Hyundai Eon 0.8L was always a lethargic performer given its power to weight ratio. More so, when put against the all-time classic pocket rocket, Alto K10, it emerged simply as a slouch for the enthusiastic drivers. The debut of Datsun Go brought a new equation altogether in this segment and Hyundai being well-aware about its flaws decided not to sit quiet. Just a couple of months ago, Hyundai introduced 1.0L VTVT Kappa engine for the first time in India. This three cylinder 12 valve DOHC 998 CC motor produces 69 PS @ 6200 RPM and 94 Nm @ 3500 RPM, opposed to iRDE’s three cylinders with 9 valves SOHC that produces 56 PS @ 5500 RPM and 74 Nm @ 4000 RPM. Needless to say, this change now brings a difference of day and night in the driving manners of Eon.
The engine soothingly comes alive upon cranking up and the gearlever isn’t eager to perform salsa anymore. The comfortable cabin of Eon coupled with a soft gear lever and clutch pedal makes it a sure shot delight to operate whether in traffic or open roads. For once, gearshift feels rubbery but is slightly better to slot than the Go. Power delivery remains sufficient until reasonable high speeds but on the north of three digit figures, Eon begins loosing the composure where Datsun Go remains rock solid. In such situations, steering also turns out to be a killjoy with a vague feeling. Besides, the soft suspension setting may not be most ideal for spirited driving but is brilliant for city level driving comfort and then that’s exactly what the Eon is meant for.
Datsun Go may not be the most well-equipped car around in terms of features (it’s under-equipped for that matter) but there’ a justified reason why I can never ever resist to drive one. Simply put, Datsun Go has gone ahead of the Alto K10 to prove that entry level hatchbacks CAN be fun to drive. To honestly admit, I did feel odd sitting inside the Go back to back after driving the luxurious Eon but once this car is turned on, it didn’t take too long to overlook that ridiculous cost-cutting. Datsun Go features a bigger 1198 CC motor which is borrowed from Nissan Micra Active which is fairly more responsive than Hyundai Eon. However, performance figures of this engine have been toned down compared to that of Micra's in order to improve mileage which is only a tad 0.33 Kmpl more than Eon on papers. Hence, it produces 68 PS @ 5000 RPM and decent torque of 104 Nm @ 4000 RPM.
Following excerpts are quoted from official
Datsun Go Review:
Knowing that there is a plentiful of potential under the hood, Datsun Go was eager to be unleashed. It doesn’t fails to delight as long as the engine is kept at the suggested gears but alas, up shift earlier and there is absolutely zero response to the otherwise prompt accelerator. Engine takes its own sweet time to boil up if running below 2000 RPM mark. At around 1000 RPM, the car jerks and struggles to pick up. But then, this is only half of the story. Datsun Go has got a meaner side too. A combination of robust chassis and power train makes this li’l hatchback an exceptional highway performer than one would expect. Get this: it has been tested at over 160+ Kmph in Japan. Our test vehicle also flawlessly managed high-speed figures and was as damn stable as a rock throughout; as a matter of fact, it had enough juice left to be pressed more.
Please note that The Automotive India does not endorse high-speed driving. The tests are carried out by experts under controlled environment, attempting to imitate them in regular conditions will be insane. Coming back to the car, Go comes equipped with a well-weighted electric power steering wheel (EPS) that varies steering assistance by monitoring engine and road speed to calculate the torque needed. It’s nimble to control in the cities and 4.6M of turning radius makes U-Turns a breeze. Something that plays as a spoilsport in between all the fun is a notchy gearshift which might be bothersome to first time users.
Braking ability of Go left us pretty impressed. The car feels as prompt to halt as it feels to accelerate. There is no ABS to support for sudden braking but front wheels are furnished behind with ventilated disc brakes while the set of rear wheels have drum brakes. Datsun claims that under strict comparative testing, engineers have shown that less pedal effort is required in normal city driving to generate needed deceleration while stopping distances are shorter than the competitors. In short, Go can stop in 33 M from 80 Kph. The suspension is visibly fine-tuned keeping in mind the Indian road conditions. It gracefully gulps normal irregularities of the road at low speeds but it has a certain amount of firmness and unless you slow down, large bumps are bound to create a big thump inside. This car prefers to tackle the corners and maintains a decent stability, but it’s the long suspension travel that doesn’t makes the experience very pleasing with evident body roll upon hard cornering.
As in case with modern 3 cylinder units, Nissan engineers too have deployed a counter balance system. However, the vibration still remains a concern when the vehicle is idle. You can actually watch the gear lever, mobile holder and so on jerking at a high pace. These vibrations tend to settle down and become more manageable along with incline in RPM once car moves forward. Noise levels are however remarkably well controlled on the interiors and exteriors alike. Of course, the engine sound is audible on the outside but not as much if compared when the bonnet is open, in spite of the fact that there is no sound deadening material on the hood.
There was a noticeable difference experienced in noise levels before and after closing the windows amidst traffic. The company has been able to accomplish it by positioning the sound deadening material on the bulkhead as well as under the floor and adoption of door and window seals which were originally developed for Nissan’s high-end luxury models. The exact compliment cannot be offered to the Go during high speed (read three digit) stints as it tends to invite a fair amount of road and wind noise then.
All said and done, there’s only a difference of around 10 grands between the top of the line Datsun Go and Hyundai Eon 1.0L. This negligible difference is definitely worth for what the Eon 1.0L has to offer and now that it’s available with an enhanced power train, Eon makes more complete package and is a sensible buy for someone with high city commute. But that said, the keenness with which the Go is always willing to be pushed is something which only an actual driving aficionado can understand. Datsun has managed to keep the pricing competitive at the cost of reducing certain useful features and Nissan’s after sales network might be a concern for those in far-off areas, yet if performance and interior space is your prime criteria, there’s absolutely no question why Datsun Go shouldn’t be topping the list.
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