[speedmiester]

As a former Safari owner who loved it to bits, I will say NO.
Safari Storme feels old and outdated by today's standards. Also it was never known for reliability. It always had some issues and niggles which require attention and with hit or miss Tata service, it's a gamble.

I will reconsider my answer if I can find well maintained Safari VX 4X4 and these are hard to come by as they never sold in good numbers.

[wildsdi5530]

How about the GS800? is it available in the market? used or through auctions?
Safari is always a dream vehicle for 80's kids. first time I drove a Safari was when I was in my 11th and had gone for a Auto expo. Drove around the St. Joseph's college ground. I still remember how much fun it was.

[Babruvahanaaaaa]

Voted Yes. Buying a Safari (98'/dicor/storme) is purely an emotional decision for me . It maybe disproportionate, it may have rough edges, it may virtually have no modern features at all. She's flawed, but she's mine. I don't want perfect, I want Safari. No car can match the throne like seating on the Safari. The Varicor 400 is a locomotive on 4 wheels. That's all I want from a Safari. Plus, It has a 4x4 unlike it's 2021 namesake (which is an abomination IMO). Somehow no other car pulls my hearts strings like the Safari does . It's a blinder.

[raider9990]

Voted Yes because this car holds a sentimental value for me . After owning one for 7 years , I would agree to points mentioned above regarding rough fitment , body roll etc but these cars go for really low prices in used market . You get a lot of car for a very low price . I practiced preventive maintenance on my car and it never gave me any issues .

[Lowflyer23]

Nope, NEVER! The Safari along with the Scorpio was my childhood dream but when I started to read more about these cars I became apprehensive and when I finally experienced the two it was a classic "Never meet your heroes" kind of situation. These were far from the quality and reliability you would get from rival global manufacturers.

IMO a new modern Tata itself is a bit of a gamble (no offense) and the Safari is from an era when Tata made Indicas and Manzas and not the Harriers we see today. Also, the major issue with earlier Tatas was inconsistency in quality within the same batch, so two similar cars from the same lot would have a world of difference in reliability and peace of mind.

[TrackDay]

In 2021, NO ! The safari was aspirational once upon a time, not now. The options in that price range now come in more refined & polished products. I would rather look at an AWD duster these days if I am in for such a lifestyle product. Had I been the owner I would stick on to it due to known history and preventive maintenance.

[iamahunter]

Heart says Yes but mind says No.

On of the biggest and most important point for me while acquiring a car is Reliability.

An used car with not a very good reputation for reliability and even lesser reputation for service is not something I would want in my garage.


If someday possible, I would probably have it as my not a go to car, but just for completing the childhood dream of owning an original Safari.

[yd_gli]

I would if I was a gambling man. Either the car will last you for a decade with zero issues or it'll not make it home on the first day. Tata in those days was like the wild west. They have improved by leaps and bounds from the Hexa onward but anything prior is not the faint hearted.

[07CR]

Fantastic presence, Iconic image, comfy seats (1 and 2nd row), stupendous ride quality and the Go Anywhere ability. The premise seems good.

However, I would think a 100 times before splurging money on even a brand new Safari, let alone a used one. Reason- Niggles and some more niggles.

The top heavy styling, almost nill steering response, a bit underpowered engine are some other gremlins. Also for a supposedly premium car (at that time), it still lacked many basic features expected at that price point. Interior quality too was below average.

Therefore Voted NO.

[Pkumarblore]

Voted for NO. With so many better options available now in the used car market, the Safari Storme does not make a sensible decision for me unless I am a die hard fan of the Safari brand. I'd rather pick a Pajero Sport(I know it is a risky territory considering parts and ASS) or even a Fortunner in that price range knowing Toyota's for their reliability.

[PrasannaDhana]

Safari Dicor & Safari Storme has a massive cult following and fan base. Someone who even considers a used Safari Storme will pick it no matter what logical reasoning behind the car's positives and negatives may be. Majority of the current Safari/storme owners are diehard Safari lovers and as one among them, my personal answer would be an Yes to this poll.

