The new Tata Safari will launch in India on 26th January 2021, and will be available with a 2.0-litre Kryotec diesel engine
Tata Motors recently announced that the three-row version of the Harrier (previously named Gravitas), will be called Safari. This has been quite a divisive news; while many people are ecstatic about the return of the iconic ‘Safari’ nameplate, others are sceptical about it. Regardless, the SUV is scheduled for launch later this month.
The carmaker has released a teaser image for the vehicle online, revealing the front end of the car. The design of the grille is quite pretty, with chrome-plated tri-arrow elements pointing towards the middle, while the Tata logo adorns the centre of the grille. This is quite different from what was previously seen on the Gravitas, which was showcased at the Auto Expo 2020.
Back then, the SUV’s front grille had the same design as the Harrier, with no chrome elements on it. The new one looks much better, and adds a layer of premium-ness to the vehicle. It is also interesting to see tri-arrow design being used here, after being changed on the Nexon last year (changed to bi-arrow), although the Tiago and Tigor still have tri-arrow elements in the front grille.
The rest of the face looks pretty similar to the Harrier; the vertically split headlamps feature sleek LED DRLs on the upper portion, while the main headlamp unit is placed on the bumper. The lower portion of the front grille and the air dam are blacked-out, and the car will also get a faux skid plate at the bottom.
The 2021 Safari will be powered by the same Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre, inline-4, turbocharged diesel engine as the Harrier. This motor is good for a maximum power of 170 PS and a peak torque of 350 Nm, and is available with a choice of 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic gearbox.
The 2021 Tata Safari will be priced at a slight premium over the Harrier, which is priced from Rs. 13.84 lakh to Rs. 20.3 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). Upon launch, the SUV will compete against the likes of MG Hector Plus and the upcoming new-gen Mahindra XUV500 in the Indian market.