Clash of Segments: Hyundai Santro vs Datsun GO+ - Which Car To Buy?

Agencies Updated at: 02 Nov 2018 01:30 PM (IST)

The Santro’s prices bring it within the same range as Datsun’s MPV, but which one offers better value for money? We compare them to find out

Launched at an introductory price ranging from Rs 3.9 lakh to Rs 5.65 lakh (ex-showroom*, pan-India), the Santro marks Hyundai’s return in the compact hatchback segment where it rivals the likes of the Maruti Suzuki WagonR, Maruti Suzuki Celerio, Tata Tiago and Datsun GO. Despite offering some segment-first features, the Santro still misses out on some features offered on similarly or lower priced rivals like the recently facelifted GO. In fact, its bigger version, the GO+, also got the same updates with the facelift and is also closely priced, ranging from Rs 3.83 lakh to Rs 5.69 lakh (ex-showroom*, Delhi). While serving very different purposes, the Santro and the GO+ are within the same price segment. And hence, we’ve pitted the budget hatchback against the budget MPV to see just how well they compare.

Before we dive into the details, here are some of the basic differences between the Santro and the GO+:

Hyundai Santro	Datsun GO+
A compact hatchback: The Santro is positioned between the entry-level Eon and midsize Grand i10 in Hyundai’s product lineup. It can seat five people only.	A sub-compact MPV: The GO+ is a 7-seater vehicle that measures less than 4 metres in length. It’s based on the Datsun GO hatchback, which is a Santro rival.
Powertrain options: The Santro is powered by a 1.1-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine. It is available with a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT as well. The Santro is also offered with a CNG option.	Bigger engine, manual transmission only: The GO+ gets a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine which is only available with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Focussed on comfort: Hyundai has introduced rear AC vents in the Santro which is a segment-first. These are fitted on all variants except the base model.	Focussed on safety: Datsun has made safety features a priority in the facelifted GO+ and offers dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and rear parking sensors as standard.
Rivals: Maruti WagonR, Maruti Celerio, Datsun GO, Tata Tiago	Rivals: It has no direct rivals.

Engine

Variants and prices* (ex-showroom)

Hyundai Santro	Datsun GO+
D-Lite: Rs 3.9 lakh	D: Rs 3.83 lakh
Era: Rs 4.25 lakh
Magna: Rs 4.58 lakh	A: Rs 4.53 lakh
Sportz: Rs 5 lakh	A(O): Rs 5.05 lakh
Magna AMT: Rs 5.19 lakh
Magna CNG: Rs 5.24 lakh	T: Rs 5.30 lakh
Asta: Rs 5.46 lakh	T(O): Rs 5.69 lakh
Sportz AMT: Rs 5.47 lakh
Sportz CNG: Rs 5.65 lakh

*All prices have been rounded off to the nearest thousand.

While price is usually the deciding factor to see which variants can be closely compared, we’ve also kept in mind the fuel type and gearbox as Hyundai offers CNG and AMT as well. Only the petrol-manual variants have been compared which still allows us to compare nearly every variant of both the Santro and the GO+.

Hyundai Santro D-Lite vs Datsun GO+ D

Hyundai Santro D-Lite	Rs 3.9 lakh
Datsun GO+ D	Rs 3.83 lakh
Difference	Rs 7,000 (Santro is more expensive)

Common Features:

Lights: Halogen headlamps

Comfort: Multi-information display with warning lights and indicators, room lamp, front and rear door bottle holders

Safety: ABS with EBD, driver airbag

What SantroD-Lite gets over the GO+ D: Electric power steering

What GO+ D gets over the Santro D-Lite: Passenger airbag, rear parking sensors, central locking, 3rd row seating, front power windows, power outlet, follow-me-home headlamps, body coloured bumpers

Verdict: Just for the additional safety features it offers, the Datsun GO+ is the better choice over the Hyundai Santro here.

Hyundai Santro Magna vs Datsun GO+ A

Hyundai Santro Magna	Rs 4.58 lakh
Datsun GO+ A	Rs 4.53 lakh
Difference	Rs 5,000 (Santro is more expensive)

Common features (over previous variants):

Exterior: Body coloured bumpers

Comfort: Front power windows, electric power steering, power outlet Safety: Central locking

What Santro Magna gets over the GO+ A: Air conditioning, rear AC vents, day-night IRVM, ticket holder, body coloured door handles and ORVMs, rear power windows

What GO+ A gets over the Santro Magna: Passenger airbag, rear parking sensors, follow-me-home headlamps, electrically adjustable ORVMs, third row seating

Verdict: Once again, Datsun’s budget MPV offers more safety features over the Hyundai hatchback and that wins it this comparison as well. However, in terms of features, the GO+ misses out on something as crucial as air conditioning. So, if you do pick the Datsun GO+ for its safety features, we’d advise you to pick a higher variant. However, if you wish to stick to this budget and seek comfort, especially in the rear seats, the Santro is the car to go for and it does offer a driver’s airbag and ABS with EBD as well.

