The Indian heavy vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland has ventured into a rather unusual turf by joining hands with the international car maker Nissan for the Stile MPV. Reports suggest that the car has been based on the Nissan Evalia platform. It is also interesting to see the way that the car resembles to the latter Evalia line. The Datsun brand which had been inactive for nearly 3 decades has been re-launched by Nissan. The car-maker sells its first car named 'Go' from the hatchback segment after ages of exile. The 'Go+' MUV is still due for launch and has only been showcased at the Auto Expo event.
The Ashok Leyland Stile is powered by 1.5 litre diesel engine. The engine with dCi common rail technology is mated to five speed gearbox and generates a power of about 76 PS with 185 Nm of torque. ARAI reports have stated that the Ashok Leyland Stile delivers a decent fuel efficiency of 19.5 kmpl. As per sources, the company also intends on launching a CNG version, but confirmed dates for the same is yet to received. The MUV is available in seven variants and interested buyers get to choose amongst 7-seater and 8-seater models. Moreover the car is loaded with interesting features like power steering, central locking, air conditioning and heating, second row A/C vents with independent controls, front power windows, tilt adjustable steering. The cabin space is satisfactory and comfortable.
On the exterior front, Stile sports new bumper, bolder headlamps and subtle front grill. The smooth flowing design is very well complimented by the 15 inch alloy wheels. The rear windows also has a sliding pattern. Technologically the car does stand a fair chance amongst the new line of MUV's from Indian and International car-makers. The new Ashok Leyland Stile is placed in straight line of competition from the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Chevrolet Tavera and Tata Sumo Grande.
An MPV 'Datsun Go+' was recently showcased in the Auto Expo 2014 event. The Datsun GO+ is expected to compete against Ertiga from Maruti Suzuki production line and the Mahindra Quanto. As per reports, GO+ shall be powered by Nissan’s 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine which generates about 68 PS of power and 104 Nm of peak torque. The MPV shall be mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Moreover, overall kerb weight of the car is a good 794 kgs that makes it faster and efficient than the rest in this segment. Furthermore, it is also one of the lightest MPVs that has been put up for sale in India. There are certain excise duty benefits that come with cars in the sub-4m bracket, and Datsun Go+ powered by a 1.2 litre engine, and an overall length of 3995 mm makes it befitting in this category. The pricing for this MPV shall also be well within the competitive range to draw a swarm of interested buyers.
