Team-BHP - Tata Safari Storme : Test Drive and Review. More pics: pg 47

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Experienced the nee Storme yesterday at Jaipur during outdoor event organised by TML.

The setup was really nice with an obstacle course supervised by trained rally drivers who happily took us in groups in 2 Storme VX 4x4 vehicles for the experience which covered all aspects of vehicles off-roading capabilities.

Had the time to chat up with one such trainer who was supervising our car and he happily quipped that he was mighty impressed with the vehicle's changes. In his own words, this vehicle was miles ahead of the current Indian competition. He even admitted that Land Rover effect has positively been felt in the structural changes of the vehicle.

Another trainer, also a rally participant remarked that reliability has been the main issue with earlier Tata vehicles during competitive & exhaustive rally schedules and Tata seems to have addressed the issue with this iteration and he would happily grab the opportunity to take this car to upcoming desert storm ahead of his otherwise partner, Toyota Fortuner.

Personally, as a Safari Fan and owner, I found one thing that changes the game more than anything else, RELIABILITY.

These vehicles had already participated in 8 days of off-road activities with 2000+ kms of drive and not a single screw, fabric, plastic squeaked or rattled. I am amazed!

I also remember someone mentioning steering positioning issue in the vehicle and while I agree it is not the best, but it was comfortable for 6'1" bloke like me so much so that it did not once hinder my drive over all those obstacles.

All that is fine, but yours is not the "official TD" report, so we will not believe you lol:.

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Originally Posted by Lukeskywalker (Post 2957262)

All that is fine, but yours is not the "official TD" report, so we will not believe you lol:.

Ahh... that I know and really envy that. This is blatant partiality and practice of hierarchy at a forum meant to be for equals. stupid:

Sorry Mods!

On a more serious note, I really couldn't add much more to what you have expressed some 85 pages back. In fact, all through the drive, I just compared your facts and they were spot on. While the official review is still in waiting, I totally appreciated the detailed and largely impartial information from your review.

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Originally Posted by ebonho (Post 2956330)

I am especially interested in figuring out between the :

SAFARI EX

ARIA PURE LX

STORME LX

As all three of these seem to be coming in at the same price point for me (around 12+ lacs OTR for Company purchase).

Thanks in advance guys! :)

P.S. How soon is soon? ;)

My take :

1) Forget the current Safari EX
2) Select between Aria and Storm based on size requirment. Aria would be more spacious on the inside for more than 4 persons travelling.
3) Pump in1.5 L more and go a level up in the varient. With the Aria with the high discouns of offer it may be even possible to go upto the Pleasure varient.The Storm would have no discounts initially at least.

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Originally Posted by ACM (Post 2957597)

Thanks bro!

Since its a company purchase, I'd like to keep to the budget (approx. 12 lacs OTR)

So it has to be the stripped down Aria (Pure LX) or the Storme LX.

I kind of agree on the Safari EX being out.

95 % of the time, it will be just me or my family (wife and 3 kids - 15, 11, 6)

Sometime, I'd like to have the flexibility of taking along my parents as well.

The major points:

Aria has dual AC (side pillars) while Storme has only blowers on the center pillar between the two font seats facing the middle row. (I have two friends with LX Safaris who say the Safari single AC is powerful enough though)

Aria does not have ABS/EBD, Storme does (both have all 4 discs, though for Storme all 4 are ventilated, while for Aria for the rear they just say "discs") - I think this is the main (safety) counterweight to the seating (comfort) advantage the Aria has. I would tend towards safety.

Aria has single mass flywheel, Storme has "High Inertia" flywheel. (?)

Aria has front facing third row, Storme has side facing.

Aria has fold flat 2nd and 3rd rows (with sliding 2nd row), Storme has fixed middle row (60:40 split, non reclining)

Aria does not come with a music system, Storme has one with iPod, USB, Bluetooth

Storme has a better turning radius than Aria (5.4 vs 5.6) while Aria can carry more fuel (60 vs 55)

Aria is 200 kilos heavier than Storme.

Aria has Info display and Glove box chiller, Storme does not, but storme has a rear demister which Aria does not (both do not come with wash/wipe).

Aria comes with vinyl seat, Storme fabric.

Storme driver seat has height adjust, Aria does not.

