Datsun GO T VDC

GO T VDC Review

One of the most anticipated hatchback series of this year, Datsun GO has finally arrived in Indian automobile market. The company has introduced this new line up in four trim levels with a petrol engine as standard. The Datsun GO T is the high end variant and it comes with comfort aspects like air conditioning system with heater and filter, gear shift guide, speed sensitive power steering, front power windows, mobile docking station and much more. As far as safety aspects are concerned, it is equipped with functions like child lock system, engine immobilizer, manual central locking, front disc brakes, front and rear seat belts and so on. Powering this variant is the 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder DOHC based petrol power plant that enables the vehicle to produce a peak mileage of 20.6 Kmpl, which is rather good. The best part about this new hatchback model is its magnificent body structure with a lot of chrome inserts. The interiors of this trim are quite spacious and have been done up with quality material. This hatch can provide seating for five passengers comfortably. It will be competing with the likes of Maruti Alto 800, Celerio, Chevrolet Spark in the entry level hatchback segment.

Exteriors:

This newly introduced hatchback comes with a modernistic body design with expressive lines on its front and rear profiles. The front facade comes with an aggressive look, which has bold headlight cluster that comes incorporated with powerful halogen lamps and a side turn blinker. In the center, there is a 'Datsun Character Grille' surrounded by a thick chrome surround. The front body colored bumper has a muscular design and it comes incorporated with a pair of air ducts along with an air dam that adds to the dapper looks of the frontage. The overall front profile is complimented by the iconic “Datsun” logo fitted to the honey comb grille. The side profile of this hatch is quite decent and it is equipped with body colored door handles along with black colored ORVM caps. Here, the B and C pillars have been painted in black, while the window sills get body colored paint. The wheel arches have been well molded and they come fitted with a set of conventional 13 inch steel wheels with full wheel covers. The company has also equipped a full size spare wheel, which has been affixed inside the boot compartment. The rear end of this hatch is very attractive with the distinctly crafted boot lid and a radiant taillight cluster. The rear bumper too comes in body color and it houses the license plate.

Interiors:

The interiors of this top end trim have been done up pretty well and it comes integrated with interesting equipments. It has a lot of shoulder and leg space inside, unlike the traditional hatchbacks. The company has fitted the cockpit with spinal support based seats, which are connected with each other. Here the front and rear seats come with integrated head rest and have been covered with stylish jacquard fabric upholstery, which adds to the elegance of the insides. The dashboard is distinctly designed and it is equipped with a proficient air conditioning unit along with a heater and vents. Then this trim also has a spacious open glove box compartment along with a gearbox console. In addition to this, it also incorporated with a mobile docking station that features an amplifier, USB port, AUX-In socket and an accessory power socket as well . The car maker has also added features like reading lamps, a driver side storage tray and coin holder, passenger side storage tray with bottle holder, a digital tachometer along with a few other utility based features as well.

Engine and Performance:

This Datsun Go T trim sports an advanced 1.2-litre, In-Line petrol power plant with an electronic injection system. This engine is integrated with three cylinders, which further has twelve valves and produces a total displacement capacity of 1198cc . This DOHC based petrol engine can produce a maximum power of 67.07Bhp at 5000rpm that results in producing a peak torque output of 104Nm at 4000rpm, which is rather good for the Indian road conditions. The company has skillfully coupled this engine with an advanced 5 speed manual transmission gearbox that distributes the torque output to the front wheels. The manufacturer claims that this hatch has the ability to produce a mileage of 20.6 Kmpl (as per ARAI standards), which is quite attractive.

Braking and Handling:

The company has fitted the front wheels with high performance disc brakes, while equipping the rear ones with conventional drum brakes, which works efficiently in all road conditions. On the other hand, its front axle is fitted with McPherson Strut type of a mechanism accompanied with double pivot lower arm . The rear axle is equipped with an H-type torsion beam suspension and it is further assembled with high performance linear dampers, which improves the stability of this vehicle. Not to forget, this top end trim comes incorporated with a speed sensitive power steering system, which offers a precise response to the driver.

Comfort Features:

This top end variant comes with some interesting aspects that provides better comfort to the occupants. The list includes a manual air conditioning system with heater and air filter, front power windows, an electric power steering, rear seat bench folding, a digital tachometer, gear shift gauge, remote fuel lid opener, follow me home headlamps and a remote tailgate opener as well. This top end trim also comes with a drive computer that features an average fuel economy indicator, distance to empty and instantaneous fuel economy indicator. Above all this, the company has equipped a mobile docking station with USB socket, AUX-In port along with an amplifier and a universal mobile holder, which adds to the entertainment quotient of this variant.

Safety Features:

The Datsun Go T is the top end variant and it is equipped with crucial safety aspects like an engine immobilizer system that protects the vehicle from unauthorized access. The company is also offering three point seat for the front and rear seats. This trim also has a central locking system, headlamp leveling device and child locks for the doors .

Pros:

1. Affordable initial cost of ownership and maintenance.

2. Fuel efficiency and engine performance is good.

Cons:

1. No anti lock braking system and airbags.

2. Several more convenience features can be added.