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-   -   Tata Merlin - Safari replacement? *UPDATE* Uncovered Pics on Pg 90 (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/92206-tata-merlin-safari-replacement-update-uncovered-pics-pg-90-a-11.html)

Xylo has zero luggage space after the last bench. Aria has decent space for 7 passengers and luggage. Aria is good vehicle but certainly over priced across all variants by atleast 2 Lakhs :Frustrati I trust Melin facelifted safari comes with front facing last bench and priced sensibly with revamped interiors

No SUV / Crossover can get you a the comfort that a Pure MUV can, not even the huge Merc GL rear seats can beat the Xylo and it just about matched the Innova which in turn is better than the fortuner. The Aria may looks in shape terms close to the innova but then it is also close to the Merc R-Class or the Q5 if looked at purely from the shape perspective.

Merlin even with front facing seats for the rear bench will mean a compromise on the third row seats, it just cannot pack a wheel below the rear, put in a fuel tank, retain the current height and give comfortable seats that match the Xylo / Innova standards with four wheel drive thrown in. The Huge wheels have to fit in somewhere. In that sense if they were able to get better sized third row seats they would have done it with the Aria itself, merlin will not offer that opportunity.

VFM and overpricing is relative, I test drove a fortuner just an hr before the Aria with my wife and we both simply felt that the fortuner is overpriced for what it is on the inside and simply loved the Aria for what it offered both inside, under and outside. Even if the fortuner would have costed 4 L less I would have selected the Aria between the two for the purpose that I wanted the car to serve. It's the fact that the Aria is in some ways shaped close to the innova that it invites comparisions, but both serve entirely different target audiences, I would never buy an Innova, Xylo or Scorpio for my application which is better served by the Safari and now by the Aria, where as those who select those vehicles would be well adviced to not consider the Aria as it would not match their expectations of 3rd row comfort. Infact I travel most of the time with the third row folded down full flat - except when taking my office team out for a lunch treat on occations. I believe the Captiva too addresses a similar audience which wants a 4X4 but will never do true off roading, wants a 7 seater but not one that makes the vehicle a van.

It's all so relative to ones expectations, the brand premium that we give toyota in India would not be given in other countries around the world, and each car that is not from the German premium car segment needs to deliver better on the feature and safety count and commands just the price it's worth on those parameters.

Back to the Merlin, I believe it will be a great vehicle, but pls lets not expect it to be much different from the safari in terms of the target audience it serves, It will not match the Xylo, Grande, Innova or the Scorpio in terms of third row comfort but will make for a great 5+2kids lifestyle suv.

Considering the length as constant, You have to compromise on some thing, Either 3rd row leg space or Luggage space ( unless go for a movable 3rd row, which has its own design challenges ), I am sure based on customer feedback/clinic/survey from the target customers, TM might have decided to go with more luggage space, as majority may need that way. I personally prefer more luggage space than leg space. Considering Aria is not meant for Taxi segment, it is very unlikely that all the 7 passengers are 6'2'' all the time.

Tata could have intentionally placed a dummy logo there to mislead the casual observer.

yeah. can be. it is more like a logo of Chinese car company.

It could also be the Force Motors SUV -- they also run with MH-12 badgings and are a frequent sight near their factory premises.

Logo or no logo, its a Safari all right. The dials are very similar., esp fuel guage, and ditto for the dash. On the left side in front of passenger there is this "dip" for storing stuff.

Yes, it is the Safari - the instrument cluster is a dead giveaway.

Btw, any one make out the tail lights ? they're from the Sumo Victa :)

I know it wont be surprising if they (taillights) are indeed off the Sumo Victa - But I highly doubt they are in this case.

It would just be awful if you turn out the be right.

something is surely brewing at Tata Motors w.r.t the Safari. all of a sudeen, there is aflurry of Safari Ads in the print as well as electronic media, after a hiatus of about 6 months. maybe, they want to create more visibility and clear existing stocks over the next couple of months before launching the Merlin.

himanshugoswami, I noticed the same. Suddenly the Safari campaign has intensified, the manza and visa 90 ones are also on in a big way, infact the Aria campaign is taking a back seat right now.

^^

Also old Sumo Victa and nano ads.

Yes, someone's suddenly woken up at Tata Motors. Right now, all their models re being advertised, and that includes the Grande too.

Hail the competition!

Especially the ads for Safari have intensified for the past few days.. On AXN, there was the Safari ad every 15 mins during a show this week.

Maybe they're trying to push the current stock of Safari before the launch of Merlin a couple of months from now.

Clear interior pictures of Tata Safari Merlin will be nice to see. TATA has good grip as not much has been leaked out on the new interiors. I Hopt TATA doesnot play spoil sport with the name.

TATA has weird congnizance on their supposedly unpopular / wornout old brand names as in the past TATA had attached Indica with Vista, Indigo with Manza as both were all new models.

Now TATAs brand Safari seemingly popular and has a good brand value but strangely TATA is giving a weird brand name Merlin.

TATA learns correctly and Name the revised Safari model correctly and price it fairly giving Defogger, Engine Immobilizer and ABS as standard on base models and Airbags as options.please: