Tata Safari is an icon in the Indian automobile world. It was discontinued a few years back. But now it is all set to rock the Indian roads in its avatar. Check out.
The Tata Safari was an outright rage when it was first launched in 1998. It was India’s first indigenously developed SUV. It gained massive market popularity for multiple factors including its ability to tread anywhere and value for money sentiment. Now again, Tata has unveiled the all-new generation of Tata Safari in 2021. The Harrier-based Safari was first unveiled as Gravitas.
Let us find out how it stands against the first generation Safari.
Size
In comparison, the older Safari looks a bit longer due to rear mounted spare wheel. In fact at 4810mm, the older Safari was lengthier by 149mm. But the 2021 Safari is has edge with width and wheelbase. At 1810mm, it is 84mm wider and its wheelbase of 2650mm is lengthier by 91mm. It will also get bigger 18-inch wheels. However, the height of the new Tata Safari is 139mm shorter at 1786mm.
Engine
The older Safari was powered by a 2.0 liter diesel engine that used to churn out 90PS of power and 186 Nm torque. It was mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The 2021 Tata Safari is also powered by a 2.0 liter diesel engine. But it will churn out 170 PS of power and 350 Nm of torque. The power and torque figures are almost double. The engine will be mated a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission.
No 4 wheel drive
The older Safari was a rear or all-wheel drive while the upcoming Safari is only a front-wheel drive SUV. However, Tata has confirmed to launch a 4 wheel drive model in the future. But it would solely depend upon the demand.
Platform
The older Tata Safari was build on the body-on-frame platform. It was more suitable to drive on rugged roads and for off-roading. It didn't offer the best handling experience on the tarmac. The 2021 Tata Safari is built on a monocoque platform that it will share with Harrier. It will offer smoother riding and handling experience on normal roads.
Features
The older Tata Safari was not know much for its cabin features. It was popular more as a rugged anywhere-to-take SUV and known for its dependable performance. However, the new Safari will offer a lot of features and creature comforts. Just like Harrier, it will offer 8.8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 7-inch semi-digital instrument coloured display, 320W JBL sound system, and panoramic sunroof.
It will also offer automatic climate control, powered driver’s seat, auto-dimming IRVM, and an electronic parking brake with auto-hold function. The new Safari will also come packed with disc brakes in all four wheels.
Seating option
Older Safari was capable of seating 7 people. However, it offered jump seats at the rear. The new Safari can also seat 7 people but it will offer a front facing seat in the third row. It will also offer 6-seater option with two captain seats in the middle row.
Pricing
First generation Safari's price started at Rs 8.25 lakh. But the 2021 Safari's price is expected to start around Rs 15 lakh. That's almost double. But here, we should also factor in inflation, increased cost of manufacturing, added features, more powerful engine, stunning design, and more.
The all-new Safari is expected to bring shock waves in the 7-seater SUV segment that is currently dominated by Toyota and Ford. CarInfo believes that the new Tata Safari will do good numbers with a four wheel drive.
