New cars |
by Tristan Wiggill
Get up and GO from Datsun
➲ Modern styling almost as
important as price to target buyers
Datsun is back in South Africa with the ultra-affordable GO five-door hatch, priced from a hard to believe
R89 500 - including Vat and emissions tax.
K
udos must go to the head honchos
at Nissan SA who, two years ago,
promised they’d bring the GO in
at under the psychologically important
R100 000 mark. In that time, the rand has
lost 30% of its value against the greenback.
A promise they make is a promise they
keep it would appear - but we’re curious as
to how exactly they managed this feat…
There are two derivatives available,
with the difference in price (R89 500 vs
R99 500) derived from the difference in
standard specification. Thankfully, both
versions are equipped with air-con – a
must-have in an African context and
a full-size spare wheel. Noticeable, by
their absence, are basic safety features
like ABS brakes and airbags, which will
ruffle a few feathers. That said, the target
market (risers in Datsun speak or young,
first-time car buyers to you and I) is
apparently not particularly concerned with
these omissions. Apart from the price and
repayment structure, the target market
is said to be highly individualistic and
Datsun has catered for this with a host of
personalisation options that can be tacked
on at dealership level.
The GO sports a rather punchy 50 kW
petrol engine and five-speed gearbox. At
this price it is understandable that there’d
be some obvious cost-cutting measures
employed and this is true for the GO.
The seats for example are rather thin and
covered in vinyl, which on a hot day, will
make most people sweat. Datsun GO’s also
sport similar one-piece headrests to those
seen in the similarly affordable Toyota Etios.
The seating arrangement is unique in that
it incorporates bench-type pews, front and
rear. Fortunately, the driver can adjust his
seat position independently from his/her
passenger. The same cannot be said of
the steering wheel, the position of which
remains fixed. Also noteworthy is the
handle-stick type handbrake lever which
frees up space in the cabin.
As to be expected noise, vibration and
harshness are all more prominent than
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dearer alternatives. The doors sound a
bit tiny when you close them and some
vibration enters the cockpit from the engine.
But these are characteristics that can be
easily overlooked and which may not even
be noticed by their owners, who will likely
have installed an amplifier and uprated
speakers within days of taking ownership.
In many ways the GO drives and performs
a lot like its pricier Nissan Micra brother,
whose 3-cylinder petrol engine it makes
good use of.
It is hard to imagine that the GO won’t
sell well in a developing country like ours
where affordability is key and the desire for
personal transport very high. Datsun has a
good name in this country as well and the
expertise and infrastructure provided by
Nissan that will propel sales along nicely. In
any event, the GO is a welcome addition to
the local car market and will go some way
to get South African’s mobile and into the
job market. More models will be added to
the stable at a later date.
november 2014