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Datsun gives CVT treatment to the Go and Go+ hatchbacks

LifestyleDatsun gives CVT treatment to the Go and Go+ hatchbacks

Nissan’s low cost car brand Datsun has now been in India for 5 years. There are 3 cars on offer which include the first 2 that were launched, the Go and the Go+. While the former is known for its practicality the latter is easily the most affordable 7-seater you can buy. Both the cars were given a major facelift last year which made them a lot more appealing. And now in 2019 the Japanese car maker has gone automatic with the two cars. This treatment means the cars become the most affordable CVTs in India if Nissan is to be believed. We were at the home of Nissan India, Chennai to sample both the cars.

Looks

After the facelift that came last year both these cars became quite attractive when it came to looks. Chrome around the large hexagonal grille, new sweptback headlamps and a new bumper all added to that. The highlight of course are the daytime running LED lights which are in shape of a vertical strip. On the profile the 14- inch wheels look just the right sized complimenting the dimensions of both these cars. You also have roof rails and a spoiler that comes as an accessory to add to the sporty character. And special mention of the new vivid blue colour on the Go+, it makes the car really stand out. The CVT badge on the tail gate of course gives it away.

Interior

The facelifts means the interiors too became more attractive in these cars. There’s an all-black colour theme in the Go versus a black/gray combination that the Go+ gets. The CVT gear lever as was the case earlier is nicely mounted on the dash thereby creating more storage space between the seats. The touch screen system albeit of the same size is different from the one seen on the manual variants. In fact it won’t be incorrect to call in inferior, maybe a step to lessen the difference between the prices of manual and CVT variants. The seats though are nice and big on both the rows and provide ample space. The third row of seats on the Go+ do not offer too many practicality options like how it is on the recently launched Renault Triber.

There’s an all-black colour theme in the Go, while the Go+ gets a black/grey colour combination.

Engine

The numbers have always been adequate on the 3-cylinder 1.2 litre petrol engine that does the duty on both these cars. 68 PS of maximum power and 104 Nm of torque has meant the cars have been able city commuters. And what can make a city commuter even better? Yes you guessed it right—a CVT gearbox. It is heartening to see Datsun choosing to put a CVT instead of AMT ensuing you get a responsive drive at the cost of little bit of fuel efficiency which by the way at 20 kmpl isn’t less by any means. There’s enough torque available at all times and you hardly feel any jerks while the car is one the move. Yes the rubber band effect that comes with CVTs can be felt when the throttle is pushed hard but the Datsun has put a sport mode to take care of those needs. Even on the inclines this engine climbs very smoothly with a lot of ease.

Ride & Handling

You want your urban car to be nimble and agile while being able to absorb the bumps and potholes pretty well. The Datsun Go and Go+ are able to do that job with ease. The stability at high speeds too is quite decent while the engine and wind noise also do not bother you too much. Between the two cars you will enjoy the dynamics of the Go a bit more owing to the near perfect dimensions as well as the lighter weight. A ground clearance of 180 mm also does no harm to the dynamic capabilities, in fact adds to the practicality of these cars.

Verdict

It’s good to see that even after so many years Datsun is betting big on the Go and Go+. The cars have certainly become better with time and this latest update aims at providing a more advanced automatic option to the consumer at an affordable cost. These cars will be launched soon to make use of the buyer sentiment in the festive season. In fact, Nissan is confident of launching them at a price that is way lesser than any other CVT hatchback being sold currently in the market. And if that happens both these cars will be great value for money offerings.

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