Datsun redi-GO 1.0 Test Drive Review

Datsun redi-GO 1.0 Review

Car Tested: Datsun redi-GO 1.0; Road Test No. 841; Test Location: Goa

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 4.32 lakhs

The Datsun redi-GO gets some additional punch with the larger 1.0-litre engine

The worlds largest small car market has seen a lot of products from automotive manufacturers to catch the fancy of first time car buyers. While Maruti has ruled the segment since the beginning of time, others like Hyundai, Renault and Datsun too have tried to eat a slice of this big pie. The first time car buyer is not very demanding and expects good fuel fuel economy and low cost of maintenance. Therefore each and every product in this segment has been launched with an 800cc engine. Over time, manufacturers have realised that there are a few customers who like to have a little more power on tap and have launched a more powerful version later. Same is the case with the Datsun redi-GO which was launched last year in the 800cc guise. The redi-GO is a very important car for Datsun as it brings nearly 50% volume for the entire Nissan group in India. They have now upgraded it with a 1.0-litre engine and we are in Goa to find out how much difference the additional 200cc will make.

Motor Quest: The Datsun redi-GO shares its underpinnings with the Renault Kwid and even the engines are the same. While Renault updated the Kwid with the 1.0-litre engine almost a year back, Nissan has done it now. The small hatchback is also going to ge the same AMT gearbox sometime later.

Exteriors – The design of the Datsun redi-GO is unchanged and almost everything is the same as the regular 800cc car. It is the same sporty design with some crossover elements such as high ground clearance and flared wheel arches. The only change in this car is 1.0-litre badging at the rear and a black lip on the bumpers. Overall, the styling of the car is good and it looks pleasant and well-shaped.

Interiors – Again, no major changes have been made to the styling of the dashboard and the overall layout of the insides. Visible changes in this car include black interiors with new black and red upholstery. Minor changes include silver finish on the AC knobs and on the steering. Datsun is also offering a remote key with central locking with this variant. Key highlights of the interiors of the redi-GO are best-in-segment interior space due to a cab forward design, high seating position and abundant knee and headroom. The exposed metal bits are still a sore point in what is a pretty neat cabin. On the safety front, you get a standard driver-side airbag on the S variant only.

Performance – The biggest change in this car is the updated engine. This 1.0-litre engine is made from the same engine block and now delivers 68 PS of power at 5500 RPM and 91 Nm of twisting force at 4250 RPM. This 14 PS increase in power and 19 Nm increase in torque has made a huge difference in the driveability. The updated iSAT engine uses a very smart bit of tech which automatically adjusts spark timings based on quality of fuel and power requirement. This translates into a smoother power delivery with less knocking from the engine. Power delivery is linear and there is good grunt in the mid-range and high-end. NVH levels are improved with very little vibration seeping into the cabin. The 800cc motor vibrates quite a bit. Sound insulation is still the same which means the engine does get loud post 4000 RPM. As the driveability has improved, overtaking has become easier as in-gear acceleration is better. The engine now doesn’t feel strained when you want to urgently overtake. This car should return a fuel economy of 14-15 km/l in the real world.

With the higher power & torque figures, driveability is so much better now

Paired to this motor is the same 5-speed manual transmission which feels a tad bit notchy. This car hits the rev limiter in first gear at 40 km/hr, second gear at 70 km/hr and the third gear goes a little over 100 km/hr. While the competition has an option of an AMT gearbox, Datsun is only offering a manual on the 1.0-litre redi-GO. Datsun should have launched this car with an AMT but they say it will be coming later. Even the Terrano took a while to get the AMT.

Driving Dynamics – Ride quality is flat. At slow speeds the large bumps tend to seep in the cabin. Things are better at higher speeds. The tall boy design brings a certain amount of body-roll but it is well controlled. The steering is light and easy to manoeuvre in the city but offers very little feedback as the speeds build up. Certainly, this is not the car you would go corner craving with and it should satisfy the need of what a customer of this segment wants. The redi-GO has been under-tyred to improve fuel efficiency and these tyres do screech on hard cornering and braking. Datsun claims that the redi-GO offers the best braking in the segment but we found the brakes to be a bit spongy. With no ABS on offer, the tyres tend to lock up on heavy braking.

Verdict – The redi-GO 1.0-litre overcomes the biggest drawback of the 800cc car and that is performance. Though, Datsun has been late to the party as its step-sibling, the Renault Kwid, has been available with the same engine since nearly a year. However, with the segment best interior space, high ground clearance and now with the additional power, Datsun will be hoping that this 1.0-litre engined car can bring them more numbers which the 800cc model hasn’t been able to do.

What’s Cool

* The design of the redi-GO is pleasant
* Interiors are neat and functional
* The updated engine comes with added punch

What’s Not So Cool

* No ABS on offer on any variant
* After-sales network not as good as rivals

Alternatives: Tata Nano, Hyundai Eon, Maruti Alto, Renault Kwid

Further Reading –

Datsun redi-GO 800cc Video Review
Datsun redi-GO 800cc Review