Both do not have arm rests (I am guessing those can be easily addd later though - not so the wash/wipe)

The gearboxes seems to be different (names in the brochure), and engine wise Aria is Dicor Storme is Varicor.

Aria has "accident automatic door open", Storme does not.

Everything else seems to be the same or near equal between the two.

I frankly like the idea of a Safari, but it seems the family will be happier/more comfortable with an Aria.

In the Safari, the feel is of driving something big and rough. The Aria position and feel was more like a big car? (very short drive - but that's my impression)

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Originally Posted by MAS (Post 2957549)

According to this report, (apart from other things), Safari Storme is shorter in length (15.3 feet) when compared to the XUV (15.69 Feet). I was of the opinion that that the Safari is Longer, Broader and taller than the XUV.

The tone of the article clearly favours XUV500 so much so that it completely sidelines any good aspects about storme too.

The length is also erroneous. Safari is NOT shorter in length than XUV500. As per official figures on respective websites:

XUV5OO - 4585mm
Safari Storme - 4655mm

Storme is 70mm longer than XUV5OO as opposed to the report.

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Originally Posted by ebonho (Post 2958199)

Thanks bro!

Bloody hell! Just buy Storme.. It goes with your personality!

Objectively speaking, apart from some add on feature, I can't what the Aria offers in addition to the Store. Besides. I have driven the new Storme, it is 'country mile' ahead of the last generation. The angine and chassis feel superior an robust, the body roll is well damped (for a vehicle this size), and most importantly the quality of interiors are waaay better. In fact, I think the interior quality is actually better than the more fancy XUV500. Just that the XUV is much more loaded and boasts of a fancier design.

Also, why would you consider buying a VAN? Coz that's what Aria is: A VAN. SImply doesn't gel well with somebody who wants to ride naked bikes.

:OT How much time do you wish to devote to the new SUV after your KTM DUke 390 escapade?

finally bought safari dicor lx few days ago. Initially waited close to 1 year for storme to launch, but was disappointed after the launch on looks front and also on price front... i test drove storme and dicor back to back close to 80 kms.
i read lot of posts suggesting remarkable improvement in ride quality vis-a-vis old safari,less body roll and so on... i drove two vehicles back to back , on highway and city traffic, this is my take on 2 vehicles:- Ride quality as per me is same in both the vehicles ; there was also no difference in both vehicles in terms of body roll , it was quite evident while criss crossing roads of chandigarh shimla highway.
So where lies the improvement in new safari ?
In interiors there is remarkable improvement in quality of plastic parts , gear shift is also better , brakes have improved and introduction of abs in base model as standard has helped a lot , small turning radius is a big boon and new flywheel has helped curb the noise.
But base model of Safari Dicor with body color bumper has ex showroom price of around Rs 8,33,000 and they are giving cash discount of 30,000 so that comes down to Rs 8,03,000 and also exchange bonus is there for 30,000 where as storme's price starts at Rs 9,95,000 and even if i forget about exchange bonus still close to Rs 2,00,000 difference between 2 vehicles is quite a lot.
As per me storme still has long way to go in terms of refinement and overall reliability and its base model is over priced atleast by Rs 1,00,000.

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Originally Posted by akhilesh51 (Post 2958205)

I fail to understand why they are comparing vehicles which are totally different from each other. Safari is real SUV, its a 14 year old truck in which when you sit in drivers position you can see all four corners of your vehicle whereas xuv500 is quite fancy looking van made almost of plastic and has more electronic equipments fitted in than apollo13, which time and again fail and keeping mahindra's engineers in job( thats quite harsh remarks on xuv500 but thats how i feel,no offences to anyone). I mean when I drove it, Icould not judge the distance at the front or back because bonnet is not visible from drivers seat and rear window is quite small. Totally dependent on sensors for judging while backing the vehicle. XUV500 should better be compared with vehicle of its class, namely the Aria & Innova as installing just a fancy grill on front, one cannot convert an MUV into an SUV.

Congrats, a good decision!

About 7months back before i bought Safari LX, same thoughts ran in my mind, i was skeptic about the Stormes looks and i was quiet sure that the pricing will be higher then the Safari LX..

Now about the driving dynamics, till i drove the Safari i,e took it for a long TD, i dint know what this truck was all about. it was only after the TD i got to learn that many of the notion which i had formed were imaginary.

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Originally Posted by salvation (Post 2958494)