Tata Safari Facelift: Facelifts are usually a bit superficial, fixing some bodywork and equipping it with updated technology, but in the case of the Safari, Tata Motors has made a much bolder move.
The updated exterior quickly makes clear that this is no ordinary nip and tuck. The front end wears the brand’s new “Empowered Humanity” design language with a much-thicker grille with parametric string patterns that form a 3D matrix affect.
“A statement on the road was the intent behind the Safari,” says Tata senior designer Prakash Sharma, who declined to be named. “The old design was handsome, but a bit restrained.
This version radiates confidence and presence — attributes that have long characterized the Safari name.”
The updated lighting setup features split LED headlamps with new signature daytime running lights that stretch the width of the car and helps to highlight its copious dimensions.
More angular recesses now house redesigned fog lamps lower down the bumper, enhancing the purposeful look.
From profile, new 19-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels (up from 18 inches) with a turbine-inspired design fill the arches more imposingly.
At the rear, there are connected LED taillights that play on the theme from the front, along with a redesigned bumper featuring more prominent skid plate elements that suggest off-road capability.
Tata Safari Facelift: It’s where interior refinement meets technology
Even stepping inside, the changes turn out to be even more profound. The dashboard is reimagined entirely around a new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that sits up high on the center console.
Tata refers to the duo of a floating display with a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster as a Digital Cockpit experience.
Cabin materials get a significant upgrade. There are soft-touch materials and unique stitching patterns up top, too.
There’s real oak wood trim on higher-spec models, which injects warmth into the otherwise modern cabin, while the redesigned climate control panel uses a cleaner, more intuitive layout featuring illuminated haptic controls.
The five-spoke wheel design is new for Tata while one of the most talked about interior elements is the panoramic sunroof which Tata claims is the biggest in class.
However, despite the Safari’s enormity, this glass panel lets a lot of natural light into the cabin, giving it a more spacious feel. In the love of the streets, ambient lighting can be set up with different colors for a premium feel at night.
Seating comfort, a Safari strength, receives extra attention, with updated cushioning and bolstering.
The higher variants now benefit from winged headrests and adjustable armrests for their second-row captain’s chairs, while even the third row gains better padding and a less knees-up seating position — although this still is better suited to children or short adults on short drives.
Tools That Have a Purpose
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The updated infotainment setup is powered by Tata’s newest iRA 2.0 connected car platform, featuring natural language voice control capable of understanding Indian accents and regional dialects, an interesting localization given the diverse linguistic variety of the Indian market.
The system around the 360-degree cameras is particularly noteworthy for its implementation. Instead of just stitching together images from different cameras, it builds a real three-dimensional representation of what the vehicle is seeing that can be spun and viewed from all sides — very helpful when trying to thread a massive vehicle like this through tight urban spaces.
Driver assistance features are expanded to include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring.
Low traction, body control, and crash mitigation devices aren’t exactly bleeding-edge by global standards, but they nonetheless amount to significant safety improvements in the Indian context, where such features are still in short supply.
Mechanical Sophistications Beneath The Skin
On the powertrain front, 2.0-liter Kryotec diesel engine remains with 168 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque on offer but Tata engineers have prioritized refinement over performance enhancements.
These above features help in better sound insulation, especially using acoustic laminated glass for the windshield and front windows, reducing NVH levels at highway speeds.
The six-speed automatic transmission gets its shift mapping revised for more intuitive gearing on urban drives, too.
For anyone wanting more control, a six-speed manual option is still available with a shorter throw and more precise engagement.
Suspension tuning has been carefully revised as well to feature slightly stiffer damping that minimizes body roll yet isn’t so compromising as to spoil ride quality on the average Indian road.
Steering calibration has also been tweaked to offer more feedback at higher speeds (while still requiring lightly during parking maneuvers).
The Safari may remain front-wheel drive but it does boast of four selectable terrain response modes—Normal, Rough, Wet, and Comfort—to enhance different parameters of the car for different conditions.
Serious off-roaders might be disappointed in not having a real four-wheel-drive system (as the original Safari did), but the current setup is more than up to occasional off-roading that most owners will do.
Tata Safari Facelift Market Positioning and Legacy
The facelifted Safari remains in the sub-premium end of the mainstream SUV space with a price tag of ₹16.19 lakh-₹25.49 lakh (ex-showroom).
It targets the MG Hector Plus and Mahindra XUV700 with heightened sophistication and far more features and space for the money than smaller SUVs.
What’s interesting about this update is how it introduces some of the original Safari’s more adventurous spirit while accepting that most modern buyers probably want comfort, tech and road presence more than true outback prowess.
“To Indians, the Safari name has some value,” says Vikram Gaikwad, an auto analyst. “This update honors that heritage while fulfilling the practical needs of today’s premium SUV customer.
It’s more about conquering the urban jungle in comfort and style than mountain trails, as honestly describes how the vast majority of SUVs are actually used.”
The Safari facelift is a crucial step in ensuring the nameplate retains its flagship status because Tata has long been working to raise its product game and brand perceptions.
Whether it succeeds in bringing a balance between its adventure-hungry ancestry and its modern-day luxury aspirations, will be left for buyers in the country to decide, as they look for a premium SUv experience with decidedly Indian character.
