Nissan recently revived the Datsun brand after a gap of 30 years and the company marked its entry in India with the GO hatchback and the awaited GO+ MPV will also be launched soon. We had earlier reported the sighting of a Datsun sedan test mule in Russia and it was speculated that this sedan might be based on the GO and eventually make its way to India. Now, Datsun has officially unveiled the sedan and it is called on-DO. The vehicle was showcased in Russia and it is meant for the Russian market only.
The Datsun on-DO is designed in Japan and engineered in Russia. The styling cues at the front seem to be inspired by the GO but here the grille looks more pronounced. The front design is simple and it won’t offend anyone. Coming to the side profile, it looks rather bland and old-school. Nothing much to say about the simplistic rear too. The on-DO comes with a chrome garnish on the boot to better the aesthetic appeal. The overall design is not too jazzy or flashy and rather simple. The GO is based on the V-platform that is used on the Nissan Micra and Sunny too but the new on-DO is based on the Lada Granta which is also owned by the Renault-Nissan Alliance.
Overall, the Datsun on-DO seems very similar to the Lada Granta in terms of design. The on-DO features interiors that look good and even here there is no unnecessary bling. Powering this vehicle will be a 1.6-litre petrol engine producing a maximum power output of 87 BHP. The company hasn’t stated details about the transmission that will be mated to the engine. The automaker didn’t give out any further details about the vehicle and officials stated that it will roll out in the market later this year. Pricing will be below 4,00,000 Rubles (Rs. 6.80 lakhs). Since the on-DO measures 4337 mm in length, it wouldn’t qualify for tax benefits in India and that may be another reason for Datsun to avoid launching the sedan here.
