[funkydude]

I have seen people getting crazy for Safari and once I too had a crush on Safari. After my first test drive, I decided never to go back for a Tata again. This is my personal experience. No hard feelings.

2 letdowns, hard steering and poor pickup (from standstill).

I did a test drive of -
1. MG Hector Plus - Fully loaded with features. Really liked the electric tailgate. Felt it was overpriced and out of budget.
2. XUV700 & ScorpioN - Have been a fan of Mahindra SUV's since 2nd gen Scorpio. Hate the endless waiting time now.
3. Alcazar DCT 1.5 - Again loaded with features. Compared to MG Hector, a few features were missing, still can live without those. Anyways trust the brand Hyundai would never let you down and easy escalation matrix in case of any trouble.

Finally decided to go for Alcazar 1.5 DCT 6-Seater (Signature). Love the comfort and power punch. The car has enough power. Be it overtaking in city driving or on highways the car can breeze through easily without any struggle.

Apologies! I went a little off-topic.

[loneagl09]

Sorry you had a bad experience. I bought the Harrier RedDark 4 months ago and cannot agree with a single point. I guess it's a subjective opinion. But also, the new infotainment cancels out a lot of cons. The new camera system is crisp and the 360 view is pretty awesome. The seats I found to be extremely comfortable and the lumbar adjust is pretty functional. No QC issues but it's only run 6km so finger crossed. Barring any unfortunate event, I plan to use my Harrier for a long, long time.

[Nalin1]

As you have mentioned in your disclaimer, these are only your issues.

Means the car did not suit you and your needs. Does not mean they are universal flaws with the car.

Maybe try a self driven one next time around on a long drive before finalizing.

In 14 months, my knees have never brushed against the console on the Nexon, but happened on an Innova Crysta (of all cars ).

[ishan12]

I found the same ergonomic issues when test driving the Harrier and the Safari. The two major ones were the lack of under thigh support and the left knee hitting the dashboard even when placing it on the dead paddle.
While the rear seats are comfy and comparable to the ones on the XUV, the font ones on the Safari/ Harrier are really poor in terms of under thigh support. Cars from even 2 segments below have better front seats. This is a major negative on long drives, specially for anyone around 5ft 8" and above.
Makes no sense why TaMo would cost cut on them on a 20L plus car. This was a major reason why I did not consider the Safari and bought the XUV700, even though Safari had no waiting period. I was hoping that these things would be rectified in the new update, but unfortunately TaMo only updated the touch screen.

[JithinR]

Not all issues highlighted by the OP are personal issues. I see a few reported by him that are well known faults with Safari (others I have not come across before..but this is not a car that I have spent a lot of researching anyways so I might have missed previous reports of it).

2. The left pull would come back to haunt me everytime. Multiple alignments needed after every 5000 kms. Also, the steering was a touch too light at highway speeds. ...

4. While on the point of the accelerator, the A-pedal is placed at an awkward angle ...The feet don't fall naturally to the pedals, combined with not being too close to the pedals due to the knee console hitting the upper-thigh or the knee region, this added to overall discomfort.

5. Small fuel tank of just 50 litres. ....

Besides, it's not every day you hear about new cars that need to have their subframe shifted. The reputation of the QC department at TATA is well known.

Despite the depreciation hit, I believe the OP took the right decision. Here is hoping that you have better ownership experience with your new steed.

[tp_dominator]

Originally Posted by KharbandaKartik

My wife drives a Honda Jazz and whenever I have to drive it, within 10 minutes of driving my neck starts to pain, ...XUV700 seems a good choice, I suggest you take a longish test drive before you purchase.

Thanks a lot for your comments. The comfort factor is a highly subjective opinion and while Safari wasn't for me, it would be perfect for few others. Similar is the case with you as you mentioned. I did take a fairly long one and am pretty comfortable with the overall ergonomics.

Originally Posted by Aviator_guy

Curious to know about the BH car resale experience, process etc if you don't mind sharing the details. It is still a grey area for me and many others in this forum.

This was again a bit of a nightmarish experience but the BH registered car can only be sold to again a BH eligible person as of now at the Pune RTO. I had used all my contacts but since there is no option yet on the Parivahan portal for reassignment of a BH registered car to state series, this is yet unresolved. This is under development I'm told where Pune RTO had sent a clarification mail to the NIC for the same, but they are yet to get a response.

Originally Posted by DCEite

Your decision to sell off this car is correct. There is no point sticking to a car with a fantastic engine but with poor ergonomics.

Thanks a lot for your supportive words! The ergonomic flaws may not be noticed by many but since it affected me, shared my experience here.

