Datsun will be launching GO and GO+ facelift in 2017 and the vehicles will get cosmetic upgrades and certain new features.
Nissan revived the Datsun brand in India by launching the GO entry-level hatchback. The vehicle did not perform as per expectation with competition coming from the Maruti Alto, Hyundai Eon and Chevrolet Spark. The GO then received flak for performing poorly in the Global NCAP crash test. The company did launch a variant that came with driver-side airbag both on the GO as well as the GO+. The automaker recently introduced the GO NXT which is basically a limited edition model with certain additional features.
Datsun will be launching facelifted versions of the GO and GO+ in 2017. The 2017 Datsun GO will come with cosmetic tweaks on the outside while the interiors will also see minor changes and design refreshes. The vehicle will get some new features that are present on the GO NXT right now. Apart from this, the 2017 GO facelift will continue to miss out on ABS. The company has also ruled out the possibility of an AMT or a CVT gearbox. Neither diesel variants nor CNG fuel options will be made available on the GO facelift. The vehicle will continue to be powered by the same 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 67 BHP of power and 104 Nm of torque.
All in all, this facelift will help the company improve the value for money quotient that buyers in this segment are looking out for. Nissan-Datsun have a limited service network in the country and need to work on improving their reach in this growing market. The company will launch its third model, the redi-GO next year, with the production model being showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo early next year. The redi-GO will be positioned similar to the Renault Kwid which is set to be launched later this month.
