The entry-level model from Datsun, the Redigo, has been on sale in India since June 2016. Datsun’s first model off the Renault-Nissan alliance’s CMF-A flexible platform, the Redigo hasn’t found too many takers right from the beginning. The Redigo Sport, launched a few months ago, was a cosmetic update, and it did help sell a few more units. Though the car has its plus points, the relatively weaker brand strength and a small engine have penalised its sales potential. The model is currently powered by a 799cc, three-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox generating 54hp.
The carmaker is now readying a more powerful variant of the entry-level hatch which is slated to hit the showrooms in the coming months. This new model will have a larger 1.0-litre engine, and like the 800cc Redigo, the new engine will be the same unit that is also found under the hood of its sibling, the Renault Kwid 1.0. Also similar to the French company, Datsun is likely to offer this engine with two gearbox options, a standard five-speed manual as well as an AMT gearbox.
The more-powerful 1.0-litre motor in the Kwid has done wonders to the car’s driveability, and one can expect a similar improvement in the Redigo. The addition of the AMT gearbox and the 1.0-litre engine will widen the car’s appeal and enable it to take on the similarly equipped competition like the Alto and, of course, the Kwid.
Going by the pricing of the Kwid, expect Datsun to price the 1.0-litre Redigo at a premium of about Rs 30,000 over the 799cc hatchback.