The Tata Safari Is Back As A Modern 6- /7-Seater SUV

• Safari bookings to be open in India on February 04.
• It will be launched by the middle of February.
• It will come in six variants: XE, XM, XT, XT+, XZ, and XZ+
• The Tata Safari is basically an extended three-row version of the Harrier.
• Will be powered by the FCA sourced 2.0-litre diesel engine with manual and automatic transmissions.
• It’s front-wheel drive initially, but will be offered with an all-wheel drive if demand persists.
• New features include connected car tech, powered tailgate, and an electronic parking brake with auto hold function.

The Tata Safari is back. Nope, it’s not the body-on-frame off-roader you and I must have been familiar the past, but the Safari is now a modern 6- / 7-seater family SUV. It is essentially a three-row version of the Harrier that’s based on the Land Rover D8 derived platform. It will come in six variants: XE, XM, XT, XT+, XZ, and XZ+. Bookings for the Safari will begin on Febuary 04 and the launch will officially open in the middle of the same month. 

Let’s speak numbers. The Safari is 4,661mm long, 1,894mm wide, and 1,786mm tall. Here’s how it compares against the Harrier and the old Safari Storme:

Interestingly, the Safari, which utilises the same wheelbase as the Harrier, is 63mm longer. The extra length has gone behind the rear wheels to accommodate the third row. It's also taller than the five-seater SUV by 80mm and that should result in better headroom. 

The extra length behind the rear wheels has resulted in a slight alteration to its design. For starters, the Safari’s tailgate is upright and the LED tail lamps are sleeker. It sits on larger 18-inch wheels, whose design is similar to the Harrier’s 17-inch units, while giving the Safari a better stance. And while the front-end looks similar, the keen eyed will notice the new tri-arrow pattern grille finished in silver and chrome. 

It features the same dashboard as the Harrier, albeit in a black-white shade. It can be had either as a 6-seater with captain seats or a 7-seater with a bench seat for the middle row occupants. 

The Safari gets a few extra additions over the Harrier such as connected car tech, powered tailgate, an electronic parking brake with auto hold function, a tyre pressure monitor, and rear disc brakes.

It also comes with an 8.8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 320W JBL sound system, a panoramic sunroof, cruise control, automatic climate control, auto-dimming IRVM, powered driver’s seat, drive and off-road modes, and a 7-inch coloured semi-digital instrument display. Safety features include up to six airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors with camera, and electronic stability control. 

The Safari is powered by a FCA-sourced 2.0-litre diesel engine that develops 170PS of power and 350Nm of torque and drives the front wheels. There won’t be an all-wheel drive variant initially, but Tata could offer one later if demand persists. However, the Safari for the first time, will be offered with a 6-speed automatic transmission that will be sold alongside the manual variant. 

We expect the Safari to cost between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 21 lakh when it goes on sale by mid-February. It rivals the MG Hector Plus and the Mahindra XUV500.