Long Term Test: Datsun Go+

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Total Kms: 5000
Fuel: INR 26,000/-
Wrecks: Nill
Hiccups: Nill

 

Let’s go back 20 years. . . There were very few options for you. Ask any 90’s kid, how they learnt to drive. The answer will be either an Amby or the M800. The latter was the cutest family car ever built which is affordable to the working class, pocket friendly machine and of course fun to drive. The new version of the Maruti Suzuki 800 isn’t as lovable as the old one. There will be many reasons and one among the reason is what you see in pictures here. This, the new Datsun Go+ is the new cutest entry level car.

 

After the launch of the facelift-ed variants of the Go and Go+, I could spot a lot of Go+ on the road. I was impressed by the facelift-ed variants during my short media drive in Chennai, but I wanted to understand the comfort and convenience of the Go+ in a long term and hence this story!

How good is the car?

 

A question I have come across lot of times during my 5000Km drive in the Go+. People want budget oriented car which is reliable and pocket friendly. Though they have seen and driven the Go+ from showrooms, they wanted to understand the ownership experience. People who want to carry their family and who are willing to use the third row seats for kids are much inclined towards the Go+. The Go+ is purpose built! The car you see in pictures are attractive to look at and easy to handle inside the city. The LED DRLs and the 5-spoke alloys on the top-end variant gives the Go+ a premium stance.

 

Safety a priority

 

Safety features like ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Reverse Parking Sensor and dual airbags comes as standard in the Go+. Thus, the Go+ offers a secure journey compared to the competition.

Can it carry 5 adults and 2 kids?

 

The answer is ‘yes’ if it is inside the city for a short run. The space really matters a lot! The second row is comfortable for two adults only and if you want to squeeze the third one, it is possible for a short run. Most of my time with the Go+ was out on the highways. The car will offer good comfort for four adults and as much luggage as you want folding the third row which will give 346 litres of boot space. You do get 180mm of ground clearance which will help the car not to lower down much even when fully loaded.

On the inside

 

Things I love inside the Datsun Go+ is the neatly laid out interiors. A simple and plain dual tone dash board comes with Blaupunkt 7-inch touchscreen in the centre console with Android Auto and Apple Car Play. The USB/Aux ports are positioned under the gear lever and you will take your own time to find out where it is. The touchscreen is very easy to use and is one of the best features offered in its class.

 

The seats offer decent comfort for the price you pay. I have done 500km stretches on the Go+ carrying three adults and luggage. The seats offer better comfort than I expected on a long run. I would have felt more exhausted in case of the rivals except if its a Celerio or WagonR.

 

The storage compartments are easily accessible and hence easy to clean. In many modern cars, the side pockets and compartments would be difficult to access. Even though the Go+ is a small car, Datsun has designed it such a way that it is easily accessible.

 

How comfortable is it to drive?

 

Under the hood is the 1.2 litre three cylinder petrol motor with peak power output of 68hp and 104Nm as before. The Go+ with its lightweight body, always feel peppy to drive. Once the tachometer crosses the 2000rpm mark, you get enough power on tap and ready for the urban jungle.

 

Comfortable cruising speed on highways is around 100-110kmph and speeding above 110kmph is not advisable as you will have to deal with cross winds and vibrations. The speed figures are pretty impressive for a budget oriented hatch.

 

Is it pocket friendly?

 

I haven’t faced even a small hiccup during my 5000km drive. Thus proves the Datsun Go+ is reliable, the parts are easily available and doesn’t cost a fortune while servicing. The petrol motor is an oil burner and with rocket high petrol prices, driving the Go+ inside the city will burn your pockets a bit. The Go+ will only return 11kmpl inside the city commute and will offer upto 15kmpl on the highways. However, the Go+ will mostly be used for city commutes and the customers would expect a little more miles per litre.

 

While the price starts from 5.3 lakh and goes up to 5.9 lakh ex-showroom, the Go+ is little pricey and still we are able to see a lot of cars on the road now. If Datsun could price it below 5.5 lakh on-road for the top variant, it is a great buy.

 

I strongly recommend you to visit showrooms if this is the car for your purpose, because the dealers are offering great discounts!


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