In 1987, AvtoVAZ launched production of the five-door version of the "nine" — the VAZ-2109. The model was created on the basis of the three-door VAZ-2108, with the body lengthened, the front doors narrowed, and the rear pillars reinforced. Development took only three years — record time by the plant's standards, given the need to preserve the platform and main components of the original Samara.
The VAZ-2109 helped the plant survive the difficult nineties. The total production run, together with the VAZ-21099 sedan, exceeded 1.5 million units. The model became truly mass-market after the collapse of the USSR and remained on the market for a long time, outselling newer generations. At that time, the "ten" was produced in far more modest numbers, while the "nine" remained the locomotive of VAZ sales.
The car attracted attention abroad. The Samara was exported to European countries, Australia, and Chile. Finland assembled cars from Valmet Automotive kits, including the body, engine, and transmission, with final refinement to local standards — anti-corrosion treatment, primer, paintwork, and alloy wheels. In Germany, local modifications were also carried out, including sunroofs, spoilers, and altered radiator grilles.
The cherry-colored "nine" set records. In 1986, Portuguese journalists drove an Austin from Lisbon to Moscow in 52 hours, and a year later a crew in a VAZ-2109 cut the time to 46 hours 30 minutes, maintaining a cruising speed of 150–170 km/h. The experimental 21093i version with a 16-valve engine produced 160 hp, accelerating to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds — faster than any Golf GTI of that time.
The "nine" became a symbol of garage tuning. Enthusiasts installed turbines and forced induction, raising output to 250–300 hp. Some projects completely transformed front-wheel-drive bodies into all-wheel-drive ones, using the chassis and components of the Niva. Among such projects, models with the 2109 body and a Peugeot diesel engine are especially prized.
The model firmly entered popular culture. In the music videos and songs of rapper Syava, as well as in the series "Streets of Broken Lights," the 2109 appeared as a symbol of the streets and street racing. The popularity of the "nine" in these media projects strengthened its status as a pop icon and secured its place in the country's cultural code.
In motorsport, the "nine" more often competed in amateur events. It took part in rallying, circuit racing, and autocross, including the Tolyatti "Silver Ladya" in 1994 and the FSO Rally Sprint Cup in 2017. The car combined affordability, repairability, and versatility, which made it popular among private drivers.
Even today, the VAZ-2109 can still be found on the used market and on racing tracks. The model remains one of the most recognizable and widespread five-seat front-wheel-drive Ladas, combining the plant's history, popularity in culture, and motorists' love for versatile and easily modified cars.