The Datsun brand has been resurrected and is here in
India. The Go is their first offering and looks set to give the small car
segment more get up and go
It’s a small world, they say, but in truth,
how small is small? When you stop at a traffic light, how often do you
recognise anyone there? It’s usually faces you’ve never seen before. It’s quite
a big world, it is. So, when the small hatchback segment gets a rather big
challenger with a new face and an extremely competitive price-tag, it’s almost
certain that feathers will be ruffled.
Datsun is a company that began
manufacturing operations in 1931. The brand-name remained until 1986, with
Nissan exporting models using the ‘Datsun’ name. It was then phased out, but
now, the name is back, returning as the entry-car brand for growing and
upcoming markets. Nissan have positioned Datsun as the ‘brand of the risers’
and it makes complete sense. For a first car, you would expect something
convenient, frugal and spacious with low maintenance and easy driveability, and
the Go ticks all those boxes, or so it seems.
The
smart styling cues of the Datsun Go makes a good presence on the road, the car
doesn’t appear basic
Take a good look at the car and, barring
the front grille, it’s very Micra. The proportions are rather generous for the
segment; there’s no question about that. The quality of sheet metal and levels
of fit-and-finish are not too bad at all. The angular light clusters go well
with the design theme, and each part looks well-integrated, unlike some of its
competition, which look as if the creators merely rummaged through the parts
bin.
Inside, too, the same levels of consistency
continue. Parts do not look out of place and gaps between components invite
respect. Yes, the quality of plastics and fittings makes you realise that this
car was built to a price, but other than that, there is little or no reason to
complain. The steering wheel isn’t abnormally large as is the case with some
cars, and it lets you get a good grip with chunky 10:10 areas to grab on to.
The dashboard extension gear-shift lever is ergonomic and comes within natural
reach.
The
dashboard looks simple and plain but offers good practicality for the users
If there was an annoyance, it would be the
parking brake lever, which extends out from under the dash when engaged, and,
when it’s time to let go, you could get your fingers caught in the gap. Once
it’s in, the problems will continue for some. The handle protrudes and gets
into your knee-room. You have to adjust the seat as far back as possible to
avoid hitting your knee on it. That’s about the only inconvenience. Well,
almost. The T model we drove has front power windows, but in the interest of
costs, there’s only one switch per door. So, the driver has to reach across and
over the passenger seat to get the front passenger window down.
The
Datsun Go is fast yet frugal, returning ARAI 20.6 km/l of fuel efficiency
Look around and the rest of what is on
offer isn’t bad at all. You have two wing mirrors, both manually adjustable
from the outside, of course. There’s an instrument panel with a large analogue
speedo and a number of tell-tale lights. But, the part I was happy to see was
the amber-backlit digital unit below the speedo. Yes, it has an odo and trip
counter, but, unlike many cars in its segment, it also features a tachometer: a
little digital rev-counter, with a red-line, or digital black-line, at 5,250
RPM signifying the rev limit. That’s an important piece of equipment to have,
in my opinion. Those seeking economy would be wise to check their revs. Most
manufacturers tell you not to exceed 50 km/h in the interest of economy, but
not many tell you that it should be in the fifth gear and not second to achieve
that benefits! Datsun have gone about it in a completely different way, putting
shift markers on the speedo to ensure that shifts are done at least around the
optimal time.
