October 2022 - Tata Safari Diesel Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Updated: This update of the Tata Safari diesel variants explained article includes the buying recommendation and feature details after the recent price update.

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What Are The Pros And Cons Of Tata Safari Diesel?

The pros or advantages of Tata Safari diesel are:

• Best-in-class ground clearance of 205mm
• Respectable mileage numbers for diesel-manual and automatic powertrain
• Offers ventilated 2nd row captain seats as segment-first feature for a negligible incremental cost over XZ Plus 7-seat variant
• Automatic transmission is available in all variants but XT and XE variants
• Choice of getting the fairly loaded XZ variant without the sunroof

The Tata Safari diesel has the following shortcomings or problems:

• Too many variants (including 4 special editions, each with 6-seat and 7-seat layout) will confuse potential customers
• No petrol engine option
• Overpriced XM and XT variants and stripped XE and XM variants; in fact, over the base XE variant, most of the higher trims justify the incremental cost with features
• No 4-wheel drive option
• The value-for-money XMS variant doesn’t get several must-have features we expect from a car at this price point

What Is The Price Of Tata Safari Diesel Variants?

The Tata Safari is available in 7 main variants — XE, XM, XMS, XT, XT Plus, XZ and XZ Plus. All of these are available with a manual transmission while the automatic transmission is available in all but XE and XT variants.

The main Safari diesel-manual range costs between Rs. 15.35 lakh and Rs. 21.05 while the diesel-automatic variants start at Rs. 18.10 lakh and top out at Rs. 22.35 lakh.

If you also consider the special editions, then the prices go up to Rs. 22.26 lakh for the Gold 6S diesel-manual and Rs. 23.56 lakh for the Gold 6S diesel-automatic. Automatic transmission itself carries a flat premium of Rs. 1.30 lakh over the comparable manual variant across all variants.

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Tata Safari Diesel XE - Base Model Features & Review

The base XE variant of the Tata Safari diesel costs Rs. 15.35 lakh (ex-showroom) and is only available with a manual transmission. The most notable features of the Safari XE are:

• Halogen projector headlamps
• All power windows
• Dual-function DRLs
• 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers
• Tilt and telescopic steering
• Front armrest
• All disc brakes
• Split folding 2nd and 3rd row seat backs
• Reclining second row seat backs
• Front passenger seat slide lever in 2nd row

For the price and segment of the Safari, the base variant is missing several must-have features like:

• Touchscreen music system
• Fog lamps
• Steering-mounted controls
• Power mirrors (must-have for a wide car)
• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Auto AC
• Remote central locking

With so many features missing in the base XE variant of a car, we can’t recommend anyone to buy this variant. It’s even more disappointing to see that a car costing Rs. 15.35 lakh (ex-showroom) is missing these features.

Tata Safari Diesel XE vs XM Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The XM variant costs Rs. 16.80 lakh and it’s Rs. 1.45 lakh more expensive than the base model. With the automatic, the XM costs Rs. 18.10 lakh (ex-showroom) and it’s Rs. 1.30 lakh pricier than the XM diesel-manual.

For the additional cost, it adds the following notable features:

• 7-inch touchscreen
• Steering-mounted controls
• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Remote central locking
• Drive modes
• Follow me headlamps
• Rear washer wiper
• Power mirrors

While it offers some must-have and some good-to-have features, it still doesn't offer following features we expect from a Rs. 17.0 - 18.0 lakh SUV:

• Android Auto
• Apple Carplay
• Cruise control
• Alloy wheels
• Rear armrest
• Auto AC
• Keyless entry with push-button start/stop
• Rear camera
• Small sunroof
• Cruise control

Considering the Rs. 1.45 lakh price gap, the list of additional features is too short while also missing several features. It also offers the lowest value for money among all Safari variants. So, we can’t recommend the XM variant either for Safari manual as well as automatic buyers. This is the most affordable Safari variant with an automatic transmission. The XMA is Rs. 1.30 lakh more expensive than the XM diesel-manual powertrain. This price gap between the manual and automatic variants is consistent across all variants of the Safari and it’s a bit higher than the usual Rs. 1.0 lakh we have come to expect for TC, CVT and DCT automatics.

