Tata Motors is one of the most popular SUV manufacturers in the country. They have a variety of SUVs spread across different segments. The Harrier and Safari are among the most popular ones in this lineup. Most competitors in this segment offer both diesel and petrol engine options. The Harrier and Safari, on the other hand, are only available with diesel.
Tata has been working on a petrol engine for these SUVs for quite some time, and it looks like the wait is about to end. Recently, a Tata Safari with heavy camouflage was spotted testing on Indian roads. It is likely to be the petrol version.
The images have been shared by Gaadiwaadi.com on their website. In the images, we see a Tata Safari SUV with heavy camouflage. It doesn’t look like Tata is going to make many changes to the exterior of the Safari. There might be some cosmetic changes to differentiate it from the diesel version. Otherwise, both SUVs are likely to retain the same design. Even the alloy wheels have camouflage, which could mean that the wheels are also new. Tata only updated the Safari in 2023, and we feel it is too early for them to make any major exterior changes.
It will continue to be offered with split LED headlamps, a welcome LED bar with dual-function LED DRLs, LED tail lamps, and connecting LED bars.
Petrol Engine
Coming to the petrol engine, Tata has been working on this engine for quite some time. The petrol version was expected to be launched in the market last year, but it got delayed for some reason.
The Safari is expected to be powered by a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder, T-GDI petrol engine that generates around 170 PS and 280 Nm of peak torque. The SUV is expected to be offered with both manual and DCA gearbox options. The same engine will be offered with the Harrier as well. The new engine is likely to fall under Tata’s Hyperion series, which we first saw in the Curvv.
Features
The Tata Safari is currently the flagship SUV from Tata, and it is loaded to the brim with premium features. It offers features like leatherette upholstery, electrically adjustable seats at the front, seat ventilation for both front and rear passengers, a panoramic sunroof, Level 2+ ADAS, a fully digital instrument cluster, a large touchscreen infotainment system, multi-zone climate control, and more.
The diesel engine used in the Safari and Harrier is sourced from Fiat. It is a 2.0-liter, turbocharged unit that generates 170 PS and 350 Nm of peak torque. The petrol version is likely to generate a similar amount of power.
Currently, the price for the Safari starts at ₹15.49 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to ₹27.25 lakh. The petrol version is likely to be priced lower than the diesel counterpart. It is also expected to be compliant with upcoming emission norms. The official launch of the Safari petrol version is expected to happen sometime around July this year.