Look around and the rest of what is on offer isn’t bad at all. You have two wing mirrors, both manually adjustable from the outside, of course. There’s an instrument panel with a large analogue speedo and a number of tell-tale lights. But, the part I was happy to see was the amber-backlit digital unit below the speedo. Yes, it has an odo and trip counter, but, unlike many cars in its segment, it also features a tachometer: a little digital rev-counter, with a red-line, or digital black-line, at 5,250 RPM signifying the rev limit. That’s an important piece of equipment to have, in my opinion. Those seeking economy would be wise to check their revs. Most manufacturers tell you not to exceed 50 km/h in the interest of economy, but not many tell you that it should be in the fifth gear and not second to achieve that benefits! Datsun have gone about it in a completely different way, putting shift markers on the speedo to ensure that shifts are done at least around the optimal time.
Look about the cabin and you see business as usual, but on a more bare-bones level. There are four vents for the air-con, a centre console with a weird contraption sticking out. They call it a mobile docking station and you can hook up your phone to the system and use the speakers, which are standard on the T model. On the passenger side, the storage is plentiful, but then you realise that’s where the lockable glove-box should be. Here, it’s neither lockable nor a glove-box. But, yes, so far as storage goes, it does offer a practical volume, although none of it is concealed. The seats are basic, wrapped in fabric, but are comfortable. There are no adjustable head-rests, but the height is enough not to worry about whiplash in case of a rear-end collision.
Enter the rear and immediately all the happiness built up from entering the car and looking around with glee at everything on offer bites the dust. The seat is barely existent and feels like a bar with foam and cloth draped over it. If you happen to be anything over five-and-a-half feet tall, the head-rests barely reach your neck. In case of a shunt, rear occupants will be dealt an unnecessary blow, which could be easily avoided if there were proper head-rests in place. Of course, most cars in this segment are the same, and cost-cutting overpowers basic safety thanks to non-existent regulations in the country. Clearly, life has little or no value and cost is everything.
To make matters worse, the seat belt is all manual. The adjustment buckle is complicated to figure out and downright irksome to use on a regular basis. Of course, that would only bother those who actually care to buckle up at the rear. In comparison, even the then Rs 1 lakh car, the Tata Nano, has belts which automatically reel back in the rear. In a car without ABS, traction control or air-bags, which would not even be cleared for sale in Europe for not meeting even basic safety regulations, this abysmal level of safety gets by out of sheer neglect on the part of our authorities. The back seat is clearly not safe for occupancy by humans and certain animals for that matter either.
Moving past that aspect, the boot is rather generous. The loading area is wide and the 265 litres of space on offer would be sufficient for luggage for two, or, dare I say, four. The rear seat folds down as well, and though not level with the load floor, allows for even more luggage, making it a good car for two in the city and out of it.