Tata Safari Diesel XM vs XMS Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The XMS variant costs Rs. 17.97 lakh and it’s Rs. 1.17 lakh more expensive than the base model. With the automatic, the XMS costs Rs. 19.27 lakh (ex-showroom). For the additional cost, it adds the following notable features:

• Panoramic sunroof
• Wired Android Auto and Apple Carplay
• Auto headlamps and wipers

Even the XMS variant is missing some features like:

• Cruise control
• Alloy wheels
• Rear armrest
• Auto AC
• Keyless entry with push-button start/stop
• Rear camera
• Tyre pressure monitoring system

Because of a high-value feature like the sunroof, the XMS variant justifies the price gap over the lower variants. So, it’s worth buying if you don’t want to stretch your budget further.

Tata Safari Diesel XMS vs XT & XT Plus Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Tata Safari XT variant is the next in line with an ex-showroom price of Rs. 18.30 lakh This variant is only available with a manual transmission and costs Rs. 33,400 more than the XMS manual.

The XT Plus variant gets the option of manual and automatic transmission and it carries an ex-showroom price of Rs. 19.10 lakh and Rs. 20.40 lakh, respectively.

The XT and XT Plus variants add the following notable features:

• 18-inch alloys
• Soft-touch dashboard
• Lumbar adjustment for driver seat
• Rear armrest with cup holders
• Keyless entry with push-button start
• Air purifier
• Power folding mirrors
• Cruise control
• Auto AC
• Tyre pressure sensors

It’s worth noting that this variant still doesn’t offer the following features:

• Wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay
• LED or HID headlamps

The XT variant is suitable for you if you want a decent ownership experience but don’t want the sunroof. However, with the sunroof, it offers better value and is worth buying from a value as well as feature distribution standpoint.

Tata Safari Diesel XT Plus vs XZ, XZ Plus, XZ Plus 6S Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Safari XZ variant costs Rs. 90,000 more over the XT Plus. The XZ variant costs Rs. 20.0 lakh with the manual and Rs. 21.30 lakh with the automatic. The XZ Plus manual and automatic variants cost Rs. 21.05 lakh and Rs. 22.35 lakh, respectively. The XZ Plus is also available with optional 6-seat configuration for an additional Rs. 10,000.

For the higher asking price, the XZ variant adds the following notable features over the XZ variant:

• Power driver seat
• HID headlamps
• Side and curtain airbags
• 7-inch full-colour LCD instrument cluster
• White leather upholstery
• White interior
• Shark-fin antenna
• JBL sound system with a subwoofer
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay
• Leather steering and gear knob
• Auto dimming inside mirror
• Larger touchscreen
• Ventilated front seats
• Ventilated 2nd row seats with 6-seat layout

Most of these features are good-to-have. But the asking price is reasonable for these features. It’s worth noting that the XZ variant doesn’t get the sunroof, which is available in the XT Plus variant. So, it’s our top recommendation for buyers who want the upmarket features but without the sunroof.

With the sunroof, it’s an even better value-for-money option. However, we’ll suggest XZ Plus buyers to consider the XZ Plus 6S as it not only offers separate seats for 2nd row occupants but also with the ventilation feature. The XZ Plus 6S more than justifies the Rs. 10,000 price jump over the XZ Plus 7-seater.

Tata Safari XZ Plus Vs Kaziranga, Jet, Dark And Gold - Price, Features Comparison

The Safari’s top variant is also available in 4 additional special variants with cosmetic and some feature upgrades. The Safari Kaziranga, Jet and Dark editions cost Rs. 25,000, Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 35,000 more than the standard XZ Plus variant. Only the Safari Gold carries a substantial price gap of Rs. 1.11 lakh over the XZ Plus variant. Just like the XZ Plus trim, all of these 4 special variants also get the option of 6-seat version with captain seats in the second row for an additional Rs. 10,000.

You can refer to the features of the special edition variants of the Safari in the following table:

Among these, the Jet offers a better value while the Gold offers a poor value for money. Since these variants mostly get good-to-have features, we’ll suggest you make that decision based on your preferences. Here too, the 6-seat version is available for only Rs. 10,000 more. So, if you’re interested in the Safari Dark, Jet, Kaziranga or Gold, then you should consider it with the 6-seat configuration, which also gets 2nd row seat ventilation.

