The fight to capture a larger share of the perennially popular entry small car market just got a more crowded. The new candidate trying to woo the buyer in this segment with its pastel paint work is the Datsun GO.
It is hardly going to be a cake walk for Datsun and the existing competitors are all strong players with tried and tested cars. But, Datsun has gone for the kill with introductory pricing for the four variants of the GO, tags which are admittedly highly competitive and attractive. The one factor that will weigh down on Datsun, however, is its relatively poor dealer network at the moment.
We have chosen four cars that are all in the size and price segment that match the Datsun GO to present a comparison. To make it a level playing field, the chosen cars are all petrol driven, though not of the same engine capacity. All the cars are priced within the Rs 3-4 lakh range and even the top trim variant is priced sub-Rs 4 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
As the table shows, the Datsun GO has all the ingredients in it for being a well-endowed entry small car. Finish quality is also above average for the segment. But the price attractiveness takes a small hit if you really look closely at the fact that the lowest priced two variants – D and D1 – don’t get body coloured bumpers, power steering and airconditioning.
Trim economics The GO’s steering is light and its turning radius is tight, so power steering may not be missed even in the A trim variant, which is otherwise the only decently spec-ced model at about Rs 3.5 lakh. The Hyundai EON has similarly lower priced variants that are quite bare in terms of features. It should also be mentioned here that the LPG/ CNG variants of these cars (like in the case of the EON and the Spark) have not been included in the comparison.
The Chevrolet Spark and the Maruti Alto K10 are the two cars that are comparatively better equipped in terms of standard features like body coloured bumpers and/ or air-conditioning. Their variants are predictably priced a little higher too. In terms of sheer value-for-money, the Alto K10 and the EON will score higher. But, the equation tilts in favour of the Datsun GO when you consider the space inside the car and some of the other nifty features that the new hatch offers.
Size matters The size of the car inside the cabin will increasingly be a huge factor in the purchase decision, even as more and more buyers spend many hours in the car. The cabin space factor is even more important in the entry small car segment due to the fact that this will very possibly be the only car in the family.
The Datsun GO scores top marks in this metric and its boot is the largest in the class too. The GO’s packaging has enabled it to relieve more space for passengers by also keeping the transmission tunnel low and by eliminating the centre console.
The other two cars that manage to also offer a relatively comfortable cabin area despite their small exterior footprint are the Chevrolet Spark and the Hyundai EON, both of which are just a shade shy of 3.5 metres in length. The Maruti Alto 800 and the Tata Nano have not been included in this comparison due to their smaller proportions and lower price points.