Datsun has unveiled the hatch companion to its Russia-only On-Do sedan, the Mi-Do, at the Moscow Motor Show.
Like the Datsun On-Do, which is a Lada Granta with a facelift and some Datsun badging, the Mi-Do is based on the Lada Kalina. The Kalina/Granta/On-Do/Mi-Do all share the same underpinnings, width, height and wheelbase. Naturally the sedans are longer than their hatchback counterparts.
Engineered for Russia’s tough roads and down to an affordable price, the Mi-Do is powered by a 65kW (87hp) 1.6-litre 8-valve petrol motor. Drive goes to the front wheels either via a 5-speed manual or 4-speed auto.
Sales of the Mi-Do will begin in early 2015. All Datsun models will be backed by a 3-year/100,000km warranty.
According to Datsun, the oddball name is a mix of Japanese, English and Russian. Do apparently is a Japanese word than can mean moving, as well as a way of doing things. Mi, on the other hand, sounds to a Russian speaker like the English word me, and that’s supposed to emphasise the car’s personality … somehow.
As for the On-Do, on is the Russian equivalent of he. So, the sedan is somehow more masculine than the hatch.
Dimensions
Length: 3,950mm (-387mm compared to the On-Do)
Width: 1,700mm
Height: 1,500mm
Wheelbase: 2,476mm
