Datsun brand to get its own compact SUV for India - IAB Report

20/01/2015 - 14:41 | Datsun Go, Datsun | Anjan Ravi

Expected to launch after 2016.

By the end of this year, Datsun's portfolio in India will include the Go, Go+ and the small car based on the Redi-Go concept. However, Nissan, which expects over 50 percent of its sales to come from Datsun, knows that it has to further bolster the low-cost brand's representation, especially in segments that are growing rapidly.

Datsun Go+ rear quarters angle Review — Products like the Go+ and compact SUV will appeal to first time buyers who want something new.

Insiders have told Indian Autos Blog that a compact SUV/crossover will be a part of Datsun's offering in the mid-term. A person, privy to developments, put a timeline to the launch of the Datsun compact SUV, saying that it will come after parent Nissan launches its compact SUV in India within a couple of years.

The Nissan and Datsun compact SUVs will not be badge-engineered products though. For the Datsun brand, the crossover will be based on the Go's platform, which traces its roots to the Nissan V-Platform.

Like the Go+, the crossover will mainly target first time customers who "want something different". According to sources, these customers would have to purchase a hatchback or a compact sedan if not for the Datsun.