It’s been a quick round of teasers, but Tata Motors has given the Safari a midlife refresh and like the 2023 Nexon, there are changes aplenty. Bookings are open for a token amount of Rs 25,000 and will be offered in the Smart, Pure, Adventure and Accomplished variants. There will also be a #Dark Edition variant on offer.
Let’s get right to what’s new and it starts with a revised face that now gets a full-width lightbar, and a new grille that looks similar to the Curvv concept. This is complemented by vertical headlight clusters featuring LED lighting. There’s even a Welcome and Goodbye Signature Animation for the front and rear LED DRL. Rounding off the exterior updates are more aggressive bumpers, a bigger and swankier set of 19-inch alloy wheels as well as connected LED tail lamps.
Inside, like the facelifted Nexon, the dashboard gets quite the overhaul with the new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment and 10.25-inch fully digital driver’s display taking centre stage. The changes also include ambient lighting and a new steering wheel with the illuminated logo adding to the upmarket ambience.
The three-row SUV also packs features such as 10 JBL Speakers with Harman AudioworX, dual-zone climate control, ventilated front and second row seats (6-seater variants), a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, ADAS, as well as six airbags as standard. A knee airbag has been added to the safety kit as well as a powered tailgate with a gesture-based opening and rear sunshades.
Under the hood, the Safari continues to be powered by a 170PS 2.0-litre diesel engine that can be paired with either a 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox options. More importantly, there’s now paddle shifters added to the automatic variants for those who prefer a bit more control going up or down the gears.
While prices aren’t out yet, the 2023 Safari should retail at a premium over the outgoing model that is priced from Rs 15.84 lakh ex-showroom onwards. It will rekindle its rivalry with the likes of the MG Hector Plus, Hyundai Alcazar, and Mahindra XUV700.
