There’s no denying that the latest Suzuki Jimny is a very capable, and affordable, off-roader. But there’s a cheaper, more utilitarian alternative for those who want to go off-roading on a budget, and it comes from Russia. It’s the 2021 Lada Niva Legend, and for the most part, it’s grounded in the past. Introduced in 1977, the Niva hasn’t changed much, so you can think of it as the Russian equivalent to the Brits’ classic Land Rover Defender. And that’s precisely where its success lies. Why change something when it’s not broken? Under the hood sits a 1.7-liter engine with Bosch fuel injection that will give you a grand total of 85 HP and 129 Nm of torque. Sure, with a top speed of 90 mph (144 km/h), the Niva won’t be setting anything alight, but it isn’t trying to either. Driving the Niva isn’t all that different from what you would have experienced ten years ago.