Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

By Super

Fasten your seat belts as we take you on a virtual first drive of the Datsun GO, a distinctive five-door, five-seat hatchback specifically crafted for the first-time new car buyer.

Before we spin away into the nitty gritties of the 2014 Datsun GO, we thought a quick history lesson could help brush-up your knowledge on Datsun, a brand owned by the Japanese manufacturer Nissan Motor Company.

Related: Datsun GO Accessories Packages Explained

Did you know the first Datsun model was rolled out in 1931, the same year New Delhi was inaugurated as the capital of India?

In fact, from 1958 to 1986 all the export vehicles from Japan were stamped under the Datsun brand. Datsun was ultimately phased out by Nissan in March 1986, only to be relaunched in July, 2013.

Related: Datsun GO Variant Feature Details

The first car unveiled under this refreshed banner, the Datsun GO, announced the arrival of the brand in a big way. The brand is aimed at catering to emerging markets such as India's, whose residents are constantly on the look-out for low-cost fuel efficient vehicles.

Engineered in India, for India, do you think the Datsun GO will rise up to meet the mounting expectations? From best-in-class torque to contrasting flimsy plasticware, we review the highs and lows of the Datsun GO. Hop on, let's get started...

The story continues in the next section. Click through the slides for more:

Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

The Datsun GO was launched in India on March 19, 2014. Click through the slides for our comprehensive pictorial review of Datsun's debut entrant.

  • Model tested: Petrol, top-end variant [T]
  • Car tested by: Jobo Kuruvilla
  • Kilometres tested: 150 kms, Hyderabad
  • Datsun GO Pricelist

    Datsun GO Pricelist

    The Datsun GO hatchback is offered at an attractive price range of INR 3.12 - 3.69 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi.

    Prices for variants are as follows:

    • D - INR 3,12,270
    • A - INR 3,46,482
    • T - INR 3,69,999
    • *** Ex-showroom, New Delhi

      Exterior

      Exterior

      While pricing is ultimately a deciding factor for any car purchase, the overall design of the four-wheeled machine plays a pivotal role. Several manufacturers design, create and build some of the snazziest cars in the world, hoping to win many a beating heart with their state-of-the-art exteriors. Datsun, forms part of that elite brigade, expressing that the GO's distinctive front exterior design has perhaps trumped over competitors Maruti Alto and Hyundai Eon.

      The standout design elements on the ‘face' of this hatchback is the integrated front bumper, which houses the "D-cut grille" with the Datsun logo and the cleverly cut-out three lower air intakes.

      Is the design as distinctive as they claim? Take a closer look.

      Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

      Off late, most designers prefer using the trendy bulging headlight. The design house at Datsun have expressed a smooth styling cue-- instead of the bulge, the GO's headlights have been angularly shaped.

      This sleek design strengthens the shoulder lines from the face to midway through the rear door where it curves towards the bulging rear light.

      For us, the design is neat and trim, no clutter. Do you agree or disagree?

      Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

      Shipshape or not, let's not forget that design to each is impressive in their own distinctive way. So, from the exterior design panorama, the GO's character lines suggest dynamic movement and wins our vote when compared to arch rivals Maruti Alto and Hyundai Eon.

      Factsheet:

      Dimensions in millimetres

      Datsun GO
      Ground clearance (mm) - 170

      Maruti Alto K10
      Ground clearance (mm) - 160

      Hyundai Eon
      Ground clearance (mm) - 170

      Colours

      Colours

      The Datsun Go will be offered in Sky (Blue), Silver, Ruby (Red), and White.

      >> Browse through the following slides for interiors & more.

      Interior

      Interior

      Even as a study of the exterior design left us thirsty for more, let us shift focus to the GO's interiors.

      The Datsun GO's interior design is modern, simple, functional, and ably ensures value for money. As seen in the image, the driver and front passenger cockpit features a stocky three-spoke steering wheel, soft touch leather feel grain patterns, and contrasting colours.

