Road Test and Review: Datsun GO
Probably by now, most of us have heard and read so much about the reincarnation of Datsun and their first car for India – the GO. Some of us have even seen the car at the Auto Expo or at the showroom previews. Expectations run high when a brand returns after almost 33 years with a mass-market car. I recently spent a day with the Datsun GO to find out if the car lives up to the high expectations.
Design
Datsun Go has a flawless styling, with some smart touches and neat proportions. The hexagonal honeycomb grille with chrome surround looks handsome without being edgy. The sharp and angular design of the headlamps and the airdams add to the chiseled look of the car’s face. The profile is clean, but marred by the skinny 155/70R13 tyres. The rear, though bland, doesn’t disappoint with raked windshield and bulging taillights. GO’s simple yet elegant exterior design is certainly among the best in the A segment.
Although the Datsun GO is based on Nissan Micra’s V-platform, there’s no resemblance between the two on the exterior. Stepping inside, though, you’ll promptly notice the air-con vents and the stalks are lifted from the Micra. However, the biggest advantage of the V-platform is the generous cabin space. Dashboard-mounted gearstick and slim seats have helped in effective space management. Although the shifting action is notchy, the gear lever is ergonomically placed and is comfortably within reach.
The umbrella type handbrake is oddly located on the dashboard and you are bound to smack it with your knee every time you dip the clutch. On the flipside, the car gets connected front seats similar to the Ambassador’s. While offering liberal space, the seats lack significant side bolsters and neck support. Yet, back support is optimal because seats have been designed using technology from Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti.
The steering wheel is placed a little too high and is uncomfortable for long drives. Instrument cluster is basic but gets a digital display for tachometer, fuel gauge, trip computer, distance to empty and real time fuel efficiency.
Instead of an audio system, the GO gets a smartphone docking station. Don’t get your hopes so high; the swanky smartphone shown in the picture is not part of the standard equipment. While the docking station allows you to play music from phone using aux-in, it doesn’t support USB, CD or memory card.
Boot space is commendably huge at 265-litres, which is certainly the best in the segment and even better than many of the bigger cars. The GO also comes with speed-sensing wipers and follow-me-home headlamps as segment-first features.
Major shortcomings, rather cost-cutting measures, include the boot without a lock (you need to open it from inside), non-adjustable outside mirrors and lid-less glovebox.
Performance
The GO’s three-cylinder, 1198cc petrol engine makes a maximum power of 67bhp at 5,000rpm and peak torque of 104 Nm at 4,000rpm. It clearly has power advantage over Alto 800’s 796cc and Eon’s 814cc engines. Even with the AC turned on, the engine responds swiftly to the touch of the pedal and has near-flat torque curve across the rev-range. Third gear offers a wide enough power band and hence great "around town" flexibility. The GO is capable of doing a 0-100 kmph run in 13.3 seconds and can cross 140 kmph effortlessly. Datsun claims a fuel economy of 20.6 kilometres to the litre.
Ride & Handling
A tight turning radius, light steering and great visibility make the Datsun GO easy to drive in city. The ride, handling and overall refinement aren't up to muster, though. Poor sound deadening means the cabin isn’t calm, with noise from the road, wind and engine all contributing.
The car suffers from substantial bodyroll, but at low speeds, the suspension is okay at taking the sting out of potholes and humps. The ride gets slightly nervous when you’re going faster but it’s not unsettling.
Biggest disappointment could be the inevitable idling vibration of the three-cylinder engine, but things get better once you're on the go.
Safety
When it comes to safety, GO doesn’t tick all the right boxes. ABS and airbags are not even an option with this car. However, GO is the only car in its segment to get ventilated disc brakes. Although lack of ABS makes the car slightly unconfident under panic braking, ventilated disc brakes displayed great capability during the test.
Conclusion
Datsun is all set to launch the GO later this month with a sub-Rs. 4 lakh price tag. While not too rich on features, the car has the advantage of a no-nonsense design and best in class space and performance. Datsun offers 2-year/unlimited mileage warranty, too. As you may already be aware, Datsun is owned by Nissan and the latter will be responsible for distribution, sales and service of the GO. Now that Nissan has dumped Hover Automotive and decided sell its cars on its own in India, aftersales is also expected to improve. In short, Datsun GO is great value for money and has all the potential to woo first time buyers.
Design
Datsun Go has a flawless styling, with some smart touches and neat proportions. The hexagonal honeycomb grille with chrome surround looks handsome without being edgy. The sharp and angular design of the headlamps and the airdams add to the chiseled look of the car’s face. The profile is clean, but marred by the skinny 155/70R13 tyres. The rear, though bland, doesn’t disappoint with raked windshield and bulging taillights. GO’s simple yet elegant exterior design is certainly among the best in the A segment.
The umbrella type handbrake is oddly located on the dashboard and you are bound to smack it with your knee every time you dip the clutch. On the flipside, the car gets connected front seats similar to the Ambassador’s. While offering liberal space, the seats lack significant side bolsters and neck support. Yet, back support is optimal because seats have been designed using technology from Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti.
Boot space is commendably huge at 265-litres, which is certainly the best in the segment and even better than many of the bigger cars. The GO also comes with speed-sensing wipers and follow-me-home headlamps as segment-first features.
Major shortcomings, rather cost-cutting measures, include the boot without a lock (you need to open it from inside), non-adjustable outside mirrors and lid-less glovebox.
The GO’s three-cylinder, 1198cc petrol engine makes a maximum power of 67bhp at 5,000rpm and peak torque of 104 Nm at 4,000rpm. It clearly has power advantage over Alto 800’s 796cc and Eon’s 814cc engines. Even with the AC turned on, the engine responds swiftly to the touch of the pedal and has near-flat torque curve across the rev-range. Third gear offers a wide enough power band and hence great "around town" flexibility. The GO is capable of doing a 0-100 kmph run in 13.3 seconds and can cross 140 kmph effortlessly. Datsun claims a fuel economy of 20.6 kilometres to the litre.
A tight turning radius, light steering and great visibility make the Datsun GO easy to drive in city. The ride, handling and overall refinement aren't up to muster, though. Poor sound deadening means the cabin isn’t calm, with noise from the road, wind and engine all contributing.
The car suffers from substantial bodyroll, but at low speeds, the suspension is okay at taking the sting out of potholes and humps. The ride gets slightly nervous when you’re going faster but it’s not unsettling.
Biggest disappointment could be the inevitable idling vibration of the three-cylinder engine, but things get better once you're on the go.
When it comes to safety, GO doesn’t tick all the right boxes. ABS and airbags are not even an option with this car. However, GO is the only car in its segment to get ventilated disc brakes. Although lack of ABS makes the car slightly unconfident under panic braking, ventilated disc brakes displayed great capability during the test.
Conclusion
Datsun is all set to launch the GO later this month with a sub-Rs. 4 lakh price tag. While not too rich on features, the car has the advantage of a no-nonsense design and best in class space and performance. Datsun offers 2-year/unlimited mileage warranty, too. As you may already be aware, Datsun is owned by Nissan and the latter will be responsible for distribution, sales and service of the GO. Now that Nissan has dumped Hover Automotive and decided sell its cars on its own in India, aftersales is also expected to improve. In short, Datsun GO is great value for money and has all the potential to woo first time buyers.
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