2023 Tata Safari Review: Are These Changes Enough?

The SUV now has a new infotainment system, ADAS and a Red Dark edition

Tata Safari, the flagship offering from the carmaker has been the go-to choice for customers since it was launched in its new avatar in 2021. The SUV comes with a bold look, a premium cabin and offers a comfortable ride to passengers. But, Safari had been missing some features that made customers look elsewhere. Now, Tata has updated its SUV and has added a new Red Dark edition to suit the needs of buyers. But has this update solved all of Safari’s problems? Let’s find out.

Looks

There are no changes to how the Safari looks for 2023. But, we drove the Red Dark edition of the SUV which comes with an all-black exterior with gloss black 18-inch alloy wheels and sporty red elements all around. It gets a red insert on the front grill, a “#Dark” badging on the side and red front brake callipers. These red highlights, on top of the all-black look, surely bring out the sportiness of the Safari and add to its dominating road presence.

Red All Around

As you enter the Safari Red Dark edition, the first thing you’ll notice is that it does not feel like the standard Safari at all. This special edition features a black and red cabin theme with all red upholstery and red elements on the door handles and centre console. These red inserts make the cabin feel more sporty than the standard Safari. Its front seats are comfortable and supportive and are ventilated. The plastics used on the dashboard are of good quality and are nice to the touch.

When you move to the second row, the comfort stays intact. The Safari we had came with captain seats which were comfortable for a long day of testing. The Red Dark edition also has extra cushioning on the 2nd-row headrests that can be adjusted which adds an extra level of comfort to the already comfortable seats. However, these seats are set high and taller passengers will feel a little too close to the top of the window. With this special edition, you also get red ambient lighting and red mood lighting around the sunroof which looks really cool. But two things that should have been added with this update, cup holders for the second row and window shades, are still not available with the Safari. 

Moving on to the third row, while not the most spacious in the segment, the seats here are big enough for two average-sized adults and will provide them adequate head and legroom (this legroom is reduced in the bench seat variants of the Safari). But for taller individuals, this last row will not be an ideal place to sit.

A New Infotainment Screen

One of the biggest updates Tata has added to the Safari is a new 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. While other models from its segment offered larger displays, Safari stuck with its smaller 8.8-inch screen for a long time, until now that is. This bigger unit, which is offered on almost all variants of the Safari, comes with higher resolution, a smoother display and better graphics. 

This new infotainment system allows you to control various functions like automatic climate control, driver assistance features and you can check the air quality of the cabin here. This system also comes with widgets for easier use, which for the time being are limited, but more can be added later with software updates like drive information and TPMS. 

When this system works, it works well. However, it takes about five to 10 minutes to load every time you start the car which makes it feel laggy for that duration. And in our test car, the system suffered from a glitch and did not work at all for two days. Even the reversing camera won't come on for that duration. Hoping an update fixes these bugs soon. 

Feature-rich As Always

Apart from the new infotainment screen, the Safari has much more to offer. It gets an updated instrument cluster with different layouts, though it is not much different. Using this updated instrument cluster, you can now check the pressure of each tyre, real time power and torque and it also has a section to check driver assistance at work.

The Safari already came with a wireless phone charger, automatic climate control and ventilated seats for the first and second rows (captain seats only). You can also create more legroom when sitting in the second row (left side) by using the electric boss mode and enjoy the view of the sky through the panoramic sunroof.

Its third row also offers many amenities like USB and Type-C chargers, AC vents with AC controls, cupholders and small pockets on each side.

Boot Space

The Safari's boot is the same as before. When the third row is folded up, it only offers space for two small bags. But when you tumble it down, you get a flat bed of 447 litres, which, while not being the biggest in the segment, is still enough to keep your luggage easily for long road trips.

Safer Than Ever

While the Safari was already well-equipped in terms of safety with features like electronic stability control (ESC), tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), hill hold and descent control, all-wheel disc brakes, ABS with EBD and up to six airbags; Tata has added two new features to this list: a 360-degree camera and ADAS.

Safari’s new 360-degree camera comes with a good camera quality and offers both 2D and 3D views, and its ADAS list comprises features like lane change alert, lane departure warning, front and rear collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert and autonomous emergency braking, which significantly increase the safety offered by the SUV. 

But, Tata has missed out on lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control, which are important autonomous driving features that you can find on most ADAS-equipped cars in the country. Also, we still wait for a crash test result. 

Engine and performance

Under the hood, the Safari gets no changes. It still comes with a 2-litre diesel engine that churns out 170PS and 350Nm with a choice of either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. But with this update, this engine has become compliant with the new BS6 phase two norms. 

However, this diesel unit feels a little less refined compared to the motors in the Safari’s rivals, especially when it comes to sound. But, there is no compromise in the drivability, the SUV accelerated easily in the city and there is a good amount of torque for overtakes as well. On highways, the Safari is a cruise machine. It comfortably sits at triple-digit speeds and there too, has grunt for overtakes. 

Ride and Handling

Driving the Safari is a quiet experience. Cabin insulation is good and both the engine and the traffic noise are kept in check. Inside the city, the driving experience is comfortable and even on speed breakers, the SUV cushions the impact well. However, smaller undulations and potholes can be felt inside the cabin and if you live in an area with broken roads, you will feel this a lot more. On the highway, the Safari stays stable even at high speeds so you can sit comfortably and enjoy the drive.

Verdict

With all its new features and this new Red Dark edition, Tata has addressed the Safari’s weaknesses and has made it a better all-rounder. While there are still some quirks that need to be worked upon, the SUV has had most of its problems solved.

With prices ranging from Rs 15.65 lakh to Rs 25.02 lakh (ex-showroom) and the Red Dark edition starting from Rs 22.62 lakh (ex-showroom), the Safari is now dearer than before. But for better safety, a bigger and better display and a more premium cabin feel, this price is surely justified.