Tata Safari Storme

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It was over a decade back that Tata Motors introduced a true blood SUV called Safari and after 14 years, entered the second generation. With Tata Safari a new kind of a rage had begun and with the new version, the expectations are also at the same level. After a few months since the launch, one can safely say that Safari is a legacy that is here to live. Looking at the improving quality of this segment with recent entrant like Mahindra XUV500 and the Rexton along with the smaller SUVs like Renault Duster and Mahindra Quanto, Tata Motors could have made it work with nothing less than what Tata Safari Storme is.

Tata Safari has been a symbol of masculinity in terms of looks. In the new generation of the SUV, that character trait is still maintained. What we see now in the form of Safari Storme is an SUV with new and improved interiors as well as exteriors, which might be because of the Jaguar Land Rover take-over bid by Tata Motors. The previous model of Safari is powered by the 2.2- litre DICOR engine. Storme on the other hand, features the Variable Turbine Technology – VariCOR. This new and refurbished engine is peppy, responsive and refined as compared to the previous mill. The chassis of the SUV has also been improved and now the new Safari Storme is based on the Tata Aria platform for improved rigidity in the chassis. With this the ride quality has improved in comparison to the 1st generation Safari. The mileage returned by Storme with its 4 Wheel Drive variants is 13.2 kmpl on highways and about 9.3 kmpl in the city. The 2 Wheel Drive is a little more efficient with 14 kmpl on highways and about 10.3 kmpl in the city. The Safari SUV has always been known for its Off-roading skill which still remain with the Safari Storme as well. In terms of looks, Safari Storme gets a new front fascia thanks to the new stylish front grille. The spare wheel has been done away with, a change that is appreciated by a few and not so much by the others. The interiors have received a touch that gives Storme some finesse. The space has also been improved along with the finish and quality. The driving has been improved especially in terms of the turning radius. Safari Storme now has a turning radius of 5.4 meters which is class leading for a vehicle of this size.

In terms of the competition in the market, Tata Safari takes Force One, Renault Duster and the new Mahindra XUV 500 head on. Though Duster is a smaller SUV, looking at its popularity it has become a major challenge for Storme in the market, especially because of similar pricing. Storme is also challenged by Mahindra Scorpio which is the all - time competitor for Safari ever since it launched. Scorpio has been getting continuous and timely updates, therefore this enhanced version of Safari is a good move made by Tata to keep the competition between Mahindra and Tata alive and at its full beam. Up  until now, one could safely say that Safari and Scorpio have almost the same features but with the new technologies and improved quality of fitments in Storme, the latter takes one step ahead of Scorpio. A similar 2.2-litre mHawk engine is also seen in the new XUV500 that delivers a power of 140bhp at 3750rpm and a torque of 330Nm between 1600 – 2800rpm. Scorpio on the other hand delivers 120bhp at 4000rpm and the torque produced is 290Nm between 1800 – 2800rpm. Storme with its new VariCOR engine produces 140bhp at 4000rpm and delivers a torque of 320Nm between 1700 – 2700rpm.

2012 Tata Safari Storme is powered by 2.2 litre VariCOR engine that helps the SUV perform much better than the previous version. The new chassis is also an improvement that helps Safari Storme deliver a smooth drive. The new Aria chassis that Safari Storme is based on, makes the drive more refined because now the engine has gone more powerful whereas the car has become lighter and the rigid frame helps reduce the roll. The power delivered by the vehicle is 138.08bhp at 4000rpm and maximum torque produced is 320Nm between 1700 – 2000rpm. The SUV gets a forward drive option along with an All-Wheel Drive model as well. The former variants are Lx, Ex and the Vx. These models deliver a mileage of about 10.8kmpl in the city and on highways the mileage returned by Safari Storme is 13.2kmpl. Vx Four Wheel Drive variant on the other hand returns a mileage of 13.2kmpl on highways and about 9.3kmpl in the city. Competing Scorpio from Tata’s all time competitor, Mahindra delivers about 9.02kmpl in the city and about 12.05kmpl whereas the more recent XUV500 from Mahindra returns figures of 12kmpl on city roads and 15.1kmpl on highways. These figures quite clearly state that mileage of all of these are almost the same and therefore it would be much more than the engine that would have to be considered while choosing between Storme and its competitors.

A lighter chassis and improved engine, of course would result to a powerful output. The 2.2-litre DOHC VTT VariCOR engine of Safari Storme churns out a power output of about 138.08bhp at 4000rpm and produces a torque of about 320Nm between 1800 – 2800rpm. This power matches the SUVs off-roading capabilities to a substantial extent. Scorpio on the other hand delivers about 120bhp at 4000rpm and a torque figure of 290Nm between 1800 – 2800rpm. The powerhouse of Scorpio is the ever so impressive mHawk CRDe. The powerful vehicle from Tata Motors now has better grip with the road and as usual, take a Safari wherever, no matter what the terrain is, expect nothing but a perfect off road drive.

