I bought a Safari EX from Dhingra in Gurgaon in June after a lot of contemplating and comparison between the Safari and the Scorpio. While initially I was more attracted towards the Scorp, a few factors led me away from it: a two foot gear rod which crazily wobbles, a miniature dashboard, manually adjustable rear view mirrors, AC vents that dont really control air flow direction etc.The quality of plastic used inside the car is significantly better in the Scorp though. So, eventually, I settled for the Safari.(There are multiple reviews on this website that talk about the comparisons between the two in detail - anybody looking for a comparison can refer to any of those elaborate reviews).
*Driving Experience:** Well, to put it simply, Safari is not the most comfortable car around - especially for middle row passengers. The car sways a lot on turns and bounces quite a bit on bad roads. For the driver, the biggest pain is the gear shift - it takes some effort to change gears and esp in start-stop traffic of delhi, it becomes a real problem. Parking is an issue in Delhi - maybe smaller city owners would be better off in this case. However, the car has acres of space inside which is a real delight. The car has features packed into it. The boot space is massive - the rear seats(7 seater model) can seat only one child each and that too very uncomfortably. View from the drivers seat is great(though the rear view is hindered significantly by the spare tyre). The car is immensely powerful and if you want to get a taste of its real power, you need to drive into the mountains or try towing another vehicle with it. The car also gives you a feeling of relative safety on the cruel Delhi roads.
The fuel efficiency is quite good - I get almost 11 km to a litre in Delhi and around 14 on the highways. The driver seat is quite comfortable with height adjustment, lumbar support et.al. The control switches are placed in easily accessible positions. There are quite a few pockets and holders for your papers, mobile phone etc. There are plenty of AC vents all over the vehicle making chilling of the interiors faster inspite of the size(volume) of the car.
The car has good torque which is especially useful on uphill roads. The acceleration is quite impressive too. Also, you dont have to downshift for overtaking other vehicles - not in most cases.
It would be a better idea to get parking assist sensors installed on the car(if its not a VX in which case a camera is provided). It helps a great deal in parking.
*Product Quality:** Well, now for the sore points. The plastic quality on the inside sucks. Doors are noisy. Middle row seats make rattling noise. Headlights and the horn are not powerful enough for a vehicle of this size. There are gaps in almost all fittings - both internal as well as external. Basically, a very poor quality car. It is the engine of the Safari that more than makes up for the abysmal quality of the fit and finish.
Customer Service: **Tata has set new standards of poor service in the industry. The dealers are not trained to handle customers, the online customer’helpdesk’ is non-responsive, the mechanics/foremen are neither technically sound, nor trained to handle customers, the backend staff at the service station are ill equipped. Overall the Tata Motors service network is a farce. I wonder why the company has not sacked its Chief Service Officer yet. He has absolutely no right to hold that position. If this is the after Sales Service that this person has created and delivered, he should be removed immediately. In fact, the Chief of Quality(if such a designation exists in this company) should also be sacked.
The whole experience of dealing with Tata Motors or its dealers is extremely painful and frustrating. You cannot expect even minor complaints addressed without reminders/leaving your car at the service station for another day. The only way to deal with it is to start living with the problem in you car and accept it the way it is rather than try to get it rectified through the "Service" Station.
*Final Recommendation:** If you want an SUV, and cannot afford an Endeavor(or above), you will have to settle for Safari. However, do not keep your expectations high(or even normal). If you spend 10 lacs of your hard earned money with lesser expectations, you are likely to enjoy the ownership of this vehicle more. Though I must give it to Tata(and Mahindra) for offering a good engine at this price point. If Tata is able to differentiate its services for the Safari, I am sure the sales would go way beyond their current trends.