The Safari is a big brand for Tata Motors and that pulls a lot of emotional strings especially with the first generation being so iconic. The new Safari took a different path in terms of being a premium three-row SUV but after being available for some time, it was very much a time for an update with competition getting tougher. Tata Motors did update the Safari with the Red Dark but this is the biggest change and takes it into a more premium direction. Let us take a look.
Immediately, the new Safari looks much more aggressive now and the new Tata family look blends in well with the large shape. The Safari is more boxy, upright and has straight lines against the Harrier while the new look with the full-width LED lighting adds a premium touch along with coloured grille inserts. Look elsewhere and there are huge new 19-inch wheels with an interesting dual-tone design.
The basic boxy roofline to accommodate the third row is still there but there is new LED lighting at the rear. With the numerous personas, you can play around with the colours and some of the new shades on offer look great too.
Step inside and here, it's an all-new cabin and we really like it. The white-coloured upholstery and the new four-spoke steering are all top-class in terms of finishing although keeping them clean would be a hard task. The new digital interface has been added in with a large 12.3-inch touchscreen and a new 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.
The faux wood trim and the lines are a class touch which elevates the cabin experience. Fit and finish is the best we have seen on a Tata so far too. There is customizable mood lighting, a bejewelled terrain response mode selector and a better-designed new e-shifter.
The feature list is huge and gets the same equipment as the Harrier including ADAS, dual-zone climate control, dual powered seats, JBL audio, 360-degree camera, 7 airbags and new ADAS features. The difference is the focus on the rear seat with the captain seats being quite spacious and offering lots of adjustability manually. We would have liked a table but you can electrically adjust the front passenger seat from the rear and even get ventilated second-row seats- which luxury SUV offers that at three times its price?
Access to third-row seats is slightly narrow but the space there is decent. Let us talk about the driving though as the same 2.0l diesel gets paired with a shift-by-wire 6-speed automatic which replaces the earlier gear selector. There is no AWD but it gets terrain response modes. There are drive modes too while the new electric power steering is also a major update. It drives much more easily and befits its premium SUV tag. Compared to the earlier Safari, the new electric power steering is direct, lighter and much easier to drive while not being vague or prone to torque steer or basically being difficult to use. More than anything, this is the biggest change and transforms the driving experience. The 6-speed automatic also works very well and is fairly responsive while paddle shifters are a welcome move too in terms of highway performance.
The driving position still is the same though as the driver's knee brushes against the centre console and the driver's footwell is small while the diesel is noisier than rivals. But, the tough suspension makes it much more suitable to tackle bad roads as against rivals. It nearly feels like a Land Rover now and that is high praise.
The new Safari is now a bargain three-row premium SUV especially with its looks, high equipment list beating rivals and space/comfort along with a much better driving experience. The lack of a petrol or AWD holds it back but as a diesel three-row SUV, the Safari is now amongst the best in class if you look at it in terms of sheer value for money.
What we like - Looks, features, space, comfort, driving experience, automatic gearbox
What we do not like - No petrol, no AWD, ergonomic issues like cramped driver footwell
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