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Buddy, there are several toll booths (atleast in MH) that collect $$$ and give tickets on the left side. Yeah, call it stupid, but that's how it is.

Given that the Go and the Micra are as similar as chalk & cheese, I am amazed you even used them in the same context, let alone suggest the Go will fare like the Micra in a crash test. :Frustrati
Even if they share the platform, it lacks logic to assume that the built-to-a-cost Go weighing only 2/3rd of the Micra will have the same crash results as the later.

Not just stupid, but a royal pain for cars with only driver in it. Down South, all of them have it on the right side - atleast don't remember seeing any the other way.

Agreed to what you have said above. Now, lets go back to what I said that sparked this debate. See below. I said that there is no data to support and the reasoning is based on gut feel. I was not passing judgments, but due to lack of data, making a guess.

Finally when they start testing cars here, who knows, Indian made Alto might turn out to be safer than even the S class.

Mod Note : Please avoid making any personal, provocative or sarcastic comment.

Considering Alto sets the benchmark in this segment, GO is certainly worth considering. I only wish they had provided proper seat belts at the rear and a lockable hatch. This is vital, as you can live with (or change) any other irritant.

The phone dock is a good idea but could have been to the drivers right, either on the dash or in a crevice. This isn't the right position for it.

Or why not think different and make the car bluetooth ready. Just that and remove everything else on the centre console? In terms of hardware/materials it should be cheaper.

If you ask me, it is positioned correctly. The 12 V charger and usb slot are closeby, and will avoid wires traversing across the steering to the position you are suggesting.

Has Nissan/Datsun officially mentioned that the Micra V platform is used for the Go? There were initial speculations that it would be based on the previous gen Micra.

Can we start referring to the car as DatGo or something? For search queries as mentioned earlier in the thread.

Now wondering what/how the Datsun i2 will be. :Frustrati

Nothing to be worked up, may be you will be surprised to read that I am a Micra fan; though I will plainly admit that it felt the tinniest car I have driven, that includes the Alto. That was why I got surprised when you mentioned Micra vs "Alto being the cheapest Maruti, would surely be the tinniest". Though, the Micra has so many other big positives to be a fan of. Hope you also have similar experience on Micra vs Alto before you made a guess and stated "Maruti is the king of tin boxes". Mine is also a feeling, I do not have concrete data including sheet metal thickness.

Apart, I do not think, many here will agree that tinniest alone = unsafe.

I think this problem occurs when they have a series of toll booths in a multi-lane road and one ticket-dispensing guy (inside the cabin) is for some reason absent, and then one guy serves tickets both on his right and left (with helpers standing on both sides of the cabin). This is, of course, an annoying practice for the driver, especially when he is driving alone. I often face this problem at Vashi toll plaza and Thane toll plazas. Don't know if this also happens in other states than MH.

For the record, am neither a micra fan or a go fan or an alto fan. But if somebody is to hold a gun against my head and asked me to choose between a Go and an alto, I'd pick the Go. Ok, now I am beginning to sound redundant, so... The reasoning is this: the manufacturer who is willing to be miserly with sheet metal is more likely to be miserly with the structural elements as well. You are more likely to find a safe car that is not tinny than one that is tinny.

Another half-hearted attempt by Nissan.Seems good only in parts but I feel overall there are more negatives than positives.seems like Nissan did'nt learn anything from the Evalia failure.

I can't actually figure out which sane customer would give preference to follow-me-home headlamps, MID, and speed-sensing wipers over basic necessities like power-steering, A/C, a proper lockable glove-box with a lid etc..etc? This is what I found in the feature specs of Go base model.Instead of these unwanted items (not really unwanted, unwanted in the sense, not really required in such a car) like mobile docking stand,speed-sensing wiper, MID etc, they could have given basic necessities like front passenger side ORVM, a glove-box lid, a proper twin wiper setup etc.If cost cutting is their argument, then why did they give those above mentioned additional features that are comparatively less relevant in an entry level base model?

I think in the current form,the only hope for Datsun Go is the taxi segment. May be Nissan is also aiming that, with that front-bench seat, huge boot, cheap-looking cab like interiors etc.But considering how unknown the name Datsun is among the taxi-wallas and how weak Nissan/Datsun service network is, compared to Toyota/Tata/mahindra, I have my doubts there too. I believe this was one of the many reasons why Evalia too could'nt find so many takers in taxi-segment.

