The Tata Safari has been one of the most successful vehicles in the history of the Indian car manufacturer. It was first launched in 1998 and was discontinued after twenty years in 2019. Successive iterations of the SUV saw more features being added and aesthetic fine-tuning that made this into an iconic Indian car. Now Tata has launched the all-new second generation Safari in January 2021.
When the Tata Safari was first launched, it was a luxury car that was also made in India. It was then the big, statement car that called out to the adventure lover who dreamed about off-roading to roads unknown. Make your own road was the well-known tagline for some of those early TV ads. It was also a people mover; another reason it was successful in a country where people love to travel in large groups.
The road presence of the Tata Safari and its tall stance made it stand out on Indian roads at a time when there were few such cars around. Also unlike some comparable vehicles of the time, the Safari was better looking and offered a more comfortable ride.
Over the years, better features, a more powerful engine were added and fuel efficiency improved. The car’s design itself also underwent several upgrades as with the Safari DICOR and Safari Storme. Few Indian 4x4 cars have the kind of street cred or comfort level that the Safari commanded. Tata's service network being available in the remotest corners of the country was always an attractive feature.
The all-new Safari is a 2-litre turbocharged diesel engine and has a push-button start. The new 2021 Tata Safari starts at Rs. 14.69 lakh for the lower variant and goes up to extends up to ₹17.25 lakh in manual and automatic versions. The top-end Adventure Persona' trim is priced at Rs. 20.20 lakh. The car comes in the six-seater or seven-seater configuration. It will have features such as a panoramic sunroof, powered driver seat, parking break with auto hold, rain-sensing wipers, typer pressure monitoring system etc.
The updated cabin has premium features such as leather-wrapped gear stick and steering wheel and high-end light coloured upholstery. The car has much of the appeal of Tata’s other highly successful offering the Harrier but is longer and bigger than the Harrier while retaining the distinctive front and read look.
The new Safari is meant to offer stiff competition to the seven-seater Hyundai Creta and the MG Hector Plus. According to this review, the car misses the 4x4 feature from the original Tata Safari but bases itself on many of the best features of the Harrier. As such the Tata Safari is pronounced as familiar in some ways, different in others.
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