All the three cars have quality issues, but it seems that Toyota have taken the feedback and criticism for the Liva quite seriously and have made an honest effort where quality is concerned, though they still has some more distance to cover. The Bolt, on the other hand, feels better than the Indica and Vista in terms of overall quality and safety, but even then it has a lot of ground to cover before it receives full marks. So far as the Datsun Go is concerned, quality and safety issues need to be addressed before it can make a big impact.
Now comes the favourite bit: the mechanicals. 1.2-litre engines are a common feature on these three cars and all are mated to five-speed manual transmissions. However, the big difference here is that the Liva and the Bolt feature four cylinders whereas the Datsun comes only with a three-pot motor. As for the output, the Bolt is the most powerful of the trio with 90 PS and 140 Nm of torque. The Liva’s 1,197-cc motor comes close in terms of power at 85 PS, but it produces only 104 Nm of torque. The Datsun Go is the least powerful at 68 PS, but it rivals the Toyota with its 104 Nm of torque.
Tata Bolt 1.2-litre Revotron
Tata are promoting their 1.2-litre ‘Revotron’ engine as a refined and powerful engine, but it is not much different from the old petrol unit that powers the Indica Vista. Neither the power delivery is linear nor the refinement levels up to the mark. The most noteworthy glitch in this motor is the turbocharger. There is so much lag that by the time the power arrives, you lose interest in going fast. Nothing happens until 2,000 revolutions per minute and after that there is a faint hint of power and torque coming through, but you still have to wait for the needle to hit 3,000 RPM before something substantial happens.
Toyota Etios Liva’s 1.2-litre petrol motor
On the other hand, the Toyota Liva’s motor feels utterly refined and well-behaved. Power and torque delivery is linear and since there is no turbo involved, you don’t actually wait for anything to arrive. You simply put your foot down, and there it goes. It offers good driveability in most of the situations thanks to good bottom-end power, and it doesn’t feel rough or coarse when revved hard.
Datsun GO’s 1.2-litre engine
Surprisingly, the three-pot motor of the Datsun Go feels all right if not outright good. It is peppy and the delivery is good, but the noise it makes is beyond your comfort level. But the 104 Nm of torque gives it good driveability in most situations.
