In 1987, AvtoVAZ launched the production of the five-door version of the "nine" — VAZ-2109. The model was created on the basis of the three-door VAZ-2108, while the body was lengthened, the front doors were narrowed, and the rear pillars were reinforced. The development took only three years — a record time by the standards of the plant, considering the need to preserve the platform and the main components of the original Samara.
The VAZ-2109 helped the plant survive in the difficult nineties. The total production run, together with the VAZ-21099 sedan, exceeded 1.5 million units. The model became widespread after the collapse of the USSR and firmly established itself in the market for a long time, outselling new generations. At that time, the "ten" was produced in much smaller quantities, and the "nine" remained the flagship of VAZ sales.
The car attracted attention abroad. Samara was exported to Europe, Australia, and Chile. Finland assembled cars from Valmet Automotive kits, including the body, engine, and transmission, with final modifications to meet local standards — anti-corrosion treatment, priming, painting, and wheel casting. In Germany, local modifications were also carried out, including sunroofs, spoilers, and modified radiator grilles.
The cherry "nine" set records. In 1986, Portuguese journalists traveled from Lisbon to Moscow in an Austin in 52 hours, and a year later, a crew with a VAZ-2109 reduced the distance to 46 hours and 30 minutes, developing a cruising speed of 150–170 km/h. The experimental version 21093i with a 16-valve engine developed 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 superchargers, increasing the power to 250–300 hp. Some projects completely converted front-wheel-drive bodies into all-wheel-drive ones, using the chassis and units of the Niva. Among such projects, models with the 2109 body and a Peugeot diesel engine are particularly valuable.
The model has firmly entered mass culture. In the clips and songs of the rapper Syava, as well as in the TV 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 cultural code of the country.
In motorsport, the "nine" more often participated in amateur competitions. It participated in rallies, track races, and autocrosses, including the Togliatti "Silver Ladya" in 1994 and the FSO rally-sprint cup in 2017. The car combined affordability, maintainability, and versatility, which made it popular among private drivers.
Even today, the VAZ-2109 can be found on the secondary market and race tracks. The model remains one of the most recognizable and mass-produced five-seater front-wheel-drive Ladas, connecting the history of the plant, popularity in culture, and the love of car enthusiasts for versatile and easily modified cars.