Brawn Again

The Tata Safari has had quite a fan following. It has been the favourite of low-key politicians, budding builders and local goons, besides some men who felt the need to project a macho image with the car they drove. And, the Safari without doubt has been conveying this 'macho' image exceedingly well for almost 15 years of its existence. However, for the discerning customer, Tata's home grown SUV fell short on a number of counts. It wasn't superbly engineered; it was dynamically scary and it was just too laborious a car to drive around.

It has had its share of revisions, of course — it has been through four engine changes, including a petrol; it has had special editions, which were loaded to the gills with stuff like a Playstation and the likes. And, it has also gone through a mild facelift. But, today, the options in Safari’s playing field are many, and growing. Moreover, with every new launch, the goal post has been moving further away. What the Safari needed then was a ground-up new design to take on these modern machines. With the Safari Storme, Tata believes, it has managed to do just that.

The interiors are all new too. The dashboard is less slab-sided and gets soft grain plastic for the dash top and on the doors. The clocks have been redesigned, and on the top-of-the-line VX model there’s also a new combination stalk on the right of the steering, which works the lights as well as the stereo. Space inside, which was already immense and class-leading, hasn’t changed much, but the Safari’s already comfortable seats, have gotten comfier still. These are supportive and cushy all round and a joy to be in. Moreover, you still have the commanding driving position along with good visibility at the front.

However, the quality of plastic parts and operability of various switches and buttons leaves a lot to be desired. And the wood finish inserts on the dash and on the door just don’t work. In fact, instead of adding to the upmarket feel, the inserts seem very superficial. The Storme could also have done with a little more equipment, better designed stowage spaces and a more usable last row for seating. The jump seats in the boot are useless for most practical purposes, leaving this hulking beast of an SUV a five-seater.

The engine meanwhile is the same as on the Aria or the latest version of the older Safari. The 2.2-litre diesel with a variable geometry turbo (now called VariCOR) feels slower on the move than its power and torque figures suggest. It’s not sluggish, but it doesn’t feel energetic either and it simply doesn’t help conceal the feeling of driving a heavy car. The engine only comes alive past the 1500rpm mark and along with gear shifts that need some effort. The Storme can be a lot of hard work in stop and go traffic.

As far as handling goes, the Safari still rolls quite a bit around corners; understeers if turned in hard; wallows and skips if the corner is bumpy; and the steering doesn’t tell you a whole lot either. But, as was the case with the older Safari, it rides fantastically well. Bumpy road, pot holes or no roads at all, the Storme simply smoothens out everything for you. You can feel little vibration seeping through on really bad sections, but the suspension works quietly and never thumps you around.

Now, the Safari Storme might look largely the same to the older car, but it is a new generation model. The ladder frame is all new. The underpinnings have been significantly revised and apart from the doors, all other body panels are new as well. It gets new projector type headlamps, a wide chrome grille and a less curvaceous body.

The chassis meanwhile hasn’t been designed exclusively for the Safari, though. It is the same as on the Aria and is therefore, lighter than the older Safari. The new version weighs about 80kg less. The Storme also gets wider track lengths both front and back, a revised suspension setup and a sharper and more precise rack-and-pinion steering along with better brakes compared to the latter.

The Storme is definitely better compared to the older Safari as it builds on the strengths of the older SUV in areas like comfort, ride quality, seats and space. But, given the choices available to the customer today, the Storme is still found wanting, especially when it comes to dynamics and the look and feel of the interior. But, those who are looking for a towering SUV, there’s a lot to rejoice as they are getting a better product that looks classier without losing its brawny charm.