Which Variant Of The Tata Safari Diesel Should You Buy?

Among the Tata Safari’s variants, the base XE and XM variants are not even worth considering. The XMS justifies the cost over the lower variants because of the sunroof, which is a high-value feature. So, it’s suitable for buyers who don’t want to stretch the budget further.

Otherwise, the XT will give a much more balanced ownership experience although it offers a lower value for money. So, you can buy the XT Plus, which balances the value and feature scales.

Between the XZ and XZ Plus variants, the XZ is suitable for buyers who want the upmarket features of the Safari but without the sunroof. The XZ Plus is a good option, but you should instead consider buying it with the 6-seat layout as it also gets 2nd row seat ventilation and offers even better value for money. So, the XZ Plus 6S earns our top recommendation.

The 4 special edition variants mostly get cosmetic upgrades. So you’ll have to decide which one you should buy based on your preference. While all 4 offer a considerably lower value than the XZ Plus 6S, among these too, the 6-seat version is a better choice because of the 2nd row seat ventilation feature for a nominal incremental cost of Rs. 10,000.

For the Safari automatic buyers too, the XMA variant is not worth buying as it offers the lowest value for money. The XMA Plus is suitable for budget buyers but the XTA Plus is a better option as it offers a more balanced feature set as well as better value for money.

The upgrade to XZA is a little expensive as it doesn't get sunroof. But the XZA Plus with the 6-seat layout is our top recommendation. The final 4 special edition variants offer lower value for money than the XZA Plus 6S. We’ll leave it up to you to decide if you should buy either of these 4 special edition variants. Among these too, the upgrade to 6-seat layout is highly recommended.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The Tata Safari Diesel?

The Safari is a D-segment SUV with 3-row of seating. It offers optional captain seats in the second row with the XZ Plus variant. Alcazar and Hector Plus are the other 2 cars offering this feature but the 3-row XUV700 doesn’t have this option at all. The Hector Plus also has a 2.0L diesel engine, which makes the same power and torque output with similar mileage figures too, with the manual transmission. So, the Safari beats it with the option of an automatic transmission.

The Tata Safari’s other prime rival is the Mahindra XUV700, which has a 2.2L turbo diesel engine. The XUV700 diesel makes a higher 185PS of power and a considerably higher 420Nm of torque with the manual transmission. With the automatic, this engine makes an ever higher 450Nm of torque. While we don’t know the efficiency numbers of the XUV700 diesel, for a D-segment diesel SUV, it has considerably better performance.

Meanwhile, the Alcazar serves as a slightly affordable alternative to the larger SUVs with far better mileage figures from its smaller 1.5L turbo diesel engine.

*Estimated

You can use our Fuel Cost Calculator to see how much any petrol, diesel or CNG car will cost to run based on the latest fuel price in your city.

Fuel Cost Calculator in India

What Are The Dimensions Of The Tata Safari?

The Tata Safari is shorter than the Hector Plus and XUV700 but considerably longer than the Alcazar and wider than the XUV700. While the Safari has a segment-best 205mm ground clearance it has the smallest fuel tank in its class, which can carry 10 litres less fuel than the Hector Plus and XUV700 5-seat.

Just like the mileage figures, Mahindra haven’t revealed the ground clearance and boot space numbers either. They could be less than stellar for this segment but until we get official figures, we can’t comment on them. With the information we have right now, it looks like the Safari has the credentials to offer an imposing road presence.

Find out how you can get the best mileage or fuel efficiency from your car:

10 Tips To Get Better Mileage From Your Petrol, Diesel Or CNG Car

What Are The Colour Options Of The Tata Safari Diesel?

The 2022 Safari diesel is available in the following 7 exterior colour options:

• Dark blue
• Light blue
• White
• Grey
• Beige/gold with black roof (Kaziranga edition)
• Black (Dark and black gold edition)
• Bronze with silver roof (Jet edition)

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we classify cars based on their size.