The pre-facelift Safari never made me smile like this, but Tata has really worked wonders with the SUV’s midlife update.
GTO recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Man, the kind of cars you get today for 30 lakhs! I reiterate, 30–40 lakhs is truly all that one needs to spend on a car today. Anything above is driven purely by desire, want, greed or the lure of badges. Today’s 30-40 lakh cars offer all you need in terms of styling, space, comfort, features, safety, power etc. There is a reason why sales in the 25-40 lakh segment have exploded, while luxury brands have seen unimpressive growth over the last 10 years.
I took the Safari Facelift to a fabulous property literally in the middle of nowhere! The roads were so broken, there was no way a sedan could make it here. Enjoyed my 5 days with the Tata Safari in Bombay & on the road trip.
What’s Hot
The drop-dead gorgeous styling (I find myself going to the parked car, just to admire its beauty), electric power steering (big improvement over HPS – light in the city & then weighs up okay, vague feeling but I guess you don’t want a sharp steering in a large SUV), the sheer presence and street cred of the Safari (really a 30-lakh car that looks like a 60-lakh car), spacious + comfortable + stylish cabin loaded with features, terrific mile-munching long-distance capability, superb disco-like sound system, 5-star safety rating is very assuring for highway drives, robust build quality feels abuse-friendly, commanding driving position, powerful A/C, lots of storage options in the cabin, smooth AT gearbox, enough power on tap, rough road ability & ground clearance, not seen Safari owners complain about DPF / BS6 exhaust issues like Mahindra owners
What’s Not
Niggles & bugs, no 4×4 / AWD (XUV700 offers it), rough edges & inconsistencies in build / part fitment / finishing are evident in some areas, 19” rims are unsuitable for a rough & tough SUV (tyres prone to damage, short sidewalls, R19s bring a bit of a firm edge, I’d personally prefer the Safari with R17 wheels), ergonomically still imperfect (I managed alright, but never found my “perfect” driving position), FCA 2.0 diesel engine shows its age + gets noisy at high revs (XUV700’s diesel is superior), no powerful turbo-petrol AT like the XUV700
Niggles faced
Electronic parking brake error on the MID, switching off ADAS braking sometimes required the car to be restarted, central locking didn’t unlock and / or boot didn’t unlock, Wireless Android Auto dropped connection a couple of times (two different phones)
On the stunning new Atal Setu, India’s longest Sea Bridge, which has now become a weekly drive for me:
Drive on this Sea Bridge and you’ll be in awe of India’s ambitions. What an achievement, what an engineering marvel:
The pre-facelift Safari never made me smile like this, but Tata has really worked wonders with the midlife update. The Safari Facelift has dramatically improved over the earlier car. Cements my belief that you should wait 2-3 years after a fresh new car launch for the much-improved version that inevitably follows:
Peaceful, charming countryside:
Stayed at this stunning property, literally in the middle of nowhere. Serene, spacious, lots of wood, greens and nature:
Nothing quite like chillaxing after driving a good car on a good road… and filling your mind up with thoughts of how the Indian Car Scene has evolved:
Went for a spin in kayaks:
In some truly calm waters:
So therapeutic:
The ambience & mood at night were equally spectacular. Throw in the right music and you’re all set:
What’s a brand-new Tata without niggles?
You know you parked a good-looking car when the staff immediately surround it & update their WhatsApp DPs:
Awesome Maharashtra – you just have to know where to go, pick the right places, do the right things & avoid the crowds:
At some points, the roads were totally broken & my family was actually wondering if we were on the right track. Glad I had the Safari, this wasn’t a place accessible in sedans:
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