Page 54 - Car South Africa (February 2020)

drive

DATSUN GO 1,2 LUX CVT ETA: NOW WHERE WE
Get in and Go
DROVE IT

With more consumers going clutchless, Datsun has
introduced a self-shifting variant of the popular Go Johannesburg

By: Jarryd Neves JarrydN_CARmag

*Claimed figures
Price: R184 200 Engine: 1,2-litre, 3-cylinder, petrol Transmission: CVT Power: 57 kW @ 6 000 r/min Torque: 104 N.m @ 4 400 r/min
0-100 km/h: n/a Top speed: 161 km/h* Fuel consumption: 5,0 L/100 km* C0 : 127 g/km Rivals: Kia Picanto 1,2 Start auto; Renault Kwid AMT
2

+ generously equipped; smooth-working CVT pricey compared with rivals; drivetrain feels lethargic on pull-away

eople are leaning towards update in the cabin comes in On pull-away, the CVT renders update is the inclusion of a seatbelt
the idea of owning a the form of a new seven-inch the Go a touch lethargic. Once up reminder for the front passenger,
P self-shifting vehicle but, infotainment system with smart- to speed, however, it easily keeps and the six-year/150 000 km war-
unfortunately, an auto is still out phone-mirroring. up with traf c and happily avoids ranty adds peace of mind.
of reach for many consumers. The 1,2-litre engine has seen high revs. Operation of the CVT There’s a caveat: the Go CVT is
Seeing as rivals Kia and Renault a slight power increase but the is via a chunky gear selector but R14 000 more expensive than the
already offer automatic variants biggest mechanical change is the there’s no manual override. manual. With a light clutch and

of their city runabouts, Datsun ve-step CVT. From start up, the Besides the new transmission, shift action, the manual is a doddle
introduced the Go CVT seeking a auto Go is notably hushed. While the Go boasts other signi cant to drive. However, if your commute

slice of that two-pedal pie. Datsun says this is down to the features that the manual variant is in traf c and the added safety

Appearance-wise, the Go smooth nature of the transmis- lacks: vehicle stability control features appeal, the CVT is a com-
remains unchanged. The biggest sion, the hatch feels more re ned. (VSC) and ESC. Another safety pelling alternative.

52 CAR FEBRUARY 2020 CARmag.co.za