Tata Gravitas: Could It Plug The Gap The Safari’s Demise Left?

The Tata Safari, one of India’s most loved SUVs, is facing the axe due to poor sales and the upcoming BS6 emission norms. In fact, its last batch is being sold with a hefty discount. The Safari, along with the Indica, was responsible for placing Tata Motors on the map, and where it is today. With the Safari gone, the gap it leaves in the manufacturer’s SUV portfolio will be plugged by the upcoming Gravitas. And it sure seems built to fit the role as far as we can see. In fact, it reminds us in many ways of the Safari.

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The Tata Gravitas and Safari share a lot of common traits. They are large and can seat 7 people comfortably. However, the Gravitas will be offered with front facing seats in the third row, which are far safer than the Safari’s last row of jump seats. The Gravitas’ middle row is also expected to offer a comfortable experience just like the Safari. 

In terms of looks, both SUVs have different identities. The Safari is a rugged looking SUV with an upright stance and old-school design elements. Despite its decade-old signature silhouette, the Safari garners attention even today. On the other hand, the Gravitas grabs eyeballs with Tata’s Impact 2.0 design language, just like the Harrier. Where it differs from the Harrier is its stepped roof, which brings its silhouette a little closer to the Safari. And that is a nostalgia trigger for us!

A major trump card for the Gravitas is its pleasing interior design. It gets features like an 8.8-inch infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, climate control, a 7-inch multi-info display, cruise control as well as keyless entry with push button start. Safety features are also expected to be better in the Gravitas. One can expect 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors and camera, ESP, hill hold control and hill descent control. 

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The Gravitas will be offered with a powerful 2.0-litre Multijet engine that develops 170PS and 350Nm. In comparison, the Safari’s 2.2-litre unit developed 156PS and 400Nm, 14PS less and 50Nm more than the Gravitas. Apart from a 6-speed manual, the upcoming Tata will also be offered with a 6-speed automatic, which should be a mighty convenient option. On the other hand, it won’t be offered with all-wheel drive, a useful feature present in the Tata Safari. That means the Gravitas can be used for soft and easy off-roading at best. 

So, sure, the Gravitas might not be as rugged as the Safari. But it fights back with modern looks, upmarket interiors and a powerful tried and tested engine. Now, we hope Tata bestows an all-wheel drive system on the Gravitas to complete the formula. Prices for the Gravitas are expected to start from Rs 15 lakh (ex-showroom).

Image Courtesy: Gautham Subramanya