But I have voted No

I have been lucky enough to own both iterations of the Original Safari , both in Dicor 320 and Storme Varicor 400 variants. For an average car buyer with a 8-10 lakh budget looking at a used car, my suggestion would be a NO, unless the following Strengths of the car trumps the weaknesses that I am going to list out. It's a personal choice.

Strengths

Both Strength and weaknesses in descending order of ranking.

1. Space, Comfort and Ride quality

There isn't a more spacious 5 seater (not 7), with great seats and a ride quality that dismisses any type of roads, be it driving slowly or at speeds. The car glides through roads like it's a cakewalk.

It can munch distances so effectively, that even senior citizens would get down fresh after a 500+ km journey. If you are a family of 5 and travel a lot on highways, there isn't a better riding, more spacious car in that budget(hexa is good but a couple of lakhs costlier in the used market)

2. Engine - Powerful, reliable, excellent driveability and superb refinement

While the older gen Safari Dicors had 140 PS 320 Nm on the spec sheet, the car wasn't a fast performer owing to the weight of the car. But with with Varicor 400, 156 PS and 400 Nm makes the Safari storme a fast car, taking just 12.xx seconds to a 100 kmph and does highway speeds effortlessly.

The lag is minimal, even better than the Harrier's 170 PS 350Nm 2.0 liter diesel, and it just won't stall at all. 6th gear can happily take you as low as 50 kmph to speeds that most won't believe a Safari can reach.

The 2.2 diesel is a proven engine. Personal experience of 2,70,000 km on 3 cars with the same engine at different tunes- 120PS/250 Nm Sumo Grande, 140PS/320Nm Safari Dicor and 156PS/400 Nm Safari Storme. Not once have I had a problem with the engine. With proper maintenance, it just runs and runs. My Sumo grande has completed 2.4 lakh km in total, now with its 2nd owner and is still being used as a daily driver. My Safsri Dicor was sold at 1.4 lakh km and it was as good as new. From my experience the Safari has been absolutely reliable.

Best part about the Storme is that the engine is extremely refined by segment standards. With the 6th cog, 100 - 120 kmph cruising means the engine is at 2000 - 2500 rpm where you can have a conversation in the car without having the engine note disturb you.

3. Road Presence, Visibility from the cabin and Ease of Driving

A very strong point about the Safari has always been its intimidating Road presence. Though I agree with GTO that it is too tall, the storme/Safari is not too narrow. It is as wide as a fortuner & endeavor. But the 10cm extra height makes it look disproportionate from the front and the rear. On the sides though the storme is one very proportionate SUV.

With the Fortuner


With the long and beautiful Honda Accord


I personally love the looks of both the Safari Dicor and the Storme. They have a charm that a few cars have.





Though I don't care about the road presence (my another ride is a Kwid ), the Safari provides immense road presence to those who like it.

Here, my ex Dicor with the evergreen star of the C-SUV segment


My storme with the Nexon and Ecosport




Safaris dwarf most cars and SUVs on road. The 1.9 meter height, 4.7 meter length and 1.86 meter width sure has its advantages.

The cabin visibility is another strong point of the Safari. You see everything around you, you can see cars ahead of a couple cars in front of you, with that high cabin and large windshield.

Massive cars look puny from the cabin of a Safari

The OG fortuner


And the smaller T-Roc


With this good view of the surroundings, coupled with just 5.4 meter turning radius, overhangs with ample ground clearance and superb brakes(all wheel discs), the storme is one large SUV that can be effortlessly driven by anyone, even in bumper to bumper traffic. The clutch is very light and is self adjusting, which means you will have effortless clutch operation until the end of its life.
Add to that, the very nicely laid dashboard with soft plastics on the top and elegant black + silver colour scheme, it's one nice place to be in.