      The centre of the dashboard houses two silver accentuated ringed air vents, which can be closed if necessary. There are four air vents in total. These all-around features give it a somewhat premium feel.

      Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

      The uniqueness in the cockpit is the gear lever and parking brake handle. Take a close look at the image and you will notice these controls have been mounted in the centre console.

      At the first glance, I was not very impressed, but after spending a little more time in the car, the oddly positioned gear and parking controls began to grow on me.

      Datsun engineers claim that by removing these controls from the floor of the car, the passengers will have easy access between the cabins when the car has been parked in a tight parking spot, which, as we all know is the case in India at most times.

      Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

      Tight spot, you said? Get ready for a sore knee as the parking brake handle gets in your way while you rest your foot when not using the clutch. As you can imagine, it gets really annoying for a taller driver.

      *** The parking brake is fully engaged in this image.

      Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

      Some may believe that housing the gear lever and parking brake in the centre console has been adopted as a cost cutting initiative. Datsun engineers have a different story to tell when it comes to the benefits of this unique in-the-class centre console mounted gear and parking controls.

      Removing these controls from the floor of the car has led to connected front seats. As thoroughbred Indians, we love to keep our cars loaded (sometimes, overloaded) and this extra space can only be a good thing, making your things easily accessible.

      However, from the safety perspective, it is advised that this extra space not be used as an additional seat. Children especially should not be encouraged to use this as a seat.

      *** Refer image 8 and 10 to get a fair idea of the ‘connected front seats'.

      Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

      So the passenger and driver cockpit is fair enough and moving to the rear upon examination the leg, knee and shoulder room stood out to be near best-in-class.

      Factsheet:

      Dimensions in millimetres

      Datsun GO
      Length * width * height (mm) - 3785 * 1635 * 1485

      Maruti Alto K10
      Length x width x height (mm) - 3620 * 1475 * 1460

      Hyundai Eon
      Length * width * height (mm) - 3495 * 1550 * 1500

      Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

      New car hatchback buyers at this price look for adequate luggage space as well. And if you are among those buyers who requires best-in-class luggage volume, the GO will tick that box.

      Factsheet:

      Boot space in litres

      • Datsun GO - 265
      • Maruti Alto K10 - 160
      • Hyundai Eon - 215
      • Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

        Wheel back in history: Walter and Tom Davies of Llanelli, Wales, invented the ‘spare tyre' in 1904 at a time when motor cars were made without spare wheels. Manufacturing tyres under their company - Stepney Iron Mongers - they emerged as a leader back then. In India and Bangladesh, once a part of the British Empire, the word 'stepney' is more widely used than ‘spare tyre', making it one of those rare generic terms in the English language.

        A spare tyre has become a necessity in India. The unpredictability of Indian roads are such that our tyres take a beating more often than not. While the Datsun GO's spare tyre is easily accessible, the car jack is the missing link in this set-up. You will find the jack fixed under the front seat, strange, we thought.

        Features [Next 4 slides]

        Features [Next 4 slides]

        For some, the devil is in the details. Enter Datsun, who have seemingly showered the GO with very special attention, especially the little things. As seen in the image, a simple but effective single instrument panel caught my attention.

        Instrument panel features:

        • White and blue coloring
        • Digital tachometer
        • Average fuel economy smart meter
        • Instantaneous fuel economy
        • Low fuel warning
        • Trip meter
        • Electronic fuel gauge
        • Gear shift guide
        • *** The gear shift guide marked as ‘2,3,4, and 5', recommends a gear change according to the vehicle speed. Our suggestion, keep your eyes on the road, if not you probably won't get too far.

          Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

          Owing to increasingly congested roads, even your daily commute begins to take a toll on you like never before. A rock and roll drive is one way to keep those nerves relaxed. How? Try some foot-tapping music to calm those tensed road nerves.

