Tata Safari Facelift 2023 Review: Small Changes, Big Difference!
Published On Oct 15, 2023 By Arun for Tata Safari
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The added features, new design and interior experience make the Safari more desirable than before!
The Tata Safari is a well-known brand in the SUV market. This name was reintroduced in 2021, and we now have the first major update to the seven-seater SUV. The Safari facelift 2023 has been updated extensively in terms of looks, interior experience, and technology.
For buyers looking for a large family SUV in the Rs 25-30 lakh range, the Safari has been a strong option among rivals such as the MG Hector Plus, Mahindra XUV700, and Hyundai Alcazar.
Let’s take a closer look at the changes Tata Motors has made.
Design / Looks
With the facelift, the basic shape and size of the Safari remains unchanged. It continues to be a large SUV, measuring nearly 4.7 metres in length and 1.8 metres in width. The updates have been made to the lighting elements, front and rear bumpers, and alloy wheels.
The new front looks more modern with the connected daytime running lights, and body-coloured elements on the grille. Tata Motors has chosen to not add chrome garnishes, which makes the new Safari look subtle and classy. The bumper design has been changed entirely and it now features LED projector headlights and LED fog lamps. There’s a functional vent in the bumper that helps in aerodynamics as well.
The profile remains unchanged except for the new alloy wheel design. Base variants (Smart and Pure) get 17-inch alloy wheels, the mid-spec Adventure model gets 18-inch alloy wheels, whereas the top-spec Accomplished and Dark variants get 19-inch alloy wheels.
At the rear, you will notice the new taillight graphics and the new bumper.
The Tata Safari 2023 colour options are as follows:
| Smart |
Stellar Frost, Lunar Slate |
| Pure |
Stellar Frost, Lunar Slate |
| Adventure |
Stellar Frost, Stardust Ash, Supernova Copper, Galactic Sapphire |
| Accomplished |
Stellar Frost, Stardust Ash, Supernova Copper, Galactic Sapphire, Cosmic Gold |
| Dark |
Oberon Black |
Interior
With Tata Motors’ new approach of creating ‘Personas’ instead of variants — each variant of the Safari has a unique look and feel. The base-spec Smart/Pure variants get simple grey upholstery, the Adventure variants get chocolate brown upholstery, and the top-spec Accomplished variant features a premium white-grey dual tone combination. The Dark variant gets an all-black cabin theme.
Tata Motors has redesigned the dashboard of the Safari, making it look slimmer and luxurious. The accent on the dashboard is now slimmer, and the central AC vents are now wider. A gloss black panel runs underneath it and houses the new touch panel for the climate control and other vehicle functions.
Also new is the four-spoke steering wheel. The design is classy, and with the white-grey two-tone wrap looks upmarket too. It also gets the illuminated logo and the backlit switches that control music/calls and the instrument cluster.
In terms of fit and finish, there’s a noticeable improvement. The way the panels fit together, the consistency in material quality are positive changes.
On the space front, there’s nothing new to report. The doors open wide, and climbing into the cabin does not require effort. Do note that it’s best you install side steps if the elders in your family will be using the car. Rear seat space, as before, is more than enough for a six-footer to sit comfortably behind a six-foot-tall driver.
Tata has not added one-touch tumble to the Safari — that is a miss. So you can either ‘walk’ to the third row from the middle in the captain seat version, or recline and slide the second row seat forward. Third row space is surprisingly accommodating for adults, but for long journeys, it is best left to kids. There’s not much foot room under the second row seats, so you have to keep at least one foot out towards the centre.
Boot Space
With all three rows of seats in use, there’s hardly any boot space. You will only be able to fit a couple of backpacks at best. Folding the third row of seats opens up 420 litres of space. A small issue is that the third row does not fold flat. There’s a small slope that causes luggage to slide. Folding the second row of seats gives you 827 litres of space.
Features
A major draw of the new Tata Safari 2023 are the new features.
Dual-zone climate control: Allows you to set separate temperatures for driver and co-driver side. Temperature can be set using the physical switches, from the touchscreen, and voice command.
Powered Driver’s Seat (with Memory): 6-way power adjust functionality. Lumbar adjustment is manual. Three memory settings are available.
12.3-inch Touchscreen: Free-floating touchscreen with a thin bezel looks premium. Graphics are clear and crisp, and response times are quick. Interface is easy to get used to. Supports Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Can also be used to access various car functions such as climate control, powered tailgate and ambient lighting.
