Tushar burmanFebruary 16, 2021 10:24:08 IST
How many of your sweet memories of yesteryear are based on a pure and irrational nostalgia? Rola-Cola? Disgusting, weird, just like a cola, but recent Instagram gold. Pawn No. 1 then: Wow! Coolie No. 1 now: WTF? So: Zeher hai ke pyaar hai tera chumma? Now: Do you like to eat mangoes?
So here’s my unpopular take: I don’t see the old Tata Safari giveaway. And I have fond memories of my Tata Sierra family, so I could be biased if anything. The Safari has the distinction of being one of India’s first “true” SUVs with 4x4s, a reasonable cabin for reasonable people and other similar luxuries. But the last time I drove one (the Storme), my elbows settled at different levels, I was sailing more than I was driving and I spent most of my time wondering if maybe Tata Motors meant that multiple vehicles shared 400Nm of torque.
The new Safari does not have any of these shortcomings. How could I do it, based on the very recent Omega architecture (for Tata Motors), which has its roots in Land Rover? It is a modern SUV that competes in what is becoming an increasingly popular segment in the market.
The name of Safari
As Tata Motors puts it, the new Safari would always be called that. In the period just before Auto Expo 2020 until now, we knew it as ‘Gravitas’. Fortunately, that was left on the shelf. The “new” Safari is essentially a three-row Harrier with an automatic gearbox available from launch.
A more mature design
Judging from the way the communications folks were enlightened by my mention of the more “mature” design language, it seems the mission has been accomplished by the new Safari to some extent. Where the Tata Harrier felt like Pratap Bose, the Chief Designer walked into a meeting, threw the sketches on the table and said, “build exactly that, or else …” the Safari seems this time, someone in the Side business said, “You had fun, now let’s do it my way.”
The new Safari is clearly based on the 5-seat Harrier – much of the front looks similar, but the treatment at the stern of the C-pillar is quite different. There is a higher ceiling, with the quirk that the old Safari was known for. There’s a large glass quarter for the third row with an interesting design element propping it up from the roof rails to the body panel. In my eyes, it’s a smarter-looking vehicle than the Harrier; much less like a concept car. Our auto test variant came in this attractive Royale Blue color that looked sleek and premium.
A word about technology
The new Tata Safari gets the same iRA connected car suite that we recently saw at Altroz iTurbo. It provides basic geofence security features, as well as allowing the horn and lights to be activated remotely. However, there is no remote engine start or climate control feature as we have seen recently on some other cars.
The 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system is a widescreen variant of what we’ve seen on the Nexon and Altroz and as such doesn’t differ much. Responsive and it worked with my Apple smartphone (CarPlay is available, but wired). However, my complaints with the UI remain. Simple switches are confusing, because you have to look for little icons on the screen to find out if they have been activated.
The JBL brand music system is a holdover from the Harrier. It’s smooth to listen to unless you use the equalizer or one of its presets. It also doesn’t sync the volume with the connected Bluetooth device, which frustrated me on one occasion from the lack of music because my phone’s volume was too low and there was no way to tell.
Inside
Tata Motors continues to inspire its corporate cousin Jaguar Land Rover, which is evident inside the Safari. There is a wide arc between the dash and the windshield, reminiscent of some Jaguars. The materials appear to be nice, with an airy color scheme that seems more premium than that of the Harriers. I took particular note of the rough-looking stitching on the Harrier’s seats, which the Safari doesn’t suffer from. Aside from the slightly lightweight plastic on the door panels, things feel solid.
The dash continues to follow recent Tata Motors design language, but performs better in Safari thanks to the nice dark wood-finish panel that runs across the dash. The steel gray strip under this panel and the use of piano black are not my preference. There are a reasonable number of buttons available; not too many and not too few, and I appreciate the addition of an electronic parking brake, which replaces the Harrier’s aircraft-style throttle lever. However, strangely, the parking brake does not have an LED indicator of its own, requiring you to look at the driver’s display to see if it is activated. The terrain response dial also has dim indicator LEDs, requiring you to look closely to see which mode is selected. On the other hand, the panoramic moonroof has the most obvious controls, with individual rockers for shade, ventilation and opening.
