helped to obtain information about the behavior of a particular rubber in different conditions. For the reader's convenience, tire models are divided into several popular categories.

What does the size of tires and wheels affect?

The smaller the unsprung masses

(this includes a lot of tires and wheels), the better the car will hold the road and accelerate faster. For example, if you put wheels on a car that are 2 kg lighter each, then acceleration to 100 km/h will be reduced by 0.2 seconds.

Buy rims for Lada 4×4 at the lowest prices

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As a reminder, for safety and to increase tire life, you should maintain your tires at the recommended pressure. Other modifications to the Lada 4×4 can be found in the tuning category and by content.

2 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 SUV

The Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 SUV studded tire will be the best choice for car enthusiasts who value safe winter driving. This model has higher braking performance on icy and snowy roads. The directional asymmetric tread pattern ensures timely removal of snow mass and high-quality grip on the surface. Thanks to the modified shape of the studs, they are provided with a reliable and durable fit, which also significantly improves contact with the road.

Improvements have also been made in the composition of the rubber compound, taking into account all the features associated with driving on winter roads. Car owners who have installed Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 SUV tires on their SUVs note in their reviews that they have good maneuverability in snowy areas and easy handling. For a Chevrolet Niva with a standard suspension, the most suitable size of this model would be 205/70 R 15 or 215/65 R 16.