(I edited this article on 10th Oct 2009. Please read again)
I’m a proud owner of a Tata Safari 2.2 VTT Dicor since almost 1 year now. It’s an amazing vehicle, but like all cars, has its own pros and cons. Let me get on the general experience first.
Buying the car was extremely easy. Bought it from Pandit Automotive in Pune. The dealer was extremely helpful and courteous. He took us for a test ride to Taljai hills(an area in Pune where the motocross is held). The monsoon gods had blessed Pune and the motocross track was completely muddy and slushy. The dealer engaged the 4 wheel drive and I had the best test drive of my life. It was amazing. The dealer even allowed a 2nd test ride after a couple of days.
Bought the top end diesel model, but without the 4 wheel drive. Initially, I was skeptical about whether I would be able to manouvre it in heavy Pune traffic. But, it took me only 2-3 days to get used to the vehicle and I have driven it in some of the most crowded and narrow streets Pune has to offer. It’s a breeze to drive.
A month after getting the vehicle, a small creaking noise started coming from below the chassis. It came only after the vehicle was driven for about 10 to 15 kms. Took it to Pandit’s service station inside Shahu College in Pune. They kept the vehicle and tried to investigate. After about a week, they said that they are unable to find the problem. I went in to visit also once and most of the stuff under the bonnet had come out. Pandit then called Tata Motors directly and an engineer from Tata directly came to inspect the vehicle. The engineer assured us that if that problem could not be solved, then Tata would give us a free replacement new Safari of the same type. This was an amazing gesture from Tata. However, after a week more of tinkering and the problem was solved. Apparently, some welding under the chassis was not done properly.
Anyways, I was back on the road with my gentle giant. I had gone in for a Safari because I frequently need to use it in off road / dirt track scenarios, which also get slushy during the monsoons. No other car is capable of handling such roads. However, Safari negotiates such roads with ease, including steep inclines on muddy dirt tracks. The ad campaign about reclaim your life is really true.
Anyways, here is a list of Pros and cons of the vehicle.
Pros:
Superb road handling
Very good fuel efficiency: I get 12 kmpl in the city and have got 16 kmpl on the highway
The rear view camera(comes only with the top end model) is an amazing accessory and extremely helpful when backing up(The stepney blocks a huge chunk of the rear windshield)
Aircon is extremely efficient. Even in almost 40 degrees heat, vehicle cooled pretty fast after being baked in the sun for a long time
Lot of boot space. Carry as much luggage as you want
Cons:
The gear shift lever in 1st, 3rd and 5th position blocks the CD player. It’s extremely difficult to remove/insert CDs
The dashboard is not very luxurious looking, say compared to Honda CRV etc.
The electrical fuses fuse off often(happened when the vehicle was newer. Problem seems to have disappeared now). There are a few spare fuses provided and also a good map of which fuse to replace for which problem. It can be done without taking it to service station
The front seats arm rest position is not very ergonomic. It comes in the way when one tries to fasten the seat belt
Very strange problem - The factory fitted DVD player becomes possessed by a spirit when I shift into reverse gear. This happens whenever I’m tuned in to the radio. As soon as I shift into reverse, the radio transmission is nuked and all I hear is a steady static hiss. The service centre too could not fix the problem though it is reproducible 100% of the times
No lock for stepney / cover - The stepney fixed on the rear boot door has no lock and anyone can make away with it(Yes, it will fetch the thief a good Rs. 1, 000 to Rs. 3, 000 depending upon tyre condition). I solved this by locking the zipper using a manual key lock
Rear view mirror is not anti glare. Also, you cannot get one fitted(if you own the top of the line model) because the mirror comes with built in LCD display for rear view camera. Tough luck here!
Small noises(kich kich kich types) will always follow you wherever you go.
Rear two seats(in the boot) are completely useless. Cannot be used for long rides at all(Unless you are interested in busting up your spinal cord and having a sore ass)
Overall, I’m extremely satisfied with my Safari and my experience with Tata Motors. Also, if you are going in for the top of the line model, then I would suggest you go in for 4wd. It’s an amazing feature to have for an extra moolah of just Rs. 30K. The 4wd can be selectively engaged