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-   -   Tata Safari Storme : Official Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/129728-tata-safari-storme-official-review-13.html)

Surely one of the tougher reviews of the Safari. It does feel at the end that he already had made up his mind before starting the review. But then he did praise the vehicle for its seat comfort and go anywhere ability. Practically thats the only thing Safari offers you. The build quality has to improve and small recurring problems like switches etc not working and rattles from loose screws is a strict NO NO in the year 2012 specially when the company took so long to launch the vehicle. One would expect that they would atleast ensure top notch workmanship.

Disclaimer: I am not bashing Safari or Tata here. Just my 2 cents on the review.

Saw the video review and I would say it isn't a balanced or objective review. It has flaws, but it ain't so bad. And yes, I also didn't get Behram sir's encrypted statement ;)

I have booked a 4x4 in mysore and waiting for it

Congrats. This would be the first(?)reported booking of a Storme by a member. Look forward to your ownership thread. Btw do you also own a Fortuner ?

No Narayan I do not own a fortuner :) I had booked one but had to cancel as I had to leave the country for 3 years on an assignment . Well now I choose to go with the strome :)

Good that you booked the 4wd model. I test drove it today and it's superb! I would say the vehicle is smoother in 4wd Low than my Endeavour 4x4. The handling is brilliant. The interiors were a notch above what I expected from Tata.

But.....

I did the "reversing up a steep hill" test in 2wd mode and it resulted in a smoking clutch plate! But in 4WL it did it with ease.

Tata haven't fixed this issue for years now! The reverse gear ratio should be as close as possible to the first gear's ratio. But this isn't the case on the Safari. So if someone is buying the 2WD version, they should pray that they don't have the misfortune of having to reverse up a steep and narrow ghat road to give another upcoming vehicle way. They will be better off asking the other guy to reverse down as the Safari just cannot reverse up a steep incline in 2WD mode. I own a 2WD 2005 TCIC model and it's the same issue in that model. Going up any steep hill in first gear in a 2WD model is fine. Just don't try reversing!

I'm sure there is at least some difference between a 90bhp engine driving 2150 kg (kerb-weight), vs a 140bhp engine driving 2050 kg (kerb-weight).

Yes, for sure!. The gradient was steeper in yesterday's test. It was Tata's own demo course that they had set up at a mall in Noida. The course is a prefab steel/ aluminum unit thats brought in on a Tata Aria truck.

But, it still doesn't take away the fact that the gear ratio on the reverse gear is not what it should be. If a vehicle could go up the ramp in 1st, it should have been able to reverse up the same ramp. An ambassador or a premiere padmini would!

The driver, a Tata appointed professional driver who was giving all the visitors a joy ride on the offroad course, seemed very amused with my challenge. At the beginning of the drive i had everyone in rapt attention as i said I would sell my Endeavour if the new Safari would pass the "reverse up the hill" test!

I was wondering what does "Based on the same Platform (Aria in this case)" means? Does it mean that both the cars share same chassis? or something else?

I think Tsl has mentioned in his review that this issue has been taken care of in Storme.

Took my Safari for the 3rd service today. A Storme VX has also come in for 1st service. Talked to the owner, he says the only good part is the handling, doors have started rattling within 1k kms :O

Please look at the new gear ratios


The reverse gear is now shorter than the first, eariler it used to be taller than the first, and reversing up hills was a problem. Not any more.
If the vehicle can go up in first gear, it will go up in reverse gear also

@TSK, HillBilly is trying to compare

the Storme - 140 BHP / 320Nm
with the heavier
TCIC 1948cc 89bhp / 190Nm

and from prior experience on road vs demo course.

Would you have the gear ratio for the TCIC safari ? That would help to answer his query, at least on paper, though not a back-to-back comparison on the same surface.

Thats sad to note. Going by the market response for the Storme, there will definetly be some good discounts in 3-4 months after the pan country roll out. Quite sure TML factored this as well when they priced the STORME LX at 9.95L leaving enough room for a 50-60K cash/exchange discount

I am hoping for the same. Once they start offering Aria like discounts on the VX model, I may grab one. But not at 16 lakhs on OTR.

@tsk1979 thank you. I humbly stand corrected. I guess the incline was just too steep and I jumped to the conclusion that this issue was not fixed when I saw the smoke filling the cabin like it does in my 2WD 2005 TCIC. I should have checked the specs and should have also read your report in more detail before posting ;-)