These colors are available with all variants of Tata Safari Storme

Looking at the wild character of the Safari Storme the peppy engine is of a perfect nature. This SUV can reach the 100 kmph mark from 0 in just about 15 seconds which is not as fast but good enough to keep this wild beast a little tamed. The top speed for Storme is 165 kmph, a figure that’s quite impressive for a vehicle of this size. These figures add to the excitement of off-roading. With power packed performance, exciting off road capabilities, decent acceleration and pick up figures along with its VariCOR engine, Safari Storme can be proved as quite a catch. The good part about the Safari has been its balance and road grip which is a big negative with Mahindra Scorpio as the latter sways quite a lot while cornering and speeding whereas the former keeps itself well rooted to the road. This factor has been further enhanced, thanks to the new chassis from the Aria platform.

View Tata Safari Storme Exterior Pictures

In terms of looks, the masculinity of Safari has been kept alive even with Storme with maximum changes to the rear end of the car. Whatever version of the Safari we look at, it is a loved vehicle in terms of its looks. The wide stance of the vehicle gives it quite a bit of road character. Apart from the wide stance, the vehicle also has good height and ground clearance. The previous SUV has made a mark in the minds of the people in terms of how it looks. There have been changes made in the looks of the SUV, most of them for the better. One major change in the SUV has been that the spare wheel from the tail gate has been done away with and now the spare wheel has been moved under the rear side of the vehicle. Storme now flaunts a new and stylish honeycomb grille that gives the front fascia a slimmer and a wider look. The headlights have now become sharper and as a result the front looks as aggressive as ever. From the sides, the newer version of Safari still looks the same. The design of Storme looks inspired from Range Rover. There is a lot of chrome that can be seen on Storme’s exteriors. This chrome gives Safari Storme a new and luxurious feel. The headlights get xenon lamps and lens projector which helps improve the visibility for the driver during night driving. There are side blinkers integrated on the ORVMs. The side has muscular wheel arches along with 16inch alloy wheels. The foot rails have become wider. With the spare wheel gone, the rear end of the vehicle looks cleaner and the windscreen looks larger and offers better visibility. There is the windscreen wiper and washer along with a new tailgate. The exteriors have changed but more or less Safari legacy is still carried on in this vehicle. After 14 years, one expected a little more change in terms of exteriors.

Exterior Measurements

The wheelbase for Tata Safari Storme is about 2650mm, length of the vehicle is 4655mm and width is 1965mm. The height of the car is 1922mm. Overall these figures give Safari Storme quite a stance. The size of the tyres that this vehicle stands on are 235/70 R16. What makes this vehicle perfect for off-roading is the tremendous ground clearance. The clearance for Storme is about 200mm. These figures are good enough to give one an idea that the vehicle in conversation here is quite a majestic one with a great stance and quite a road presence. Whether it’s a large boot space or interior spacing that we discuss, Storme is quite impressive.

View Tata Safari Storme Interior Pictures

The fantastic thing about Safari entering its second generation is the improvement in the quality of interiors and fitments. The cabin has improved a lot and with chrome here and there adds to the panache along with comfortable seating and improved spacing. The front seats as usual are very comfortable, even for the very tall people. There is third row seating as well. These jump seats are good enough but for shorter journeys. During longer runs, these jump seats might leave the passengers a little sore. In the mid-level variants along with entry level trim, the seat gets fabric upholstery however the top end model gets leather. The dashboard gets new dials on the instrument panel and looks much cleaner and smoother. The overall ambience has undoubtedly improved, maybe because of what Tata is learning for the Land Rover Range Rover that they bought recently. Depending on the variant, interiors have got new colour themes. The Vx which is top of the line, flaunts Sahara Beige and Sandstone Beige theme. Down the line, Lx and Ex variants are offered with Java Black and Sandstone Beige theme. In total there are about 10 air vents, front and for the rear passengers. This increase in number of air vents allow one to maintain the cabin climate very well.

Interior Comfort

Along with plush interiors there is the Alpine music system that lets one enjoy the drive. The Air conditioning in the vehicle is with manual electric control. There is a separate blower for the passengers in the rear. The Climate Control in the vehicle seems to have improved as well. Adding to the comfort of driving is the power steering wheel. The Steering in fact is so light that it would surprise you because it is not what one expects looking at the size of this vehicle. The top end variants get full power windows and airbags for safety. In one line, one can safely say that Tata has managed to bring the interiors of Storme to match up the standard.