Let me not forget the excellent AC that cools such a large cabin so quickly and effectively. Good points also go to the humble 2 Din Harman Kardon OE ICE that does a good job.

With 200 mm ground clearance, you can park it as you like without having to fear about underbody hits.



Frugality

This must be quite a surprise for many here. Frugality and Safari Storme in the same sentence. LOL. But honestly, the 2.2 Varicor 400 is one terrific engine. It can be a freaking locomotive on the highway and scare you with speeds and it can also be the ultra comfortable spacious SUV that can return 18 kmpl fuel efficiency if you are being gentle on the highways.

Yes, 18 kmpl from a 2+ tonne 156 bhp SUV that has the aerodynamics of a brick.


That's the fuel efficiency if driven between 70-90 kmph on the highways. 15-16 kmpl is easily attainable if you cruise between 90-110 kmph.

Overall fuel efficiency is at 13.7 kmpl which is wonderful for a full size SUV.

Now, it's time for the weaknesses, again descending in their order of rank.

Weaknesses

Handling

No surprise- a tall, heavy SUV is bound to have enormous body roll. Storme definitely is not the car you buy if your joy lies in the corners and ghats. Though the engine is potent enough for quick acceleration and good top speeds, the car can be scary for someone used to C-SUVs, sedans and hatchbacks. I read daily how a nexon owner turned turtle by doing high speeds and losing control. A Safari is twice as dangerous to drive at speeds. Don't try doing triple digits around curves unless you are skilled and experienced driving large ladder on frame SUVs.

Even if you are skilled, the passengers won't like the body roll at speeds around curves.

Definitely not a 7 seater

Storme is a 5 seater, a very large one at that. The last row is not meant for humans, atleast for the ones you have some empathy for. The child seats are a joke. There isn't any space nor support and neither is it safe to travel on them. In both my Safaris, the last row has the seats folded and the last row is considered a massive boot.

Overall fit, finish and minor irritants

The interior is of very good quality, specially in the last Gen storme. But then, there are some rough edges like uneven panel gaps, some minor irritations like the rear child seats that intermittently squeak over bad roads. The fuel lid opening button has a mind of its own and won't open at times, you will have to get down and manually open it. Such small irritations will definitely be there.

Practicality for an urban user

While it aces the highways and rural areas without roads, the storme might not be the best choice if you are a metro dweller. It's massive dimensions can be a pain in finding parking spots.

The steering is harder than average cars. You will get a nice delt workout. Without a rear parking camera, and relying just on the parking sensors, it takes experience to reverse this beast into tight spots.

No android auto/ apple car play, heck it doesn't even get a ACC, in a car that was sold for 17 lakhs on road in 2018.

While highway fuel economy is impressive, the 2.2 hates B2B traffic. Don't expect anything over 10 kmpl if you drive in urban setting predominantly.

TATA after-sales and service

It's a gamble, honestly. If you can put your weight around, and assert the dealership that you won't tolerate with below average service of your Safari, you will not have issues. Most cases, Tata service isn't anything to write about. I have personally raised hell in the dealership years ago, and that has been working to my favor, even now.

Terrible resale value

No matter how pristine your Safari is, you won't find many buyers. The myth that is well spread that Safari is unreliable is one of the reasons for the poor resale. I bought my Dicor 2.2 LX at 11 lakhs in 2012 and sold it for 3.75 lakhs in 2018 after 1.4 lakh km, at an immaculate condition.

You can find good examples of 2018+ Varicor 400 as low as 8.5 lakhs. But remember, you will lose a lot when you sell it a few years later.


Conclusion

Who should buy the Storme

Those with frequent and long highway usage, and those with usage on bad roads, Those who want superb comfort & space for 5 with excellent ride quality, those who want a SUV with terrific road presence, those who want a powerful engine with good NVH and driveability can pick the storme.

