Tata Safari: 17,000 km ownership experience with 15 likes & dislikes

The SUV offers an amazing driving experience. It feels planted on highways even at high speeds.

BHPian negi15 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Time flies and the first anniversary of Wanderer arrived. So, I thought about sharing my overall ownership experience (till now) on this occasion and sharing my perspective in a nutshell.

My Use Case:

• Any opinion is based on personal requirements. Opinions differ for the same thing based on different requirements. In my case below were the requirements.
• Pleasure to drive
• Comfortable long drives for a family of four. Occasional short drives with two families.
• All essential safety features
• Easy to drive for office-commute i.e. automatic. The only solo drive time.
• Should have enough utility spaces.
• No new launches. Did not want to spend energy on teething problems of new launches.
• Decent music system. Wireless Android Auto Support, steering mounted controls. - Did not want advanced electronics in a car like ADAS.
• Available off the shelf.
• Panoramic sunroof was a must. (Family Wishlist)

Of all the contenders, we finally unanimously selected Safari Dark XZA+ and bought it home last year in July 2022.

Dislikes:

1. Fit and finish for such an expensive vehicle
2. Even for top end variant, there is no front parking sensor and camera. Official accessory also did not look good solution to me.
3. Reverse camera quality is not good. Camera also sits out in the open and gets dirty with ease during rains causing inconvenience during reverse motion. For such a huge vehicle, two additional corner sensors are a must to give more confidence. Just two placed towards the centre are not enough.
4. Infotainment with android auto has issues at the start. However, with software and Android auto upgrade, it's much more stable now. But still, at this price, the touch screen has to be more slick and responsive.
5. Software is too buggy. They fix one issue and plant a new one in the new SW upgrade.
6. No auto boot opening mechanism in the top variant. At least if it's manual, there has to be something substantial to hold on for opening the boot. During rain, it sometimes gets irritating if your hands are wet. Do note, that I am not complaining about the heavy boot lid here. I think it's required for third-row passenger safety.

Likes:

1. Robust and sturdy build. Provides a sense of safety inside it.
2. Airy cabin. Command seating for front two rows. Even the third row is usable for short trips. Kids spend a lot of time switching between the second and third rows.
3. Great ride quality. At higher speeds, you glide over bad roads without much undulation being transferred inside.
4. Comfortable and wide seats: Seats are not too soft. It has perfect cushioning for long drives. Second row accommodates three grown-ups easily sitting side by side without anyone needing to bend their shoulders.
5. Amazing driving experience. Good road visibility. Planted on highways at higher speeds. Braking is solid and confidence-inspiring.
6. Ample utility spaces on doors and between the front two seats. Third row seat has its own blower control along with a bottle holder.
7. Dark interiors have a premium feel.
8. Good Music and sound system.
9. Terrain response modes are useful. I have used WET mode frequently during Pune rains.

Overall, the likes above have higher credits as those are what create travel experiences. Dislikes are more like complaints of features being not provided even after paying for the top end variant.

Issues faced in the last one year:

• One TPMS sensor went bad. Was replaced under warranty.

For reference, below details should provide how the vehicle has been used for a year:

17K on ODO

• 40% for solo office commute
• 60% for family trips outside the city.

Fuel Economy (AC always ON, default CITY mode):

• Average 11-12kmpl in city runs
• Average 17-18kmpl outside city

Drive modes usage:

• 80% CITY mode, 10% SPORTS Mode 10% ECO mode.
• Manual Mode used only once(for trial).

Terrain response Mode usage:

• Wet mode frequently used (during rains)
• Rough road mode (never used)
• Traction control never switched off.
• Hill descent used only once for trial (on office parking ramp )

Average speeds:

• City - 20-25kmph
• Highway - 80-90kmph

Overall Experience:

It has been a fun-filled one year with great family outings (both short and long). Ride comfort is great and family members never reported fatigue after a long 8-10 hours drive. Seats are not very soft and are perfectly cushioned for long drives. It's a pleasure to drive and handles very well on highways. Family really liked the commanding seating position it offers for the first two rows. For me, it provides all the usable features. Service centre experience is satisfactory. Things get done but at slow pace.

Hopefully, the good experience continues.

Keep revving!

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