The engine of Safari Storme is the same 2179cc in-line engine that now uses the VariCOR technology instead of DICOR. The maximum power churned out by this turbo diesel is 138bhp at 4000rpm and the torque produced by Safari Storme is 320Nm between 1700 – 2700rpm. This higher power and torque is the due to the fully electronic controlled fuel injection system with the higher injection pressure. The transmission used is a 5 speed manual gearbox. One can feel a small lag at the lower rpm especially when one revs up the engine from a standstill. The good part of the VariCOR is that the engine is now much quieter. More refined engine and a lighter chassis results to a more performance oriented vehicle.  The Safari now is based on the Aria platform. All these factors together result to a decent acceleration for the SUV. It can now accelerate from 0 – 100 kmph in just about 15 seconds while the top speed achievable is 165 kmph. The mileage for the Four Wheel Drive variant is about 13.2 kmpl when on highways and about 9.3 kmpl in the city traffic. The two wheel drive on the other hand delivers 10.8 kmpl and 14 kmpl on city and highways respectively.

The direct injection common rail engine with 16-valve, aluminium cylinder heads is a world class design engine and the VTT – Variable Turbine Technology that has been incorporated allows a greater and much better performance. The engine is BS IV compliant. Further the shift- on-fly 4x4 engages the vehicle well whether the terrain is gravel, mud, snow or any such off road terrain. The engine does reflect that it would be pretty difficult to keep spirits low when you lay your hands on this off-roading machine.

Tata Safari Storme is a an Off Road vehicle therefore features like the stance, ground clearance, sturdiness, wheels etc. are all designed to support this purpose well. The Wheels of Storme are of the size 235/70 R16. These are big enough to support and maintain the stance of the vehicle. Matching the newer look, the wheels get 5 spokes that looks like they have been taken from the luxurious vehicle Aria. The spare wheel has now been removed from the tailgate and moved under the floor of the rear end of the vehicle. This has resulted to a new tailgate as well as better visibility through the rear windscreen. This change is loved by a few because now the vehicle now flaunts a little less muscle whereas for those who loved the masculinity of the vehicle don’t appreciate this change.  These wheels help balance the vehicle that weighs about 2000kgs in its two wheel drive trim and about 2095kgs in its four wheel drive.  Since the four wheels are the only points where the vehicle touches the ground, no compromise has been made from the company’s end. It’s very important for the owners as well to maintain these.

Braking and handling for a vehicle that off roads quite often is of utmost importance. Looking at this, Safari Storme gets an efficient braking system whereby it is fitted with vacuum assisted independent hydraulic brakes. The ventilated braked with EBD help make the braking very precise and sharper whether on the road or on uneven rough terrain.  The suspension used is the independent double wishbone type with coil springs in the front and 5 - link suspension with coil springs at the rear wheel. Together, the braking system and suspension system gives a comfortable drive for the passengers irrespective of the terrain. Further enhancing the safety of the passengers is the ABS that helps keep the SUV under the control of the driver. The 16inch wheels also assure a comfortable and easy handling by maintaining the traction with the road. Whether it’s the city roads, smooth highways or the rugged terrains, Storme is set to assure a comfortable drive. This is one section where Safari Storme scores considerably higher in comparison to its leading competitor from Mahindra, the Scorpio. Scoprio is also a decent vehicle but there is a lot of sway that can be felt especially at higher speeds and cornering.

For most buyers of Tata cars, drive quality is always a point of concern but with the new Storme it seems the company has paid a lot of attention to the longer run. The drive quality has improved a lot with the Storme and the engine with its refurbishing gives the SUV a much more comfortable drive as compared to its predecessor. The features like Anti-lock Braking System with EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution) and vacuum assisted independent hydraulic brakes ensure a safe drive for the passengers. For the safety of the vehicle there is the remote central locking. There is also the master light switch with fog lamp controls for better driveability. The fog lamps front and those at the rear, get clear lens and reflex reflector. The higher trims gets passenger and driver airbags along with side impact bars with crumble zone that is a standard feature across the line. This crumble zone helps absorb impact in case of a front collision and keep the injuries to the driver and front passenger to the minimum. The top end gets the reverse guide system and the display for which is in the interior rear view mirror. The rear view mirror is anti-glare thus adding to the ease of driving for the driver.  The SUV gets a superior crashworthiness which keeps the damage to the driver to the minimum and ensures passenger safety. Another feature that is improving the structural strength is the ladder frame construction that is very sturdy.

Along with the braking, suspension system in the car also makes the drive quite decent. At front wheel there is the independent double wishbone type suspension and at the rear end there is the 5 – link suspension system. The front suspension comes integrated with coil spring shock absorbers. This system is soft and helps the SUV deliver on its promise for a comfort drive no matter what the terrain is. Further, the turning radius for the SUV has also been improved and now is just 5.4 meters which makes it easy to drive within the city as well.

Accessorising the Safari Storme is the Apline music system which is compatible with iPod as well as features the USB and Bluetooth compatibility. The handling of the vehicle is comfortable and this is further enhanced with the newage MP3 system present in the Storme. This entertainment system adds to the whole ambiance of the cabin and this acts as an added benefit.