The driver’s log is an area where there was an opportunity to differentiate the Safari from its stablemates. As a flagship vehicle, I would have liked to see more than the Altroz. The Safari’s steering tilts and telescopes, and the motorized seat adjustment is a bonus, but somehow I was never able to find the perfect riding position, as was the case with the Harrier. It’s getting close, but it’s not perfect yet. The center armrest, like on the Harrier, is still useless. It is too small, too far back, and not adjustable.
Since the Safari is a three-row SUV, it is available in 6- and 7-seat variants, which are distinguished by two captain’s seats or a bench in the second row, respectively. In the 6-seat configuration, access to the third row is through the aisle between the two captain’s seats. In the 7-seat variant, the second row is a bench that splits 60:40, folds and rotates, allowing curb access to the third row. This is not only much more convenient for passengers, but it also frees up much more cargo space with the second and third rows folded. The 6-seat model’s captain’s seats don’t fold down much, limiting cargo space.
And finally, the third row – the Safari may well be a benchmark for comfort in this part of the car. Passengers sit comfortably, with their legs in a reasonable position (the knees do not touch their ears as in other vehicles) and with some room for the knees. There’s even decent headroom, thanks to the high ceiling. There are adjustable AC air vents, a beautiful view with the large quarter glass panes, and also two charging ports. However, it would have been nice if the ports were on both sides instead of just the left.
Very active
With the updated 170PS / 350Nm specification from the 2.0-liter Kryotec diesel engine, the new Safari is far better to drive than the original Harrier. In fact, aside from moderate engine noise, the Safari feels just as fast and effortless to drive as any other SUV of its kind, made in India or imported. In the automatic variant, Hyundai’s automatic gearbox with torque converter is smooth and seamless and is a great match for this engine.
Driving modes are offered, with Eco, City and Sport as options. I found that Safari responds best in Sport mode, without compromising smoothness, so I left it there. Modern turbocharged engines are adept at generating large numbers of torque from relatively small displacements, so the 350Nm is not winning any comparisons on the spec sheet. However, applied well with this gearbox, it doesn’t matter. Compare this powertrain combo to the Varicor 400 itself and Tata’s automatic in the Hexa, and the difference in feel is stark. Crossing with triple digits is easy and there are plenty of pushes to pass safely at highway speeds.
Tata Motors has modified the suspension of the Safari to be more compatible than the Harrier. At least that’s the claim. I found that the suspension needed to be adjusted to stay flatter in most conditions, possibly by changing the damping. For me the ride quality on concrete roads and on sharp joints was a bit harsh, as I am used to from European cars. Sure, the Safari will respond well to cornering, but frankly, in most of our conditions, it would take a bit longer to wallow if that meant the setup was a little less complicated.
Towards the end of my time with the Safari, I was less interested in driving the manual, as the automatic seemed to meet my expectations. However, I am glad I tried. The manual version saves around 60-70 kg of weight, according to Tata Motors, and this is evident when driving. The manual shifter isn’t the most pleasant to paddle, but the SUV seems to respond better thanks to the lighter weight. If you were to buy a Safari just for road trips, you might consider saving some money with the manual option. It’s nice to drive.
The price of the new Tata Safari is expected to be in the range of Rs 15.5 – 22 lakh (ex-showroom). Image: Overdrive / Anis Shaikh
Should you buy the new Tata Safari?
The lack of a 4×4 seems to be a deal breaker for many Safari faithful, making the new a smooth vehicle at best. However, the terrain response system will take you to more places than you might think, but not where differentials would need to be locked. Tata Motors has made it clear that the Safari architecture can easily be adapted to a 4×4 system if market conditions are feasible for the expense, so if that’s the only thing stopping you from buying a Safari, hold on. Even the Harrier didn’t have an automatic, until it finally did.
The new Tata Safari is a solid competitor in its price range, which is yet to be confirmed. We would expect a premium of Rs 1 – 1.5 lakh over the Harrier, putting it in the support of Rs 15.5 – 22 lakh (ex-showroom). The competition is formidable, with models like the MG Hector Plus and Mahindra XUV500 in the race, and an all-new XUV500 in the coming months. Where Safari scores are third-row comfort, unique design, and the Tata Motors network.
Tata Safari in figures
Length: 4661 mm
Width: 1894 mm
Height: 1786 mm
Wheelbase: 2741 mm
Engine: Kryotec 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbodiesel
Power: 170 CV
Torque: 350Nm
Transmissions: 6-speed manual / 6-speed automatic
Expected price: Rs 15.5 – 22 lakh (ex-showroom)
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She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.