After cancelling my Scorpio booking (check the Scorpio review pages for what I had to say) and going in for a Safari Dicor 4x2, I must say that about 3 months later I’m really pleased with my decision. I don’t think that Tata really markets this vehicle very well. To me, the reduced prices were what made me consider it, but after a closer look I made the final decision after realising how complete it is as an SUV. Since buying it I also had the opportunity to ride a Honda CR-V once, and believe me, I’d rather use the Safari any day. Its far more comfortable and packed with little conveniences.
I drove it from Bangalore to Ooty, Coonoor, Avalanche, etc, and back recently, on mostly ghat roads with the family plus loads of cargo. It was a breeze and a pleasure. This year, the roads seem especially bad, but this beauty doesn’t seem to give a damn about whether there’s a road under it or not. It just GOES, leaving behind the Innovas, Qualises, and even Scorpios, quite literally in a cloud of dust. And at the end of the trip everyone emerges out of the vehicle looking almost as fresh as they were when they started. :) Mileage: I got close to 14 kmpl on this trip, except while going uphill or on very bad stretches when I was continuously in 2nd or 3rd gear at most. I normally get about 10.5 within the city. I’ve seen through the other reviews that not all Safari owners have a good experience with product quality, and this probably reflects the fact that as an automaker Tata still hasn’t had as much experience in manufacturing cars as the Japanese, Europeans or Americans. It appears to me that that the quality of the little things has not reached the same levels as that of the more important things. For example, the body, engine and entire drive chain feel really solid and reliable, but little electrical gizmos here and there will give way earlier than they would in a foreign car.
At the current price, the only other vehicle that could possibly be called competition is the Scorpio. But take one look at the accessories and features that go with comparable models and you’ll know that the Safari offers you much more for less. The medium-end Safari (EX model) compares very well with the higher end Scorpio (SLX), with the latter being more expensive.
In terms of the vehicle and its performance, I’ll be lazy and just tell you that the Oct 2006 issue of Autocar India offers a pretty real and comprehensive review/comparison with the Scorpio. But I don’t agree with their overall verdict that the Scorpio is a better deal. At the end of the day, these are really two different types of vehicles. If you want a true off-road SUV that will take you cross country or long distances on very bad roads in comfort and with very adequate power, choose the Safari. If you want a vehicle that is mainly for zipping and squeezing around the city, go with the Scorpio (or even just a sedan). Its true that the Safari engine seems more like a truck engine, but it is adequate and if you think about it, thats what you need to go across India on our so-called highways. You need a truck that offers you the passenger comfort of an Ambassador, and the driving comfort of a Mercedes. The Safari is it. Its stately good looks are just an extra. When I bought it I never had any plans of entering it for races, so I really don’t care about how many seconds it takes to reach 60 kpmh or 100 kpmh. As for the braking, which is supposedly weak according to the Autocar review, personally I’ve never had a problem. The Safari is a large, heavy vehicle, and needs to be driven as such. Recognise this simple fact and you’ll be fine. And as for the poor rear view, you can compensate for it to a large extent by purchasing the rear video camera as an accessory. This comes as standard only with the high end (VX) model, but I’d recommend that you purchase it as an extra even for the lower models. Costs about Rs 19k, inclusive of parking sensors.
The only thing that I find bad is the service capacity available in Bangalore. Considering the sizeable number of Sumos, Indicas and other Tata vehicles on Bangalore’s roads the number and capacity of service shops available to take care of them pathetic. And obviously, at each service center not every technician is a Safari expert, which makes matter worse. You need to book ten days in advance to get your vehicle serviced, which is a bit too much. Not sure if this is the case with other brands as well, but its an area which needs significant improvement.