Originally Posted by abaliga

It is better to replace a car rather than live with something that you are not comfortable with
.
.
All the best with the new purchase, hope you enjoy the car fully this time around

Thanks a lot for your encouraging words. With regards to your observations on the Ecosport, I fully agree with the stiff ride and the hard clutch. These were my primary reasons, along with the need for an automatic, to sell off the Ecosport and look for an upgrade.

Originally Posted by RunGaDa

tp_dominator -
Don’t know if I should feel lucky or otherwise after reading your post.
I came very close to buying Tata Safari.

Glad to hear I am not the only odd one out here and others, though a minority, face the same issues too.

Originally Posted by G-One

Quick one, when you sold the car, will the new owner be able to use the same BH series number in any other state?

As per the current information, the buyer will have to submit all the documents in the same format as a new registration along with the Form 60 and they will be allotted a new BH series number of the current series. I will update this thread once I gather more info.

Originally Posted by mayankk

I dont get why MG is so pig-headed on this. Seriously incomprehensible.

Thanks a lot mayankk! Hector as a family car is among one of the best out there. If not for my AT requirement, this would have been surely mine. I once contemplated on getting the manual home, but then, it did not make sense as Ecosport provided atleast similar features if not more. The primary criteria was a diesel auto.

Originally Posted by kamilharis

Each car leaves a different experience to the driver. Sad to see you parting ways with one of the beautiful car, but yes its better to live with someone whom you like.

Congrats on your new XUV7OO. Do keep us posted with the positives of it over SAFARI.

Safari was like a huge crush for me, which eventually broke my heart. I still love the car and I know I will miss it sans the driving experience. XUV700 appeals more to the head, will surely keep everyone posted after I gather some miles on the Mahindra.

Originally Posted by KNL_Bandi

I am planning to buy the upcoming Harrier facelift and am anxious about the left knee brushing the console. I am 6'2" with a bigger frame.

Can you please share your height and body frame/size to contextualise your issue on ergonomics so that I can make an informed decision?
Thanks.

For reference I am 5 foot 9 inches and weigh a bit close to 110 kgs and little on the obese side. But my legs are long which enhance the discomfort due to poor under-thigh support. I suggest you take a longish test drive and not judge anything by sitting in the car at the showroom. If you like a laid back driving position, there would be no issues with your knee hitting the console.

Originally Posted by dass

Sorry to hear that you let go of a new car. I have the new Harrier and face a similar situation with the points I quoted above. I had a Dzire for 10 years and never once I had driving discomfort in that, Harrier is a different story. Each passing KM, it has started to feel more comfortable, but this nagging feeling that a 28L car, is not as comfortable as a 10 year old car persists. I might not sell it the way you did, but then one never knows.

I don't know whether I should be happy to find a person with similar issues as me or just disappointed in Tata for the ergonomic issues. However, this is comforting to listen that I am not the odd one out. With your case, I would suggest getting some modifications done to the seat if you are planning to keep the car for long.

Originally Posted by jetsetgo08

These 2 points and also off-center steering, pedal combo are recurring for the newer generation of Tata vehicles including the Punch and Altroz.
.
.
Drive a japanese or Korean make car/SUV for longer hours post driving these, one would feel much relaxed and less fatigued.

Exactly my points too. The foreign manufacturers get the basics always right. Whether its a low priced hatchback or a premium segment car, one would not find serious ergonomic flaws with them. I drove my friend's manual diesel Hyundai Venue from Ahmedabad to Pune a few months back and I never felt the same fatigue as I did in the Safari. Weird but at the same time these instances started sowing the seeds to change to something comfier.

Originally Posted by KPR

When I TDed Ecosports diesel in 2021, I had these two observations. Coming from a Fiat Punto evo with 195mm GC I couldn't sit in the rear seat of ES during TD in highways at about 100 kmph. I checked tyre pressure of TD vehicle and they were as recommended. Thanks that I didn't purchase as I felt that this would definitely bother my family. As on date they still continue to enjoy rear seat comfort of Punto in highway speeds.

I used to drive a Fiat Punto too back in 2016. This was my misjudgement that I thought Safari steering will be similar to Punto's. Hence, I wasn't too bothered by the hydraulic steering setup as I was well versed with their behavior. The problem here is though, the steering gets lighter as you gain speed. Earlier, I had no qualms with it, but drive on a bumpy highway and one needs to constantly correct the steering which leads to fatigue in the longer run.

Originally Posted by funkydude

I have seen people getting crazy for Safari and once I too had a crush on Safari. After my first test drive, I decided never to go back for a Tata again. This is my personal experience. No hard feelings.

2 letdowns, hard steering and poor pickup (from standstill).

