Finally, the moment has arrived as the Harrier and Safari get a petrol powertrain. It has been a long time coming and after the Sierra, the new 1.5 litre Hyperion turbo petrol now makes its way into the biggest Tata SUVs. It was needed as diesel only limited the market scope for Tata.
Now the new 1.5 litre turbo comes in the Safari as well as the Harrier. We drove the Safari with the 1.5 litre turbo unit which makes more power than the Safari at 170PS and 280Nm. We tested the version with a 6 speed automatic gearbox which is a torque converter unit.
Design Updates and New Features
However, before we drive off, Tata also has brought out a Red Dark edition with red elements and a black exterior along with 19 inch wheels. The all black paint looks menacing on the Safari and increases the road presence too. Inside, there is a mix of red and black while being tasteful too without being too loud.
The other updates include the larger QLED touchscreen which is slicker and looks superb with its display plus a digital rear view mirror acting as a dashcam along with Dolby Atmos, memory ORVM linked to the driver seat, camera washer plus lots more. It also continues to get features like rear ventilated seats.
Driving Experience and Performance
The digital rear view mirror is an useful feature and we loved it since it is useful plus having many customisations too. Anyways, the driving bit matters and here the 1.5l turbo is refined at start with minimal noise while the 6 speed TC gearbox works well with the engine. We think this gearbox works better than a dual clutch and is smooth at low speeds.
It’s not slow either and matches the cruising style of the Safari. Power delivery is linear and it works as a smooth, effortless big SUV while only putting your foot down makes the engine a bit noisy. The Safari petrol is best driven with a relaxed touch and works here.
If you are wondering if the big Safari would be underpowered with a 1.5l turbo then you are wrong as it’s ample plus the suits this car over the diesel which is louder. Even the mileage is better than some other Tata SUVs around 10kmpl. It feels lighter than the diesel and has a better ride although the big wheels enable for a slightly low speed firmness especially over potholes or broken patches. As always the lighter steering makes driving this SUV effortless also.
Overall Verdict
Overall, the Safari petrol is massively more desirable than the diesel and suits its role as a premium SUV. Yes, it’s not underpowered and the new features further makes this a good value premium SUV as the toughness remains but now it works better as a premium SUV with this petrol.
