A road trip is perhaps the best way to get to know a new car and in the case of the new Safari, we took it across a trip to Rajasthan to see how extensive the changes were done to this new iteration. This is not just a mere facelift as the changes are quite extensive including a switch to electric power steering and a raft of new features. The Safari has been the flagship SUV from Tata Motors but with stiff competition, Tata Motors recently did a comprehensive overhaul, which was needed.
In a week we drove the Safari for about 900 km while also using it in the city. In this gold shade, the new Safari does look much more premium and thankfully there is a slightly better differentiation between its Harrier sibling. The new look front is what makes that change with the full-width LED lighting, the new pattern for the grille along with the nice touch of the Safari name etched on the smaller headlamps. The best bit? It has got to be those 19-inch wheels which gives it plenty of muscle and a proportionate stance. The new Safari did turn heads on our drive and looks butch with a lot of road presence.
More than anything, the new interior is also a big change in terms of the ambiance and a premium look. It was needed with the price bracket that the Safari finds itself in and the dual-tone interior with beige, wood finish, and light colours lifts the ambiance. The light colours would be a pain to keep clean but it looks premium for sure. Ergonomically, things are better than the earlier Safari too, especially with a simpler auto parking brake and the USB slot being easier to access. The design of the dashboard is all new and when starting, the way the touch panel and the digital steering come to life is quite cool. The main touch panel houses all of the functions while the only physical buttons are for the temperature. On the go using the touch panel is simple but adjusting the fan should have been a physical button. That said, voice commands help here. In the Rajasthan heat, the dual-zone climate control did cool down the cabin quite quickly.
The new four-spoke steering wheel with the digital logo does attract smudges while accessing or placing the phone on the wireless charging pad is also slightly difficult. But, that aside, the 360-degree camera is brilliant and was a big help while parking while the audio system plus cooled seats (slightly awkward position for the seat coolers though) kept us happy on our road trip. There are enough storage places too. Further on, the digital instrument cluster is configurable and displays navigation as well which was a great boon.
The second-row seats are individual captain seats with a high seating position and the panoramic sunroof also makes the cabin feel airy. The addition of sun blinds along with electric seat adjustment of the passenger seat from the back is also convenient. Do remember that even the second row has seat ventilation which is something even luxury cars do not have! As far as the seats are concerned they are plush but the cushioning is on the firmer side while legroom is plentiful. Taller drivers like me will find their left knee brushing with the centre console and also with the way it is designed.
The boot space with all three rows is less but the third row is pretty decent with individual headrests. Finally, a gesture-powered tailgate is something that is required for an SUV at this price and the new Safari also gets it.
The engine is familiar being a 2.0l diesel with 170hp and 350Nm with a 6-speed automatic on our test car. At low speeds, the new Safari is a tad bit quieter now but at high speeds, the diesel noise is very much there and it is slightly noisy when pushed. Where it scores is the mid-range punch that a diesel gives. The Safari is a big and heavy SUV with this diesel having enough punch for effortless highway cruising. Using sport mode also livens it up. A big change is the addition of paddle shifters but we did not use them much as the torque is enough and it is a quick enough gearbox.
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A big USP of the new Safari is the electric power steering which makes life much easier than the vague unit on the earlier one. It is easier to live with and in the city, it does not feel heavy. It feels connected too with better steering feedback. As before, the Land Rover-derived platform is the key and it feels tough with the way it dispatches bad roads although the 19-inch wheels do give a slightly stiff ride at low speeds. Despite no 4x4, the Safari feels tough and will do your tone off-roading with ease. Efficiency is decent with numbers hovering between 11 kmpl to 13kmpl in the city/highway.
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