The Datsun Go CVT gets going in a smooth and relaxed manner with a rich bottom end, but no really perceptible sense of urgency. That’s great if a relaxed, city-speed drive is what the commute is going to be about. Step on it, however, and the strain is evident. The revs climb and the engine noise becomes a loud drone; the CVT, at times, felt like it didn’t want to change its set-up and when it did, it was an almost a gear-shift like reaction. The speed, too, climbed too slowly, making the whole stomping exercise redundant. If you want to gather speed, it’s best done with a progressively heavy right foot rather than a stomp.
That said, the Datsun Go CVT does have a decent suspension set-up and potholes and rough patches of road are dealt with well. The ride quality is rather good and the only real issues, be it body-roll, cornering confidence or the vague steering feel and brake feel, come up with speed. Stay below 50 km/h and it feels just about all right. The build quality could be much better, though. The doors and door-panels are far from satisfactory and the vibration-laden judder when the doors or bonnet are shut was disturbing. The Datsun Go CVT does have ABS with EBD and even stability control and two front airbags, but safety needs to be engineered from the ground up and not added as assistance systems. Things like basic handling characteristics, better steering feel, and adjustable head-rests will go a long way in promoting its case in the decision-making process. Then again, it’s hard to deliver the goods in the price bracket and that makes me question the very need for the car.
I’d happily spend Rs 3-4 lakh on a decent pre-owned car with a better safety and higher quality fit-and-finish. Having spoken to a lot of people, I have encountered some who refuse to buy anything other than a brand-new car. If you’re one of those, specifically looking for a new car on a tight budget, this is one of the cars you need to look at. Another aspect that Datsun haven’t considered is the possibility of having an entry-level CVT model. The transmission is only available on the top-tier T and T(O) models and that means it won’t come cheap. It feels built to a price and, as such, a sub-5-lakh CVT trim level would probably make a difference with its presence in the line-up felt. This new Datsun Go CVT will be at least Rs 75,000 more than the equivalent, less powerful manual trim level. Thus, if you’re looking for a shiny new car with a CVT box and have a budget of Rs 6 lakh or so, this is the only way to go.
Edit: The Datsun Go CVT has been launched at Rs 5.94 lakh for the T trim and Rs 6.18 lakh for the T(O) trim.