10.25-inch Instrument Cluster: Has three views: 1 dial view, 2 dial view and digital. Screen is easy to read even in sunlight. Can be controlled using buttons on the steering wheel.
10-speaker JBL Sound System: Good clarity, deep bass. It gets 13 sound profiles by AudioWorX that give you a collection of equaliser settings which you can select based on the kind of music you listen to.
360 degree camera: Good resolution. Driver gets a clear view. Indicating left/right activates the respective camera, making lane changes and tight turns a little more convenient.
Powered Tailgate: The boot can now be opened electrically. You can either press the switch on the boot, use the button on the key or use the app. Alternatively, you can also use the touchscreen and the button on the touch panel. You can also kick under the rear bumper for hands free operation.
Other highlight features such as front seat ventilation, powered co-driver’s seat (with Boss mode), rear seat ventilation (6-seater only), panoramic sunroof, and ambient lighting have been carried over to the new Safari 2023.
Also Check Out: 2023 Tata Safari Facelift’s Variant-wise Features Revealed
Safety
Tata Motors claims to have made structural changes to the Safari to further improve safety. Standard safety features include:
| 6 Airbags |
All-Wheel Disc Brakes |
| ABS with EBD |
ISOFIX Child Seat Mounts |
| Electronic Stability Control |
Hill Hold Control |
| Traction Control |
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System |
Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) is also on offer with the Adventure+ A, Accomplished+ and Accomplished+ Dark variants.
| Feature |
How does it work? |
Notes |
| Forward Collision Warning + Auto Emergency Braking |
Detects a probable collision with the vehicle in front and gives you an audible warning. In case you do not apply the brakes, the vehicle brakes automatically to avoid an accident. |
Functions as intended. Brakes well in time in case of emergencies. Collision warning sensitivity is selectable; low, medium, high. |
| Adaptive Cruise Control (with Stop and Go function) |
You can set maximum speed and select the distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. The Safari manages speed to maintain the distance. With the stop and go functionality, it can come to a halt (0kmph) and automatically start moving forward when the vehicle in front starts moving. |
Super helpful in bumper-to-bumper driving. Minimum distance still feels a little more than ideal by Indian conditions. Resumes driving smoothly. In case of longer halts, you have to press the ‘Res’ button on the steering wheel or tap the accelerator. |
| Blind Spot Monitoring |
Detects whether vehicles behind you are possibly not in your mirror’s field of view. |
Functions as intended. Visible orange coloured indication on the mirror. Helpful while changing lanes on the highway, and in city traffic. |
| Rear Cross Traffic Alert |
Detects oncoming vehicles from behind the vehicle. |
Helpful in case you are reversing out of a parking spot and cannot spot an oncoming vehicle. Also has a door open warning for when you are parked on the side of the road. |
Other features such as traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, rear collision warning and overtaking assist are also available. Tata Motors will add lane centering assist and lane keep assist as a software update in the coming months.
Performance
The Safari continues to get a single 2-litre diesel engine. There’s no change in the tuning of the engine — it continues to make 170PS and 350Nm as before. It is offered with a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic transmission.
We will recommend buying the automatic version since it adds more convenience to the drive. There’s no major difference in the way Safari drives. The engine response is satisfactory for city drives and there’s more than enough power for long highway drives. Tata Motors is now offering paddle shifters with the automatic if you want the feel of shifting gears yourself.
As before, the Safari gets Eco, City, and Sport drive modes. There are three ‘Terrain’ modes: Rough, Wet and Normal.
Ride and Handling
Wheel size has gone up, from 18 inches of the previous version to 19 inches. In this process, one would expect the ride comfort to become worse. But that’s not the case: Tata has tuned the suspension well to be comfortable and cushion harsh impacts. You can feel the surface at times at slow speeds, but there’s not much of the side-to-side rocking movement when going over broken roads. The Safari feels confident and comfortable at triple-digit speeds, making highway trips all the more enjoyable.
Tata now uses an electric power steering, which has enabled them to provide a better steering response. It is light enough for quick u-turns and parking in tight spaces inside the city. At the same time, the weight felt satisfactory at high speeds.
Verdict
The Safari always had presence, comfort, and space on its side. With this update, Tata Motors has made it more desirable with a better design, upmarket feeling on the interior and a better tech package with the infotainment and ADAS.