Datsun Go review, road test

You won’t be wrong to think the Go belongs to a segment or two above; it’s that much larger than similarly priced rivals like the Maruti Alto K10 and Hyundai Eon at one end, and the Maruti Wagon R at the other. Comparable in size to the Nissan Micra (with which it shares its underpinnings and 2,450mm wheelbase), the Go immediately makes an impression on the price-to-size front. But it’s not the Go’s size alone. The styling doesn’t reveal that this is, in effect, a budget car either. There are no straight lines or easy-to-produce flat panels in sight, and that says a lot.

The Go’s front is dominated by a large hexagonal grille, which is a detail that will be seen on Datsuns of the future as well. Lending a healthy dose of aggression to the design is the bold V on the bonnet and that smartly sculpted front bumper. The large, swept-back and beautifully detailed headlamps look neat and also serve as the starting point for the well-defined beltline. In profile, you can see a nice balance in the Go’s design, with a hint of the Nissan Leaf in the raked rear windscreen. Sadly, you also can’t escape the impression that the Go is under-tyred. The diet 155/70 R13 tyres look two sizes too small and lost in the large wheel arches. Further up, an interesting detail is the black cladding just aft of the rear windows; it helps mask some of the bulk of the thick C-pillars. But what will really grab your attention are the muscular haunches that originate at the rear doors and flow elegantly into the outward-bulging tail-lights. Even the tailgate has nice surfacing, with a central ‘platform’ for the Datsun logo. All in all, the Go looks smart, modern and robust, yet steers clear of looking overstyled like the Hyundai Eon.

Like the current-generation Micra and Micra Active, the Go is built on a modified version of Nissan’s V platform and features similar front MacPherson-strut and rear torsion-bar suspension. However, the Go uses different ‘high-response’ linear dampers (which Nissan claims is technology derived from its luxury brand Infiniti), and even the electronic power steering has been tweaked. But the bigger difference is in its weight. At just 788kg, the Go is a full 110kg lighter than the Micra Active. The weight savings have come from optimising the thickness of the metal across the body, and from a greater use of plastic all around. However, it is likely that, in a bid to pare weight, Nissan has also done away with some reinforcements required to meet the best crash norms. Speaking of safety kit, the Datsun Go does without ABS or airbags, and these are not even offered as optional extras. There’s no rear wiper or defogger either, and only a single (albeit speed-sensing) wiper up front.