          Unfortunately, to keep the price attractive, most entry level cars do not have an embedded audio system. Fortunately, Datsun adopted a tech-savvy approach with a Mobile Docking Station (MDS), which allows you to sync your smartphone directly with the car.

          The Mobile Docking Station allows you to slot your phone into a holder, which can be paired by an aux cable to play music through the car's integrated door mounted speakers. If your phone runs out of charge, which is the case with most smart phones, worry not. Just plug your USB cable and keep GO-ing.

          Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

          Think! With this set-up you are not restricted to listening to your regional radio stations alone. Open up your world by accessing the internet and streaming music from radio apps such as TuneIn, Pandora, iHeart, and Digitally Imported for that true musical experience.

          Keeping in mind the huge growth in smartphone ownership in India, we think Datsun hit the bullseye with this option.

          Fact:
          Upto 70 per cent of new handsets in India are smartphones.

          Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

          Overall, key features in the top-end variant of the Datsun GO are as follows:

          • Power steering
          • Power windows
          • Connected front seats
          • Mobile Docking Station (MDS)
          • Central locking (manual)
          • Accessory socket (12V)
          • Front speakers (both sides, one each)
          • Door pockets capable of holding 1.5 litre bottles
          • Intelligent wiping system (IWS) [varies the wiping interval depending on the speed of the vehicle rather than having a set delay between sweeps of the blade].
          • Lows - No airbags, ABS. Safety is a big worry for this car. At the least, Datsun should have provided an airbag on the driver's side as a standard.

            Click here to read more about Indian Cars Fail Global NCAP Crash Test In The Worst Possible Way.

            Engine

            Engine

            The Datsun GO is powered by a 1.2-litre (1,198cc) three-cylinder engine. While engineers explain the benefits of a three-cylinder engine related to weight, fuel efficiency and cost, I wondered about the potential vibrations that could be caused by the imbalance at idle speeds.

            During the drive, my worry was confirmed. Vibrations, an inherent refinement concern of a three-cylinder engine at idle speeds, was felt. However, Datsun engineers have done a fair job in keeping the vibrations under control. They have developed a counterbalance system to control the same.

            Moreover, as you step on the gas, no vibration is felt and a noisy engine kicks-in with a sudden surge. That was a surprise!

            Performance

            Performance

            The engine is noisy compared to a four-cylinder. This is primarily because of the fewer firing cycles per revolution, so, the three-cylinder engine will sound rougher than a four-cylinder at the same crank speed.

            We believe, as long as the car transports the new car buyer from point A to point B, the noisy engine will soon be forgotten.

            What really impressed us is the GO's power (67 bhp) and best-in-class torque of 104 Nm. We managed a top-speed of 165 km/h and clocked 0 to 100 km/h in 13.5 seconds.

            Fact Sheet: Bhp & Torque

            Datsun GO (1,200cc)
            Bhp - 67 bhp
            Torque - 104 Nm

            Maruti Alto K10 (1,000cc)
            Bhp - 67 bhp
            Torque - 90 Nm

            Fuel Economy

            Fuel Economy

            At this price, the focus is less on performance, and more on mileage. The claimed mileage figure is 20.6 kpl (As per ARAI). During our test run we managed to get a fuel efficiency of 17 kpl with combined city and highway driving.

            Factsheet: Fuel Economy as per ARAI

            Datsun GO (1,200cc) - 20.6 kpl
            Maruti Alto K10 (1,000cc) - 20.2 kpl
            Hyundai Eon (800cc) - 21.1 kpl

            Drivetrain, transmission & pedals

            Drivetrain, transmission & pedals

            The Datsun GO is a front wheel drive with a five-speed manual gearbox, which felt a bit notchy.

            The torque of 104 Nm resulted in less upshift at lower engine speeds, which helped during normal city driving and while on the highway downshift at higher rpms required a little effort to the get the perfect shift.