Who should avoid it

Those who are planning it to be their only car but also like driving around curves and ghats, those who prioritize on driving dynamics, those who want a 7 seater, those who drive mostly in B2B traffic and those who want features from the car.


Which models to look for

Storme Varicor 400 is the one you should look at. While the earlier storme got the 148 PS 320 Nm engine with 5 speed MT, the Varicor 400 with 8 more horses, 80 more Nm and 6 speed MT is much nicer to drive. Moreover the last version had nice black interiors and upholstery which looks classier than the beige ones earlier.

Caution

It is very rare for a Safari owner to sell it before 1.25 lakh km. It's hard to find immediate replacement in the same budget range being one reason, while the absurd resale value being another. So if you come across a <75k km run Storme, make sure the seller isn't a dealer disguised as an individual. Try checking up with the A.S.S with the routine service intervals and mileage.
Generally Safaris are bought by people who travel a lot.

My suggestion
If you don't insist on the road presence or the Safari name tag, please look at used hexas. They get the same engine, same gearbox, even better interiors and are more accomplished dynamically. And hey, it is a real 6/7 seater. If you really want the storme only, then go for 2017 and later models with <50k km on the odo.

All said and done, I couldn't have been happier to own this legend currently. It has been my primary ride for the last 3 months and I have completed 10,000 km in three months, enjoying every single day driving this beast. I wont be selling it for a long long time To anyone who wants an used Storme, my best wishes in finding a good one. Stormes go for very affordable prices in the used market.







Safari Dicor and Safari Storme will go down in history as the legendary Cast-Iron block Standard 350cc Bullets of cars.

[evilmessiah]

While I respect the vehicle for what it does, this isn't my cup of tea. I have ridden in one while I was in college and I loved it. Great ride quality and seats. Great choice for those who can use it to its full potential. Voted no.

[AVR]

I have owned 2 Safaris over 12 years
2005 TCIC 4x4 - 2008 to 2015 - sold at 1.67L odo
2009 2.2 VX 4x4 - 20015-2020 - sold at 1.05L odo

Have been very lucky with used cars and they never let me down.

It is outdated yes. But it would still be one of the most comfortable cars me and my family have traveled in. I own a 2009 3.0 AT 4x4 Endeavour and a 2017 3.2 AT 4x4 Endeavour and honestly the rear seat in the Safari is still remembered by my family on long trips.

Would I buy it again? I just sold it last year so not sure unless I get too sentimental about one. But the 4x4 VX 400 Storme would be fun I guess. Got to have spare money for a car I don't need and I don't have to worry about parking then I'd think.

Cheers,
Adi

[one-77]

I wouldn’t have bought it new. And definitely wouldn’t buy it used. My reasons:
- Weird styling (I think the older Safari looked much nicer up front and in the rear)
- Outdated and Spartan interiors even when new. In 2021, it’d feel way too poverty spec.
- Poor fit and finish
- The many electrical and fewer mechanical niggles. And especially in an older vehicle, these would be quite a handful.
- The body roll
- Will be a difficult resell

[AirbusCapt]

I have an interesting tale to tell. I bought my first Safari, a GX in 2012 for about 13 lakhs new. Used it for 2 years (25000 km) and sold it to the Tata dealer to upgrade to a Storme VX 4*2. Since it was a "lateral upgrade", I could sell off the dicor for 6 lakhs and buy the Storme again for some 15 odd lakhs. Used the Storme for 3 years (50000 kms) and sold it off to the Tata dealer again for 7 odd lakhs and bought a Hexa xta for some 22 odd lakhs on road.
Used the Hexa for about 3 years putting in 30000 odd kms and upgraded to a landrover discovery sport in 2019. The Hexa was bought by the dealer again for some 12 odd lakhs and with a 10 lakh straight discount on the Discovery Sport, I actually used the Hexa for free for 3 years!
In short, by staying within the Tata family and by upgrading from one model to the next, I really didn't take any resale price hit on cars which have supposedly low resale value.