Datsun, the cost-effective brand launched by Nissan, has the first product on its launchpad “GO”. The aspiration range in gigantic numbers for the carmaker, and we are invited to find out that does it seems enough to give a tough and gutting competition to the India’s most selling and one of the top three best sellers Maruti Alto? Hopefully, the test drive session was called in the city of Hyderabad, and we found out what the engineers from Japan have clocked beneath its simple yet appealing looks. Read more here to find out, has the Datsun GO got those streaks right in the pinnacle of GO.
Exteriors:
On the first look, Datsun GO dons simple yet basic attire. The car that was given to us was of light blue paint shade, the one that the brand is seen marketing through, which also seems to be its flagship shade. So its first impression to it was quite soothing to our eyes. It was the paintjob that we were expecting to have on our platter for the tests too. The D-shaped front grille, flanked back headlamps and three air intakes on the front panel guts us to be revealing some more interesting ferns throughout the body. Connecticut, the sides also has gone through crispy creases, which the other cars in the segment may not have parched through. Overall, the aerodynamics ranging from the headlights adjoining to the Datsun logo on bootlid is impressive from a car of this category.
The combination of tail lamps and bootlid flapping is swiftly adapted ranking it to the category of hatchback. It remains an articulated fact that Datsun GO shares most of the spaces with Micra Active, but it is never meant to be uttered that the carmaker wanted to go down the line and sell its cars, without harnessing its existing brand image, which also sells the niche brand like Infiniti in the abroad and Teana in India.
Interiors:
On inside, the first and the most remarkable tip that was noticed by us was the bench-type front seat. It reminded us of those good old Fiat and Ambassador days; but sitting on the driver’s seat was worth having an experience. Starting from the dashboard, it is compiled of three different colors, and three spoke steering wheel, which everywhere is been donned with the plastic. The grain quality feels of average quality – not too high or too low. The second fact that will grab the attention after the seat is ‘gearbox and hand-brake’. The gear and hand-brake sticks are clustered in the dashboard, and is the only sort to have paved way for the single-platted seat of more convenience. When asked about having such sort of seat, the carmaker replied to have been designed it keeping in mind the utility factor, which can be used for keeping maps and other objects during the drive, rather than placing them on the floor or elsewhere. The leg and shoulder room inside are the class-leading due to the extensive wheelbase of 2,450mm.
The boot space even is consisted of 297 liters, which is groped subtle with nicely pierced in depth. Luggage will not be problem for the family of four. The car on inside as well on outside is basically designed keeping in mind the first-time buyers. The value for money remains the main focus for planting up those metals in place. Just to affirm that, the Datsun had also not left behind the technological aspect of the young generation. Four AC vents, two speakers, and docking station with USB (for charging) are said to be standard on all variants. To be specific, the top-end variant will be having power windows on front, while the manuals on rear.
The seat fabric is draped in equation of quality-money asked. The only disappointment that we seems was have to be taken care of is, the connectivity of smartphone to the dock with a USB wire, instead of upgrading it to the Bluetooth connectivity. But it feels quite lucrative to have even the docking station on it, because rivals are still far from the said. The wipers acts automatically on sensing the rain or water for top-end variant. Follow-me headlamp feature was also experienced. We were informed that, the three different variants of GO will have the trimming of features in form of power windows for the mid-variant, and the power windows as well as power steering for the starting one. The other features may remain the same. And in the last, the Nissan’s sub-brand had also pleased us by placing the bottle holders in front doors, of 1.5L each, which feels of great utility after a long tiring drive. We believe, that’s enough of the aesthetic gimmicks, shall now move towards the technical ones, with the driving experience.
Ride and Handling:
Likewise its cosmetic fronts, with no disappointing feedback, the ride and handling too remain outstanding. Firstly, the car feels impressively high from the ground, when taken the charge of driving seat. And after the ignition process, that is while moving out of the parking lot, it felicitated us with the smile on our faces. All because of the shorter turning radius and the first thumbs-up from a group of ladies who were probably the college goers, peered into our car’s front to get its cute glimpse and also a snapshot from their smartphones. The thumbs-up were then followed on our test too, with some from the bikers, and also a one from an Alto owner. Talking its technical aspirations, all of them were drawn from the three cylinder 1198cc petrol engine producing 68PS @5000rpm in term with 104NM of torque @4000rpm. The top-speed that our odo clicked was the 165kmph, but some of other media friends had made to the 170kmph without a hick. Even the more power strokes were also meant to be experienced if the noises from underneath the floor wouldn’t have stopped us there. Hope so, those noises may be on the media trial vehicles only, which could be resolved in the showrooms one. The 120kmph can be attained like a child’s play. To the science behind it, we can safely utter that, the Datsun GO is altogether the same Micra Active under the skin, because of its driving feels like a “Hatchback”.
That additional number of speed, comparatively with the Active, was due to the reduction in weight. In the nearby tout, gearing distribution can also be held responsible for it, which was shorter in first two gears and longer in the latter two. So the city driving is lucrative, whereas the overtaking on highways may need a downshift depending upon driving conditions.
The suspensions were of subtle inputs. Bad roads to an extent lent us some unsettled bumps, but the regular tarmacs haven’t impacted the noise to leak. It remains undoubted the GO has a lot of body roll. But it can be handled upto an extent on its 13-inch wheels wrapped with the 155/70R13 tubeless tyres.
Conclusion:
The Datsun GO is altogether a winner on the hand, which is needed to be supplemented by the outstanding network of service and repairs. We believe, it is going t change to scenario for Maruti and others who were ruling the roost for many years. The fuel economy that ARAI has claimed is of 20.6kmpl, and so our mix-drive of city and highway made a progress of something near to 17-18kmpl, which is almost somewhere near to its rivals. But the charm that it seems to have retained with it is the low pricing of spare parts so as to encourage many of the first-time car buyers. Expected to be launched in the category of sub Rs 4 lakh (ex-showroom) it has no rivals coming near to it in the vicinity of glazing accomplishments. And if proved successful, then the hatchback-derived A+ segment car of Datsun will definitely make way for the Nissan cars and also the MPV GO+. So guys, we say, don’t wait, GO and test drive once when it will be launched. It is worth doing that, trust us, especially the first-time car buyers.
Rating: 9/10
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