Thank you for a superb review and excellent pictures, bblost and parrys! Rated the thread 5* as usual. :thumbs up

The Go is an interesting proposition by Datsun/Nissan to take on the Altos and the Eon. It is easily the largest and most spacious car in its segment, has the biggest engine, best torque output/torque-to-weight ratio and joint best power output/power-to-weight ratio. It also seems to have the best high speed manners thanks to its long wheelbase, wide track, low centre-of-gravity and decently sorted suspension and steering. The GC is good both on paper and in real world conditions, while the boot space is as much as some cars from a couple of segments above. It even has some nice features such as the MID with FE readings, digital tachometer and follow-me-home headlamps. The phone-dock (can't quite call it an ICE) is also a clever, low-cost way of making full use of the capabilities of one's smartphone.

On the negative side, the level of cost cutting in some areas is very glaring indeed. The following stuff should have been standard:

- glovebox lid
- ECU-authenticated engine immobiliser
- front passenger grab-rail
- passenger sun visor vanity mirror
- day-night IRVM
- internally adjustable ORVMs
- rear ELR seatbelts
- rear doors linked to interior light
- better insulation

Most importantly, a driver airbag should have been offered at least as an option, if not 2 airbags and ABS. The Alto800 and Eon thankfully do offer a driver airbag on some variants.

Everything else can be added as accessories. Datsun have done well by offering a wide variety of dealer accessories.

On the must swap list are better tyres. 155/70R13 is too small a size for the Go and the Indonesian Strada shoes are of unknown quality. 185/60R13 is a good upgrade size with a marginal GC increase, but there are very few options available. Plenty of options are available in both 165/65R13 and 175/60R13, but both come with a small GC decrease. Since the GC of the car is already good, it probably shouldn't matter much.

So there you go, Datsun. If you can offer these basic but important features as soon as possible (also right from the word go on the Go+) and market the car well, especially in smaller cities/towns (where the existing Nissan network is barely present), you can watch sales of the newest car brand in India go skywards. :D

Till then, I'm afraid it's going to be an uphill struggle to move the cars out of the showrooms in meaningful numbers.

Great review. IMHO, it is the best budget hatchback perfect for city driving. There are so many PROS going for it that the CONS are easily negated. Great effort by Nissan.

First things first. I often get very intrigued by the safety features and aspects of a car. Call me a devil's advocate. The auto industry buffs and jurnos alike have called the front seat on the Datsun Go as "unique". I feel the extension is actually a "temptation" in the making.

I just hope no will ever put a "little CHILD" in between the Seats. This really worries me.

I am trying my best to bring about awareness among friends, family and neighbours regarding the fatal risk involved in putting a young child on the front passenger seat or even when parents carry a child on their laps while in the passenger seats.

Excellent review.
But I would like to add my personal experience during test drive
I have test driven the car yesterday, surprised me how badly Nissan has spoiled the NVH, driver seating comfort and engine response available in micra active, when they made go.
i cannot believe its the same engine as in my micra active, totaly disappointed (in terms of noise and response).
A/c cooling is just 1/3 of micra active.
blower fan speed in 4th is same as micra's 2nd.
gear and steering are positioned very high, its not comfortable.
steering material is very bad that it require an additional steering grip for a comfortable drive.
The boot space is more than micra but this eats into rear leg space,(may eventually prove to be a foolish decision by datson). other wise the length is same as micra.
the fuel consumption promised by sale person is 20 plus with ac on, which i am not taking.
also my test car showed 3.0 km/l at 85km, and at 91km it is 3.1km/l which shows the digital meter is faulty.

Value for money i would suggest micra XL at 4.1lakhs compared to 3.76 t model, you get tilt-able steering, keyless entry, powerfull air con, standard power windows, refinement, comfort, styling etc...

Even spark, alto k10, i10 have a better feel i think. Even the nano's in-cabin feel is better(excluding the engine sound).

I think its a design disaster, Can an international brand Nissan do this?, may be they are safe as the branding is Datson. I think Nissan is taking a big risk.

Nissan got to improve on noise and vibration at-least, all other discomfort will not count at this price. Luxury is simply not present.

I take my words back!!

Test Drove the Go on 20th and the car really really disappoints. The lack of features is surprising when considering the price tag (I was told that the top end model will cost around 4.5 lakhs OTR in mumbai) At that price the Wagon R makes much more sense!

The engine was much better than the Wagon R though during my shortish test drive on service roads.