DATSUN MI-DO - CHEAP JAPANESE-RUSSIAN HATCHBACK

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A detailed review of the Russian analogue of Lada Kalina is the Japanese Datsun mi-DO. How much will it cost and what technical characteristics of the novelty, read further in this article.

Among the abundance of cars at the stands of the Moscow motor show MIAS-2014, the Datsun mi-DO hatchback attracted special attention of Russian visitors. This model is unique, because there has never been a case in the history of the automotive industry that a Japanese car was built on the basis of a Russian passenger car. And the five-door mi-DO is just such a unique event that breaks the foundations, because the brainchild of the Japanese company Nissan was designed on the basis of the famous Lada Kalina model developed by Togliatti engineers.

What is the history of Datsun and what is the connection with Nissan?

The meticulous reader may wonder what Nissan has to do with it, if we are talking about a car under the name Datsun Mi-Do. But the connection here is direct and most immediate, because, in fact, in the world of automotive industry "first there was a word" Datsun and only then the company was absorbed, reorganized and renamed Nissan. And now a year and a half ago, after two decades of oblivion, the Japanese decided to revive the old brand in order to establish under this name the production of inexpensive cars for growing markets, such as Indian, South African and our Russian and Ukrainian. And since now Nissan, together with Renault, actually owns our VAZ, it was decided to open the production of cars under the Datsun brand in the Russian Federation.

Name Datsun mi-DO

The Japanese love imagery and a very specific meaning hidden in unusual poetic constructions. Calling the new hatchback the verbal design of mi-DO, the manufacturers wanted to emphasize the international features of the unusual Russian-Japanese car. The word DO in Japanese means “path”, “movement” or “striving for something”, and the Mi particle is used as an analogue of the sound of the English word me, which can be translated as “mine”. As a result, the new hatch has a pretentious name "my way" or "my tool for achieving something."

The appearance of the new hatchback mi-DO

A little earlier, under this revived brand, the on-DO sedan was presented, which was also created on the basis of a small car, which at one time received flattering characteristics from the lips of Putin himself. Therefore, examining the exterior of the new Japanese car, most viewers will compare mi-DO with Kalina and with the aforementioned sedan, trying to catch the similarity or be happy about the differences.

The new five-door Datsun mi-DO is, to be honest, somewhat similar to "Kalina" in the body version of the hatchback. This is especially noticeable when viewed in profile, but to the credit of the Japanese, it must be admitted that they very effectively fought the manifestation of family ties in their offspring with the Russian maternal model. The profile was tweaked with body-colored moldings and alloy wheels. When viewed from the front, the similarity is completely minimal, because the “Japanese” has a completely different “front end”. There is a more modern bumper and optics of a fashionable form and an unusual cut of the radiator grille. These elements are similar to the counterparts installed on the "brother" named on-DO, but it cannot be said that the models are visual twins. Well, of course, the rear of the hatch is not at all like the rear of the sedan, and the Mi-Do is as much as 620 mm shorter than the four-door Datsun. The exterior of the Japanese hatch looks much more modern than the exterior of the ever-memorable Kalina. This is a completely modern and respectable car with a fairly dynamic look. The compactness of the car's features makes it a clear contender for the title of "master of the city", and the presence of fashionable details may well allow the model to take its rightful place in the category of "youth cars".

Salon Datsun Mi-Do

If there are differences in appearance between the on-DO sedan and the mi-DO hatchback, then the manufacturer decided to use full identity in the decoration of the interior space. The interior of the salon is laconic with a fair amount of practicality. The front panel is compact enough, and the plastic used does not make it boring for a too cheap look. By the way, the task of defeating the interior creaks, which were a distinctive feature of all VAZ and Kalina models, including, was completed by engineers from Datsun. They paid a lot of attention to the anti-noise preparation of the cabin, which ultimately bore fruit - the driver and passengers will only remotely hear the noise of the road and the engine.

Pictured is the trunk of a car

The front row seats are comfortable enough, and the second row can easily accommodate three adults. The rear seat backrests can be folded 60 to 40 so that bulky items can be stored in the luggage compartment. The trunk is not very large (less than 240 liters), but since we are not talking about an SUV, the owner is unlikely to carry large amounts of luggage.

Specifications hatchback Datsun mi-DO

Engine: 1.6 liter, 87-horsepower petrol, 8-valve VAZ-11186. Its characteristics:

volume - 1596 cm3;
torque - 140 Nm;
Datsun mi-DO gasoline consumption in the urban cycle - 9 liters, highway - 5.8 liters, mixed cycle - 7 liters;
Max. vehicle speed - 173 km / h;
front-wheel drive;
acceleration from standstill to 100 km / h - in 12.2 s.

The gearbox is presented to the buyer in two types:

mechanical 5-speed VAZ production;
Japanese "automatic" Jatco with 4 ranges.

Body dimensions:

length - 3950 mm (for sedan on-DO 4337 mm);
height - 1500 mm;
width - 1700 mm;
clearance - unloaded 200 mm, loaded - 174 mm;
curb weight - 1000 kg (for on-DO sedan 1160 kg);
the volume of the tank is 50 liters.

The undercarriage is specially adjusted for use in poor road conditions. Access comes standard with 2 airbags, ABS, BAS, EBD, heated mirrors and front row of seats, and power windows. More expensive configuration options will offer a heated windshield, air conditioning, and a high-quality speaker system.

Price and configuration

The hatchback is slated for sale in the first decade of 2015 and it has already been announced that it will be available in three trim levels: Access, Trust and Dream. The cost of each of them has not yet been named, but dealers say that, most likely, the price of the Datsun mi-DO will be about the same as that of the On-Do sedan, which is sold in the Russian Federation, starting from 329 and ending with 445 thousand rubles ... Recall that Kalina is sold in Russia from 327,500 rubles.

And this is what the Datsun on-DO sedan looks like.