I did a test drive of -
1. MG Hector Plus - Fully loaded with features. Really liked the electric tailgate. Felt it was overpriced and out of budget.
2. XUV700 & ScorpioN - Have been a fan of Mahindra SUV's since 2nd gen Scorpio. Hate the endless waiting time now.
3. Alcazar DCT 1.5 - Again loaded with features. Compared to MG Hector, a few features were missing, still can live without those. Anyways trust the brand Hyundai would never let you down and easy escalation matrix in case of any trouble.

Finally decided to go for Alcazar 1.5 DCT 6-Seater (Signature). Love the comfort and power punch. The car has enough power. Be it overtaking in city driving or on highways the car can breeze through easily without any struggle.

Apologies! I went a little off-topic.

Congrats on getting a brilliant car home. Spot on with the poor pickup observation. In hindsight, I think I should have gone ahead with the Alcazar too, would have really served my purposes well with the frugal diesel auto.

Originally Posted by loneagl09

Sorry you had a bad experience. I bought the Harrier RedDark 4 months ago and cannot agree with a single point.

That is why the disclaimer at the end. These issues might affect some with the usage being as high as mine or being built similar to me.

Originally Posted by Nalin1

As you have mentioned in your disclaimer, these are only your issues.

Means the car did not suit you and your needs. Does not mean they are universal flaws with the car.

Universal flaws or not, but these issues crop up only on longer drives. In the city, it was still manageable but not on the highways. However, this may also differ from person to person as is evident from the responses on this thread. Some are facing them while others are not. Depends upon usage and body type I guess.

[ghodlur]

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[noopster]

I love the Safari and it was a serious contender while I was shopping around for my Seltos but finally backed off for 3 reasons: price, dealer responsiveness (pathetic even at pre-sales stage) and most importantly, I could never find a driving position where I wouldn't bang my left knee hard against the console. A good friend owns a Safari and I can never seem to avoid this problem even while driving his car. Point to note: I sit fairly close to the wheel (my wife and can share a driving position even though I am 5" taller) and my knees are almost perpendicular which is probably not the case for most people. In any case, that has never been a problem in any car I have driven, so I figured it's a deal breaker.

The larger point I am making is: you should have taken a longer test drive. Selling a car at 9 months/24K is a criminal waste of money. Wish you all the luck in the world with your XUV700 but are the car seats significantly more comfortable than the Safari? I don't know!

[inwester]

Originally Posted by tp_dominator

2. The left pull would come back to haunt me everytime. Multiple alignments needed after every 5000 kms. Also, the steering was a touch too light at highway speeds. Needed a firm hand on the steering always. This would make my shoulder start paining unless I took a long break.

A short 10 minute test drive had me ruling out this car for this very issue. That steering is Tata Safari's Achilles' heel. Too tight at low speeds and too light at high speeds. Talk about being the opposite of what it should be.

Anyone buying this car should take a lengthy test drive and see if this steering is for you. I am used to nice electronic power steerings and this was just a total deal breaker for me. Otherwise I probably would've bought the car.

You did the right thing to cut the loss and move on. Good luck with the XUV700. In my short drives I've found that car to be the better of the 2, although there were some deal breakers for me as well (no sliding seats, non-dimming IRVM, obviously the wait list etc.).

I ended up with a Kia Carens Diesel Auto and love the car (except for the safety score). However most of my drives were in the city and since Kerala doesn't have any highways (with our average speed on highways under 25 kmph) I bit the bullet. Not to mention it was a good 10 lakh cheaper.

[tp_dominator]

@ Ghodlur: I can understand where you are coming from. It was difficult for me to accept as well but wanted to share my observations on the car because I know the positives highlighted by other owners remain the same.

However, I would also like to inform others to take my comments with a pinch of salt as highlighted in my disclaimer. Same issues might not be faced by others but considering my usage, I need a comfortable car.

With regards to the service center aspect, my experience has been B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T. I once had a underbody hit due to some stray object lying on the road which ruptured my AC pipe going to the last row and the AC stopped working. Though the service centers near me did not have the part but one tweet to Tata Motors and got a call from nearly all dealers on my way in the cities I mentioned to them on the tweet. This made me hugely respect Tata for providing assistance at just the right time.

Also, my rear left suspension was observed to be leaking at 15k kms service and was changed proactively under warranty with no questions asked by the SA.

My point here being, I never highlighted any other issue or a praise since they are ample on the forum. I wanted to highlight my observations and difficulties I faced during the ownership. Doesn't mean one size fits all and would also advice forum members to take an informed decision and go ahead with your choice. The more you read up on issues about a car, the more confused you will get.

Regarding the deep pocket theory, it hurt my wallet a lot, but I had enough and couldn't bear the discomfort anymore. But this was above any monetary consideration. Also, tank capacity was known but the same car would not return the same mileage to every owner. According to my driving style, this just doesn't have enough.

