New Datsun GO+ Review: Extended Aspirations

Equipment, Interiors & Safety

Inside the cabin, with the exception of the third row, everything else has been carried over from the GO hatchback. So to start with, the quality of plastics will not astound but remains acceptable. The all plastic steering wheel unit is the same non adjustable unit. We feel the usage of some soft elements on the dial would’ve helped, since we live in a country where at some places you could sweat all year long and the fact that the GO+ comes with an air-conditioner only on the higher two of its four variants. Datsun has tried to place the gear lever and the hand brake ergonomically, making it easily accessible for the driver. However, the hand brake lever fouls with the left knee, especially in the case of taller drivers. Instrumentation is basic, with a large speedo that has markings for recommended gear change which maximizes economy. It is flanked by a digital orange lit display that includes a rev counter, a vertical bar that tells you about fuel levels and a trip computer that calculates instantaneous fuel consumption, average consumption, Distance-to-empty, low fuel warning and a trip meter. All of this can be toggled through a flimsy switch near the speedometer.

The mobile docking station and the aux-in music system is opulence only available on the top most variant, while the glovebox unit continues to act more like a shelf rather than a space where you can keep things away from prying eyes. Power windows are only available for the front doors and that luxury too is reserved for the top most variant along with the grandiosity of manual central locking. The locking mechanism will remind you of your Dad’s Maruti 800 as we aren’t sure if it is still acceptable to provide a pull and push lever next to the window to lock doors. Retro it might be, but an integrated locking mechanism in the door handle is more convenient.

As much as you’d like to believe that the front seat is a bench which can be used to reduce the distance between your pretty co-occupant and you, those seats are actually two separate pieces of cushion which can be adjusted for recline and reach. The driver seat continues to remain scared of heights as it still cannot adjust itself to go higher. Finished in Jacquard upholstery on the top two variants, the front two seats in particular according to Datsun are designed to reduce the stress levels on the human spine, which we agree to an extent as even after driving the car for nearly three hours, we didn’t feel any discomfort. But then we are a young team and none of our bones show any sign of being rickety yet. Having said that, the front seats offer good under thigh support, but there is hardly any side bolstering on the backrest to stop you from sliding around. The integrated head rests carry the built-to-cost flag with pride. On the flipside, the rear seat offers poor under thigh support and with a taller driver sitting ahead, one might feel the lack of leg room. Three people on the rear bench will be an uncomfortable squeeze, while two adults can remain seated in relative ease. The integrated headrests on the rear seat are set too low and are as good as non-existent for tall or even not so tall passengers. It is a serious concern as in an event of an impact, the absence of any support behind the head could cause a serious whiplash injury.

Coming to the highlight of this machine, the third row, which is more like a bench that is at sea level. If you do manage to reach there as an adult after pulling the rear backrest down and tumbling the rear seat, it’d be an experience similar to sitting on the ground with your knees up. We tried spending some time there and it isn’t a comfortable place to be, unless you are a toddler.

We couldn’t ascertain if the air-conditioner does a good job of cooling the increased cabin space enough, as we were at a place where the temperature plummeted to shivering degree celcius in the night. One other thing that Datsun has skimped on is providing any roof mounted lights at the rear, the only source of illumination in the cabin being the one above the internal RVM. The bonnet comes devoid of any damping material, neither does the car manage to shun outside noise to acceptable levels, keeping it quiet inside the cabin. One area where the car lacks is that none of it’s variants come with ABS and Airbags, they are not even there on the options list.

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