Datsun will be launching facelifts of the Go hatchback and its seven-seater derivative, the Go+ sometime in September this year. The new Go+ was spotted testing earlier and now we have a new spy picture of the Go under test.
Being a facelift, changes in the new Datsun Go's design are not a major departure from the current model; but are revised enough to make a small difference. The most significant changes will be made to the car's front where it will get a new mesh grille with different chrome detailing, tweaked headlamps and a redesigned bumper which will also sport daytime running LEDs. On the higher variants, expect to see the addition of 14-inch alloy wheels.
Moving to the inside, expect the major changes to be made here. The inevitable change will be a new dash. It will still have the gear lever mounted to it but has a new profile with new aircon vents in the centre and a noticeably integrated 6.75-inch touchscreen set up with Bluetooth and mirroring connectivity options – but we are not sure about Apple Car Play and Android Auto. Moreover, there will also be a revised instrument cluster which will see a newly added tachometer.
Datsun has finally done away with the bench-like front seats – a welcome change, since the old seats encouraged the unsafe practice of carrying an extra unbelted front passenger. It will now be equipped with individual buckets for the driver and front passenger. This has also helped relocate the handbrake to the centre – away from the current location on the dash.
On the features front, expect the new model to carry some more kit which could feature electric mirror adjustment and four-door power windows. In a bid to meet the upcoming crash test norms, the facelifts are also likely to have front airbags, ABS and rear parking sensors as standard. A rear wiper can also be seen on the test car.
Mechanically no major change is expected. Both the Go and Go+ will continue to be powered by the current 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission. With the update, though, expect the price of both the Datsun models to go up by Rs 25,000-50,000.
In a bid to improve its market share, Nissan India has recently reinforced its two-brand strategy where Datsun will play a key role to take on the uner-10-lakh-rupees car market in India. So after the launch of the Go and Go+, you should expect a new Redigo, too.