Datsun Go Datsun has announced its relaunch about two years ago and its launch in South Africa soon after. Ever since, South Africans couldnt wait to hear what Datsun has in store for us. Now though, they can enjoy a sight of relief because the Datsun Go is among us. The Datsun Go is an entry level hatchback with an awesome price tag of just under a R100 000. For those young ones looking for their very own, first set of wheel, look no further. Backed by a company not only loved and trusted by South Africa. On top af that, it comes with backing by Nissan. A name that is trusted in South Africa. STYLING Not a bad looking vehicle, the pictures doesnt do it justice though. I wouldnt call it pretty, but its not offensive. From the front, angled headlamps, shapely bonnet, a large hexagonal grille with silver surroundings and that awesome Datsun badge. Along the side is a rising shoulder line that carries your eyes to the rear where you will find hints of the loved Nissan Micra. If it might be too dull for your taste, a range of accessories are available in the form of chrome fittings, roof rails, a spoiler and some sweet alloys. INTERIOR Light colour is what you see, but a black centre console is found in the middle just above the gear lever. Plastic is used everywhere, but somehow it doesnt necessarily remind you of the low price tag, however, the low price tag does cause concerns about quality, fit and finish. The Go interior consists mainly of hard plastics so you know its of decent quality. I liked the bench like seats however it might not be to everyones liking. The seats are also 2-part adjustable. In the middle youll find a high-mounted gear lever and umbrella-style handbrake. Like the exterior, the interior can be personalised with seat covers and others trim items to suit the potential owner. DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT and CAPACITIES Measuring in at 3 785mm in length, 1 635mm in width, 1 485mm in height and its wheelbase is 2 450mm long. The Go is a small hatchback, but feels spacious inside and is supposed to be able to carry up to 5 passengers comfortably. It has a luggage capacity of 265 dm3. With overall weight of just 800 kg, the Go is light and has an economical fuel consumption figure of 5,2 litre/100 km and has a 35 litre fuel tank so driving economical is pretty much all you want to do. ON THE ROAD Fitted with a 1.2 litre, 3 cylinder, petrol engine that delivers 50 KW and 104 N.m of torque. Mated with a 5 speed manual transmission, with short gearing and there is the feel of ample power and torque and enough grunt for quick acceleration. Inclines and low revs do need a downshift or two to get momentum, but overall the nippy little engine does a fine job of moving the little Go along. The engine can get a bit noisy though. It is easy to drive the little Go in and around the city. The steering is well weighted and offers enough feel and feedback to make the driver feel confident with a kerb-to-kerb turning circle of 4,6 metres. SPECIFICATIONS 2 Spec levels, mid and lux. Glaring omissions of standard features is ABS and airbags, none of which are available on the Datsun Go. This is unacceptable as safety is the number one priority in automobiles today. Some might say, people have been driving without those features for ages. The fact of the matter is times have changed, peoples driving styles have changed. A driver side airbag would have been acceptable. There is however talks of airbags in next years Go production, so lets hope it happens. SPECS Price: R89 500 (mid), R99 500 (lux) Engine: 1,2 3 cylinder petrol Power: 50 KW Torque: 104 N.m 0-100 km/h: 13.3 seconds Top Speed: 161 km/h Fuel consumption: 5.2 litre/100 km CO2: 123 g/km
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 15:08:11 +0000
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