TATA SAFARI

Does the Harrier’s three-row version have what it takes to carry an iconic nameplate?

- TUHIN GUHA

We always knew there was going to be a three-row Harrier, Tata Motors made sure of that with the showings at Geneva and then at the Auto Expo. But what we didn’t know was that this was in fact the new Safari. An inspired move no doubt, but one that brings with it the sentimentality and expectations associated with a well-remembered name. So now this needs to be not just a good SUV but a good Safari. A cakewalk or do the trappings of lineage hold it back?

Styling

Look at the new Safari straight on and you’ll need a discerning automotive eye to separate it from the Harrier. The grille is now finished in brushed silver with Tata Motors’ new tri-arrow motifs highlighted in chrome. There’s some more chrome around the carried-over split headlamps. These changes are well-integrated and don’t necessarily feel overdone. Although we prefer the more subdued arrangement in the Harrier, a section of the new Safari’s buyers will appreciate the added presence these changes bring.

Things remain largely untouched till the C-pillar. So you have the same bold shapes and hefty haunches of the donor car. Larger 18-inch wheels have been added here for more effect, which carry over the same two-tone design as seen on the BSVI Harrier’s 17-inches.