Datsun on-DO

Datsun on-DO at a glance

Nissan revived the Datsun name in 2013 for low-cost cars in emerging markets, with models such as the Go in India. The on-DO was the brand's saloon for the region served by AvtoVAZ, which the Renault-Nissan alliance then controlled. Instead of developing a new car, Nissan's designers and engineers reworked the existing Lada Granta, and AvtoVAZ built it on the same line. A hatchback sister, the Datsun mi-DO, followed on the Lada Kalina. The brand's story is told in the history of Datsun.

What Nissan changed from the Granta

The on-DO keeps the Granta's body structure, doors and roof, but has its own bonnet, wings, bumpers, headlamps, grille and rear lamps. The longer rear overhang adds 77 mm to the length, so the car is 4,337 mm long against the Granta's roughly 4,260 mm, while width and height stay the same. The front end has a large trapezoidal grille with a chrome frame and recesses for fog lamps.

Inside, the dashboard and centre console are new, with chrome-effect instrument surrounds and a revised layout for the audio and climate controls, while the steering wheel, seats and door panels come from Lada. According to the old 1cars text, Nissan engineers also improved the sound insulation, changed the spring and damper settings and replaced some suspension bushes with more durable ones.

Engine and gearboxes

The only engine is AvtoVAZ's 1.6-litre eight-valve inline-four with multi-point injection, built with a lightweight connecting rod and piston group and certified to Euro 4 at launch. Early cars had 60 kW (82 PS); the later VAZ-11186 version gives 65 kW (88 PS).

The manual gearbox has a cable-operated shift from Atsumitec and a shift fork from Schaeffler. The automatic, a four-speed unit by Nissan's partner Jatco, is about 1.4 seconds slower to 100 km/h. The catalogue figures for the manual version are on the on-DO 1.6 specifications page.

Chassis, brakes and steering

Suspension follows the Granta pattern: MacPherson struts at the front and a semi-independent torsion beam at the rear. The ground clearance is 185 mm unladen and about 168 mm with five people and luggage on board, high for a small saloon. Steering is rack and pinion with electric power assistance as standard. The brakes are ventilated discs at the front and drums at the rear, with a dual-circuit system split diagonally.

Dimensions and boot

The boot is the car's strongest point, and the rear seat back folds to more than double the load space. A 530-litre boot is large even by the standards of bigger saloons, as the biggest-boot saloons ranking shows. Rear space is the Granta's: two adults sit comfortably, a third only for short trips.

Trims and safety equipment

Airbags and seat belts were developed with the supplier Takata. The on-DO was never tested by Euro NCAP.

Datsun on-DO compared with the Lada Granta

The on-DO offered a little more equipment, a quieter cabin and a larger boot than the Granta it was based on, but no more power. Its cousin, the Lada Kalina, shares many mechanical parts with the Datsun mi-DO.