Car review: Safari Dicor is a good offroader

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The new Tata Safari has a 3 litre Dicor which is an acronym for direct injection common rail engine. There are a couple of interior and exterior changes. In the interior, its got a all new central console, which is a little on the tacky side. But, what's good is the sporty, aluminium finish on the gear lever knob.

There is more - a new instrument cluster and new leather upholestry. There are cupholders in the centre. There are puddle lamps, so that in the event of rainy weather, you don't step out into the muck.

The Safari Dicor has something common with the BMW 5 series, which is a little window in the rear view mirror, which will help when parking because there is a camera in the bumper guard at the bottom, which will show you the space between your car and the one behind.

The Safari is loaded with other gizmos, which comes at a price. There is a DVD player with screens for rear passengers and the driver's seat can be manually adjusted to fit the driver's height. Safety features like dual airbags, ABS and EBD, are also available. It also has a all new transmission.

The engine claims to have class-leading 30.8 kgmf of torque but you don't feel that when driving. It seems to also lack certain punch and feels like there is a certain amount of lag at the bottom end. The power kicks in only after about 1800 rpm, which makes driving in the city a little vary - you've got to keep changing the gears down.

If your higher speeds and lower revolutions per minute, rpms, you'll find you have to constantly change gears. Also when your going all out, you might find some lag while changing gears but after that the power really kicks in. But once you get going, it will be a comfortable cruiser.

However, it does lack seemless delivery but at high speeds the vehicle handles well, feels steady and well planted. The steering is on the heavier side and it gives you a confident drive. For the adventurous, there is a 4x4 option also available.

So how does it feel offroad? It actually handles well, the power comes handy especially if you plan to tow a heavy trailer behind you. There is some body roll but you feel confident behind the wheel to tackle all kinds of terrain.

Upfront, there are new clear headlights, chrome-plated grill, body coloured bumpers with built-in fog lamps and 16 inch alloys. The rear tail-lamps are also clear. So for a drive in the countryside or even in the city on slick, wet roads, this would be the ideal set of wheels.     

For more on the Safari Dicor:
http://uv.tatamotors.com/safari/