GAZ-Sobol

GAZ Sobol at a glance

The Sobol was developed as a smaller, lighter sister to the GAZelle, aimed at buyers who needed a van or minibus for town use and smaller loads. It shares its cab and much of its engineering with the GAZelle but has a shorter wheelbase, single rear tyres and independent front suspension. The old 1cars text notes that the Sobol was first built in small numbers and moved to full series production in 2006. The history of the maker is told in the history of GAZ, and all its models are in the GAZ catalogue.

Body versions

The GAZ-2752 van is the most common Sobol. According to the old 1cars text, the cargo version has a solid bulkhead between the three-seat cab and the load area, while the seven-seat combi version is popular with utility companies that need to carry a crew and tools. The GAZ-22173 minibus version with ten seats in rows was built to order as a shuttle bus.

Engines and gearbox

All engines drive through a five-speed manual gearbox. The Cummins ISF 2.8 is a four-cylinder inline turbodiesel with liquid cooling, and the old 1cars text describes it as simple and reliable to service. With the Cummins engine, the same source gives fuel consumption of 8.5 litres per 100 km at 60 km/h and 10.3 litres at 80 km/h, and notes compliance with Euro 3 and later emissions standards.

Four-wheel-drive versions

Four-wheel-drive Sobols use a rigid front axle and a transfer case with permanent four-wheel drive. They are available as the GAZ-27527 van, the GAZ-221717 minibus, the GAZ-22177 Barguzin minivan and the GAZ-23107 flatbed. A concept 4x4 van, the GAZ-27527-363, was presented at the ComTrans show in 2019.

The Barguzin minivan

The GAZ-22177 Barguzin is the passenger-car-like member of the family. Unlike the panel vans and minibuses, it has a lift-up tailgate instead of swing doors, and it was built with permanent four-wheel drive. It combines the Sobol's short wheelbase and running gear with seating for passengers.

Updates

2003 facelift

Early in 2003 the Sobol received the same facelift as the GAZelle: new front body panels, modern headlights in place of the rectangular units and a new instrument panel. The old 1cars text adds that the updated range became known as "Sobol-Standard".

Sobol-Business (2010)

In February 2010 the Sobol-Business update brought upgraded components. According to the old 1cars text, the new dashboard was developed with the German engineering company EDAG, and the suppliers included Sachs for the clutch and shock absorbers, SKF for gearbox bearings, Hoerbiger for synchronisers and ZF for the power steering. New wipers and heated mirrors were added, and the warranty was extended to two years or 80,000 km for most versions. The Cummins ISF 2.8 turbodiesel followed at the end of 2010.

Sobol NN

The newest generation, the Sobol NN ("New NEXT"), is based on the GAZelle NEXT platform, with a more comfortable cab and the 2.8-litre Cummins turbodiesel. A Sobol NN 4x4 pickup has also been shown. Larger GAZ commercial vehicles of the NEXT family include the GAZon NEXT truck.

Dimensions and payload

Rivals: how the Sobol compares

The Sobol competes with light vans and minibuses such as the Renault Trafic and with traditional four-wheel-drive vans like the UAZ-452. Its strengths are a wide range of body types, the availability of permanent four-wheel drive, simple mechanicals and low running costs. Its weaknesses are basic interior materials and build quality, according to the old 1cars text.