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Pros & Cons - Buying a used Tata Safari Storme in India

7th May 2021, 09:57 by Aditya Nadkarni

In 2012, Tata's engineering team gave the macho SUV a new hydroformed X2 chassis (first seen on the Aria). Over the years, the Safari Storme received a variable geometry turbocharger, power hikes and lots of improvements.

Buying a used Tata Safari Storme

The "Safari" brand has seen a lot of buzz lately - thanks to the nameplate being resurrected - so we thought it'll be a good time to revisit the original. The 1st-gen Tata Safari enjoys a cult following and an enviable image. There are a few reasons for this = the size, presence, fan following and most of all, Tata's fantastic ads like this one.

On this thread, we will focus on the big update that came in 2012. Tata's engineering team gave the macho SUV a new hydroformed X2 chassis (first seen on the Aria). They preserved the identity of the original Safari, by retaining the body shell. It carried over the competent 2.2L DiCOR which is a jewel of an engine in our opinion. Over the years, the Storme received a variable geometry turbocharger, power hikes and lots of improvements. While it never really set the sales charts alight like the Scorpio, it managed to retain its fan base among enthusiasts.

Used Tata Safari Storme Pros

Still has a badass personality & mega presence! You can also brag about owning the "original" Safari
Was considerably improved over the earlier car. Better handling, steering & brakes
Competent 2.2L diesel motor with excellent driveability, superb refinement & mature power delivery
5-speed gearbox is smoother, while 6-speed unit brings superior cruiseability & spread of power
Rugged body-on-frame construction is very abuse-friendly
1st & 2nd seat rows have enormous space. Nice seats too
Outstanding ride quality at low as well as high speeds. Demolishes bad roads with aplomb
Low range 4x4 transfer case, limited slip differential and sufficient rear wheel articulation
2015+ model featured more power, a bigger 63 liter fuel tank, steering-mounted audio controls, double-din ICE, flippy key & LED cabin lamps. These are the ones to go for

Used Tata Safari Storme Cons

The same old body style from 1998! Looks terribly old...
Niggling issues & problems (as per the many Safari ownership reports)
Limited availability as the Safari Storme was a slow seller. Low mileage examples are rarer still
Effectively a 5 seater. Side-facing jump seats (3rd row) aren't suitable even for kids
Not as dynamically accomplished as say, the XUV500, Duster or its sibling, the Aria
Imperfect fit & finish. Ample rough edges, especially on the inside
No MID, navigation, climate control, reversing camera or dead pedal
Tata's after-sales service experience remains a gamble
4x4's critical electronic bits & fuel tank are placed too low. No protective plate against splashes either. Massive size & kerb weight negatively affect its offroad performance

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Mod Potential:

Don't even go there. Good all-terrain tyres, sweet rims & some minor visual enhancements are all you should invest in. Save the rest of the money to keep her in shipshape.

Availability:

Poor. For instance, in a market like Bombay, there are just 5 - 6 cars on OLX. The Storme was on sale for 7 years, but it didn't sell well. With Tata cars, the later the model, the better. Go only for the 2015+ ones. Be advised that the car still has fans & the immaculate low mileage ones are surprisingly holding premium prices! Strictly avoid the non-Storme earlier Safari on the older platform - it was sad. Check out the examples on sale - link.