Hyundai Santro Sportz vs Datsun GO+ A(O)

Hyundai Santro Sportz	Rs 5 lakh
Datsun GO+ A(O)	Rs 5.05 lakh
Difference	Rs 5,000 (GO+ is more expensive)

Common Features (over previous variants):

Exterior: Body coloured ORVMs

Comfort: Air conditioning, rear power windows, electrically adjustable ORVMs

Safety: Keyless entry

What Santro Sportz gets over the GO+ A(O): Day-night IRVM, ticket holder, body coloured door handles, turn indicators on ORVMs, rear AC vents, eco coating for AC, steering mounted controls, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display with smartphone connectivity (Apple CarPlay, Android Auto), Bluetooth connectivity, USB connectivity, front speakers, voice recognition

What GO+ A(O) gets over the Santro Sportz: Passenger airbag, rear parking sensors, follow-me-home headlamps, third row seating

Verdict: Despite the number of comfort features on the Hyundai Santro, we have to pick the Datsun GO+ because of the additional safety features. Like the previous variant comparison, in this case too, the Santro will make sense for the chauffeur-driven.

Hyundai Santro Asta vs Datsun GO+ T(O)

Hyundai Santro Asta	Rs 5.46 lakh
Datsun GO+ T(O)	Rs 5.69 lakh
Difference	Rs 23,000 (GO+ is more expensive)

Common features (over previous variants):

Exterior: Body coloured door handles

Comfort: Rear washer and wiper Infotainment system: 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display with smartphone connectivity (Apple CarPlay, Android Auto), Bluetooth connectivity, USB connectivity, front speakers, voice recognition

Safety: Rear parking sensors, passenger airbag

What Santro Asta gets over the GO+ T(O): Reversing camera, front fog lamps, rear defogger, day-night IRVM, turn indicators on ORVMs, ticket holder, rear AC vents, eco coating for AC, steering-mounted controls, speed-sensing auto door lock, impact-sensing auto door unlock, front seatbelt pretensioner

What GO+ T(O) gets over the Santro Asta: LED DRLs, alloy wheels, follow-me-home headlamps

Verdict: It is only in the top variant that the Hyundai Santro finally offers the same safety features as the Datsun GO+ and then some. At this price point, the Santro wins quite easily against the GO+. However, if you have a need for a third row, the Rs 23,000 premium that the GO+ charges may well be worth it.

Why Buy Hyundai Santro?

Less expensive: Apart from the base model, the Santro is the more affordable choice as compared to the GO+ even among the top-spec variants of the two.
Smaller, easier to manoeuver in city traffic: The shorter dimensions of the Santro allow it to navigate through tight spaces and makes it easier to park as well.
Better mileage: The Santro offers better fuel economy with a certified mileage of 20.3kmpl on petrol. It is also offered with a factory-fitted CNG kit wherein the fuel economy is rated at 30.48 km/kg.
AMT options: Hyundai has also offered the Santro with AMT variants for added convenience in congested driving situations. The AMT is offered on the Magna and Sportz variants which are more affordable than the top-spec variant of the GO+.
For personal use or for the chauffeur driven: The Santro gets a passenger airbag only in the top variant. But it gets driver airbag and ABS as standard. So if you’re driving the car all alone, the Santro can be recommended. With the rear AC vents on offer, the Santro will also make sense for chauffeur driven.

Why Buy Datsun GO+?

Safety across variants: Datsun has thought ahead with the GO+ facelift and equipped it with sufficient safety features to meet the upcoming road safety regulations in India. On top of that, all these features - dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and rear parking sensors - are being offered as standard across all variants.
More seating capacity: Despite its size, the GO+ is actually a 7-seater with three rows of seats. The second row seat gets a tumble function for accessing the last row. For its price, the GO+ is one of the most affordable MPVs in the market.
Better family car overall: The Datsun GO+ is a bigger car than the Hyundai Santro and offers an extra row of seating for two more occupants. Moreover, when the last row is not needed, it can be folded down to free up lot more boot space (112 litres more). That, combined with the additional safety across all variants, makes the Datsun GO+ a better family car overall at this price.