Originally Posted by noopster

The larger point I am making is: you should have taken a longer test drive. Selling a car at 9 months/24K is a criminal waste of money. Wish you all the luck in the world with your XUV700 but are the car seats significantly more comfortable than the Safari? I don't know!

I know I made a mistake. But take a ride in the Safari once, the ride comfort will spoil you. To this date and many more years to come, I can testify to the fact that Safari is a very comfortable car for the passengers and as a package is hard to beat. If only I had a chauffeur, I would have not sold this car. But I love to drive myself and hence need something which provides decent comfort with acceptable ergonomics.

However, this doesn't deny the fact that what I did is purely criminal. But, at the same time, I have been known to be impulsive and make financially bad decisions. Hope this one teaches me a tough lesson.

I had kept both Scorpio N and the XUV700 for a couple of days with me (at different times) and drove them both in the city and on short highway trips. I can verify that I found XUV700 more comfortable for my use cases and hence went ahead with the same.

[GKU]

I guess I narrowly dodged a bullet. I was considering Safari due to long waiting period for ScorpioN. Though Safari was scoring well on passenger comfort and quicker delivery, my better half suggested not to make any compromise on driving comfort. Every time I took test drive, I felt there is something wrong with the seat, pedal and steering geometry, no amount of adjustment could help. For my body frame(5.9/82Kg) , SN has fantastic ergonomics.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by noopster

The larger point I am making is: you should have taken a longer test drive. Selling a car at 9 months/24K is a criminal waste of money. Wish you all the luck in the world with your XUV700 but are the car seats significantly more comfortable than the Safari? I don't know!

Seats in 7OO are better - first two rows ofcourse.

From the driver's seat, 7OO is a generation ahead. If you are an owner you may get an invite to visit their MSPT track, you will get driven around at ~ 200 kmph in one. It will go through those corners at that speed , with you in it.

For most drivers who want a 5+2 for normal commute and family travel, XUV is overkill but the road warriors will enjoy it, worth the wait time and all the expenses every month.

[Aviator_guy]

Originally Posted by tp_dominator

This was again a bit of a nightmarish experience but the BH registered car can only be sold to again a BH eligible person as of now at the Pune RTO. I had used all my contacts but since there is no option yet on the Parivahan portal for reassignment of a BH registered car to state series, this is yet unresolved. This is under development I'm told where Pune RTO had sent a clarification mail to the NIC for the same, but they are yet to get a response.

.

Thanks for sharing. When you mentioned that car was sold within a week, I thought you found a buyer and RTO paperwork was sorted. May be I misunderstood. Please keep us posted and if you can, please pen down your experience in detail which would be a good reference for BH car resale. Given the confusion around it, I'm eagerly looking forward to some positive news before taking the plunge or advising someone to go for BH registration.

[07CR]

Originally Posted by tp_dominator

After a brief stint with my Azure, Ford Ecosport S Diesel, where I drove it for nearly 77k kms in a little over 3 years and whose ownership review is there on Team-BHP,

Call it premonition or what, but I had seen your last post on Azure (You had also mentioned about the next ride being the Safari), and somehow I felt that this is not a good move. You will miss Azure, and regret buying the Safari. Personally, I am not a fan of Tata Vehicles above Altroz, but I never wish anyone ill for buying their cars above Altroz. But somehow I had that feeling.

PS- I too own a Ecosport S TDCI (17 inch rim), and maybe that was some weird connection between our two Ford's, which led me to the premonition!

[sandeepmdas]

Originally Posted by tp_dominator

I can verify that I found XUV700 more comfortable for my use cases and hence went ahead with the same.

I own the XU700 since March 2023, having replaced my 10-year-old 500 with it. I'll tell you the three factors that bother me.

1. Huge blind spots due to the A-pillar, especially on the driver's side. I also own an EcoSport which has this issue, but in my experience the A-pillar of ES can block out an autorickshaw, and that of the 700 can easily hide a current-model Wagon R. My 700 variant has blind-spot warning, still I prefer eyeball warning given any day.

2. Wing mirror visibility. The view area is not as wide as I would have preferred. However I solved this issue to a great extent by installing small convex stick-on mirrors from Amazon. My 700 has 360-degree cameras but again...

3. It has no auto-dimming IRVM. This too can be resolved by installing a 70mai or RedTiger dashcam + touchscreen integrated device that can be placed over the IRVM. I decided not to go for it, as I don't like dangling wires.

Sorry for going OT

Now that said, the service interval of Tata cars was an irritatingly frequent 5000kms / 6 months previously. I assume it is the same for the Safari. The 700 comes with a 10K/1 year service interval that you can live with (except the first service which is within the first month or 1000 kms). However, the major service of the Harrier AFAIK is 15K / 1 year means you need consumables in every 15K only. This advantage is applicable only if you're clocking more than 10K per year.