            On the other hand, the hanging pedals (clutch/ brake/ accelerator) required less effort in normal city and highway driving.

            On the road

            On the road

            When it comes to handling, body roll was evident. Let's not forget at 769 kgs, the Datsun GO is the lightest car for this body and engine size (1,198cc).

            At higher speeds, a good effort on the steering and your driving skills come in to play to keep the car firm on the road. This is mainly due to the long travel suspension, which raises the centre of gravity (CG) to a point where body roll affects the safety and handling characteristics.

            This is not your ‘On Any Sunday' race car. The purpose of the Datsun GO is to get you from point A to point B, which it does quite well.

            Steering

            Steering

            High-speed cornering or manoeuvring at low speeds requires little effort on the electric power steering (EPS). At low speeds, the steering feels lighter and as you raise to higher speeds the steering offers more force ensuring control.

            Factsheet:

            Turning radius (metres)

            • Datsun GO (m) - 4.6
            • Maruti Alto K10 (m) - 4.6
            • Hyundai Eon (m) - 5
            • Suspension, braking & tyres

              Suspension, braking & tyres

              Keeping in mind our larger-sized families, AKA ‘joint families' and the like, ground clearance and ride comfort is a crucial factor to be considered in a country like India.

              The GO features a long travel suspension, which allows higher than average ground clearance and refined ride comfort. The braking is taken care of by ventilated front disc brakes and drum brakes at the rear for shorter stopping distance.

              During our drive the braking and tyres did a fair job. However, a clunk noise was experienced under very hard braking conditions and a lot of tyre noise at speeds above 120+ kph.

              Factsheet:

              Tyres sizes

              • Datsun GO - 155/70R13
              • Maruti Alto K10 - 155/65/R13
              • Hyundai Eon - 145/80/R12
              • Off the mark

                Off the mark

                While we realise it is unfair to nitpick everything considering the price, we did notice some unsettling flimsy plasticware on the door panels. As seen in the image, the door panels slipped off a little too easily when we yanked it loose. They slotted right back into place just as easy. Sturdier plastic, perhaps?

                Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

                It wasn't just the plastic. The top end variant we drove did not have a day/night dimming rear view mirror. This can be a big concern during night drives as there can be annoying headlight reflection from tailing vehicles. This cost cutting approach was absolutely unnecessary.

                Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

                On the exteriors, we noticed the plastic on the circumference of the windshield below the wiper blades were a bit loose. A few more screws could have sorted this out.

                Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

                Earlier, we discussed the vibrations at idle speeds. If you park up right behind the Datsun GO, you will notice a shaky exhaust system. A closer examination underneath the car revealed a weak clamp. It does the job of holding the exhaust in place; however, a little more attention could have been paid here.

                Datsun GO Review: GO-ing The Distance

                Last but not least, the missing boot lock is just not acceptable. You cannot open the car boot from the outside, instead you have to open it by accessing the boot release latch from the inside [driver's side].

                Verdict

                Verdict

                Pros:

                • Striking exterior
                • Spinal front seats
                • Refined ride comfort
                • High ground clearance
                • Mobile Docking Station
                • Best-in-class roominess
                • Best-in-class boot space
                • Best-in-class power & torque
                • Good mileage in city & highway
                • 2 years of warranty regardless of kilometres
                • Cons:

                  • Missing boot lock
                  • The lack of a closed glove box
                  • No safety features [Airbags, ABS]
                  • Flimsy plasticware for cost cutting
                  • Noise, Vibrations and Harshness [NVH]
                  • Non-adjustable outside rear view mirrors
                  • No master power window controls at driver's side
                  • X-factor:
                    Great value for money for the first-time car buyer

                    Value for money:
                    3.5/ 5

                    Our Datsun GO review ends here. Do feel free to reach out to us for any queries or suggestions - we greatly value your feedback.

Written by: Jobo Kuruvilla

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Article Published On: Monday, March 24, 2014, 16:50 [IST]
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