A review of the Datsun Redi-Go

Datsun has not had a good run in India till date. The Go & Go+ haven't been the game changers that Datsun hoped they would be. Though both the cars were priced aggressively, the fit and finish of the cars did not go down quite well with us. For Datsun, India should have been the perfect market where value for money is the most important driving force in sales and success of any car in this segment. The low cost arm of Nissan has not been able to woo buyers at all. But, they plan to change all this with their new car.

It's called the Redi-Go and it will go head to head with Suzuki Alto and the Renault Kwid.[Prices for the Redi-Go: 2.46-3.64 Lacs(ex-showroom Bengaluru)] The Kwid was able to take a large chuck of Alto sales and this is exactly what the Redi-Go aims to do as well. While the Kwid looks more like a mini SUV, the Redi-Go is taller and is more like a crossover.

The aggressive design language is a blend of angular looks and  intelligent design cues. The front end gets the trademark Datsun grille and the headlamps complement the overall looks of the car.

The rear end of the car is as aggressive as well. The tail lamps are boomerang-like and looks very urban.

With such enormous differences with the Kwid, it comes as  a surprise that these two cars share the same suspension , gearbox , engine and much more.

The urban theme follows inside the car as well. You get an analog speedometer and a digital tachometer. The top end model comes with a stereo with USB connectivity and a driver airbag . Interiors are quite funky looking and should appeal to young buyers. 

  One of the downsides of the interior of the Redi-Go is that the cost cutting shows. The AC knobs  feel cheap to use and there is no light for the AC button. So, there is no way that you will know whether the AC is on or off unless you press the button itself. Another drawback is that the power window buttons are in front of the gear stick rather than on the door panels. This will take some getting used to. Apart from these small problems, the inside of the car is quite refreshing and practical. 

The fabric seats are nice, comfortable and provide good back support. You'll find the rear seats a bit small if you are a tall person.   

As far as the engine is concerned, the Redi-Go is powered by a 799 cc, 53bhp engine which it shares with the Kwid. The engine is most happy in city limits, where the engine does not have to rev a lot. As soon as you leave the city limits and hit the highway the Redi-Go is out of its comfort zone and the lack of power is very obvious. That being said, the performance is on par with its direct competitors and most people who use this car within city limits, tackling bumper to bumper traffic, will find the power output quite adequate. 

In conclusion, Redi-Go is a car built for the city and performs very well in that space.

Good stuff:

1)Price 

2)Design and styling

3)Easy to get in and out

Bad stuff:
1) Low on power
2) Misses out on the touch screen infotainment system which is available on the Renault Kwid.

Credits:

Lastly, I thank the people at Honnassiri Nissan, Mysore for lending their car for the review.