The Safari has been in need of a face-lift for some time now, especially with better and more modern looking SUVs now roving our roads. It has finally got one. The new Safari adorns revised head and tail lamps, which are of the clear lens, multi reflective type. In addition, there is a new chrome plated grille, revised front and rear bumpers that house fog laps besides new door handles.

 

The chassis remains unchanged; the body mounts on the cab have been strengthened to deal with the extra load of the bigger engine. The suspension is now made of stiffer material improving the Safari’s ride further. The two-piece driveshaft is shorter due to the longer engine, but other features like the brakes remain unaltered although the VX gets ABS. Build quality is still pretty patchy although the paint job is great.

 

The instrument panel now uses legible circular dials. While the refreshed central console has a string of buttons and the rotary controls for the air-con still remains but the gear knob is finished in smart looking aluminium.

 

The rear jump seats are unfit for human use and flipping the rear seats forward releases a huge amount of space. The DICOR’s twin blowers work admirably cooling the cabin in a relatively short period. In-car entertainment has scaled new levels with the introduction of a DVD-player with video screens in the headrest being a unique option. The Safari is loaded with other thoughtful details like puddle lamps and an extra electrical socket for the rear. It is quite a heavy vehicle – it tilts the scales at 2,115 kg (kerb); add about 110 kg extra for the 4WD variant.

 

The suspension on offer is independent up front, with a double wishbone and torsion bar, while it’s a five-link setup at the rear with coil springs. Though it’s not what you would call taut, over time, Tata has been working on the Safari and have reduced the body roll substantially compared to the early Safaris. It feels much more planted and confident – something you will appreciate in a tall SUV.

 

The Safari’s new three-litre Direct Injection Common Rail (DICOR) engine has been derived from a simple direct injection motor that has done duty in Tata’s successful 407 light truck and Sumo-based Spacio. In contrast to the motor’s basic architecture, Delphi-TVS’s second-generation common rail system which Tata has fitted onto this engine is state-of-the-art.

 

The Safari DICOR is a 2115kg vehicle, with a power output of 115PS. Now the commendable bit, the DICOR returned a fuel efficiency of 16.5kmpl during our highway run with the air-con switched off, which dropped to 15.05kmpl with the air conditioning running full blast.

 

The steering is not direct and is non-linear as well. However the Safari feels composed in spite of suffering from massive body roll. The brakes however need serious improvement as they cause some anxious moments with the car snapping sideways. The 4×4 system worked well and the electronic shift-on-the-fly system is now relocated on the dash. Unfortunately, a poor turning circle and reduced visibility at the rear make the Safari difficult to manoeuvre.

Filed under: Tata Motor Cars in India