Mods- I know this thread is long, but its a 3 car comparo- please dont penalise me,this review took 1hr to type
Before all the brick bats land, yes ,yes I know the safari is an underdog.
But I'm looking for a diesel SUV and I TDed everything I got my hands on
so the safari will look like a punching bag, sorry about that.
Will TD the mitsubishi Pajero on monday and add it to the thread, or probably put up a new thread.
mHawk is not available in cochin, so mahindra fans will have to wait.
Am still trying to track down a Nissan X trail for a TD.
Remember, this is a Diesel softroader comparo. we're not discussing VFM here
Lets get to business
Looks
in order of MY preference
Endeavor>Tuscon>Safari
road presence of the Ford is unbeatable.the safari comes a close second, tuscon comes an overall second for me in looks , but lacks road presence. this section is subjective so I'll leave it at that
Build/Fit and finish Endeavour>Tuscon>Safari
the endeavor is definitely better built, and feels sturdier
Hyundai comes a close second in fit and finish. It does feel sturdy, but the sheet metal is not as thick as the safari or the endeavour(false sense of security) also the lighter sheet metal will turn out to be an advantage later on, wait and see.
The safari does suffer from panel gaps, but they are nowhere as bad as what it used to be a few years ago
Interiors
Tuscon>Endeavour>Safari
this is again controversial and I dont like reviewing interiors, cos its boring. Forgive me.
Engine
Tuscon>>>>Endeavour>>Safari
the safari was a bit of a let down after all the nice things I'd heard about it here on the forum. It is not slow, but I was expecting a rocket after all the reviews. The engine had run 2700km, so it was broken in. It was'nt happy being revved and the power/ torque spread was quite narrow-1200rpm or so.But its not going to let you down during an overtaking maneuver
Endeavour was a surprise- i was expecting it to be the slowest of the lot, but it can move if pushed and the best part is that the TDCI is willing and tolerates a heavy right foot better
Tuscon- This engine develops the least HP here 110 or so compared to the other 2 behemoths at 140bhp, but this engine is brilliant. There is no turbo lag, the car is a rocket,and it pulls happily from idle at 1000rpm all the way to 3000rpm, by which time you're doing insane speeds in this 1.7 ton vehicle. Tuscon wins hands down
Lesson learnt- bigger muscles dont mean anything if you dont watch your weight.
NVH
Endeavour=Safari>>Tuscon
Safari should win here cos it costs only half the other two. Both engines are silent during normal running, but when the engines are pushed, thats when the safari loses, the engine sounds strained and harsh and the noise intrudes into the cabin, its not loud, but it is unpleasant, and feels like your going to break it.
Endeavour's engine is the most refined here, and the car insulates its occupants well from the mechanicals.
Tuscon's CRDI engine,is showing its age, the clatter is evident. so even though it was revolutionary when it came out, it is outclassed by the other 2 when it comes to engine noise.
Vibration is not a problem in any of the vehicles.
BTW- like the engine noise in the Hyundai- call me biased.
Gearbox
Tuzy=Endy>>>>>>>safari
the endy and tuzy both have good gear shifts.but the hyundai inches ahead cos of the shorter throws between shifts.
The safari's gear box is rather pathetic,you dont have to hunt for the gears,but the amount of play in the gear lever rivals that of my old MM540.
Handling
Tuscon>>>>>Endeavour=Safari
This Hyundai blows me away. I had given up hope of ever driving a hyundai that handles well,TILL i drove the tuzy. This softroader is a better handler than most sedans and hatchbacks that I've used. body roll is minimal and the car eggs you on in the corners. this car will be a hoot in the ghats.
The endeavour and the safari are both pretty poor in the handling dept. endeavour edges past the safari because the body roll even though significant, is nowhere as scary as the Dicor2.2
The tata's body roll reminds me of those toy clowns you get in a
jack-in-the-box. After a direction change, the body rolls first in the opposite diection of the turn(which is what you expect in any car) and then...rolls back the other way and then..rolls back in the initial direction..and then..ok,I guess you get the picture.
It will not let you drive fast on the twisties,unless you are borderline retarded or completely insane.
Handling off road
Endeavour>>Tuscon>>safari
the endeavour is pretty good off road, and keeps pointing where you tell it to with the steering even when the road is very rough. the hyundai is very happy on irregular surfaces, but it will flounder if you meet large ruts/craters
The safari is completely lost on all surfaces.
Steering
Tuscon>>Endeavour>Safari
tuscon is the more accomplished soft roader and thats evident on road.
The steering on the tuzy is heavier than the other two by a significant margin but the feedback available is also significantly better
Steering off road
Endeavour>>tuscon>>>safari
I dont know how ford manged this, but the steering did feel nicer on gravel
than the tuscon. the offroad excursions are easier on the ford because the steering does not kick when you drop the front whels into a rut. on the other hand, the safari's steering wheel kicks like a mule, and you would do well to keep your thumbs out of the way(opposable thumbs are an important evolutionary advantage to us humans)
Suspension/ride Safari>>Endeavour>>Tuscon
here the safari gets its own back on the other two bullies, especially on the tuscon, whose ride is firm, but not uncomfortable.
The safari feels like a magic carpet compared to the other 2 whose suspensions do not seem to travel as much.
The endy's ride was good I thought, even though most people have complained a lot about it.
even off road, the safari carried its rear passengers the best compared to the other 2.
The safari pays the price for keeping its occupants comfortable. i guess we should give it some leeway when it comes to handling.
Transmission
Endy>Safari>>tuzy
all 3 let you select 4 wheel drive
the hyundai comes with traction control that can be switched off(rubbing hands in glee) and a 4 wheel drive auto that cuts in when the main drive starts losing traction(never got the chance to see it in action)
The endy and tuzy both have differential locks. not sure about the safari
Sore point with the tuzy? It runs as a front wheel drive during normal duties,so no tail out antics. boohoo
the endy will slide around nicely if floored in 1st gear from a standstill or on a corner in a gravel track.
I do like RWD cars!! just that we dont get any these days that are affordable(dont say Amby!)
Visibility/seating position Safari>>>>>Tuzy>>>Endy
I'm not very tall-5'4(stop sniggering) so this is important,
the safari will be way easier in traffic than the other two cos you can see allround and the corners of the bonnet very well. tuscon is not bad in traffic cos its not as wide as the other two. Visibility in the endy is a joke, and this post is already a mile long. so I wont go there.
Accesories-
not something I like reviewing, because I feel they add little to any car
I hope some one else will do that job for me on this thread. Sorry guys
But I should mention- the top end safari comes loaded to the gills with gadgets.
Miscelaneous rants-
The endy's turning radius is useless. buy your own football fields at evry place you might need to make a U turn.
The endy has this funnily placed hand brake lever which will be a pain to use when poised on an incline. Hate it.
The Tata Safari Dicor 2.2 is definitely VFM if you want it for bad roads and the straight highway.and anyway its half the price of the other 2 so u could go buy yourself a gypsy with the money thats left over
The Hyundai Tuscon CRDI is brilliant for the segment its in, I wonder why it doesnt sell like the endy. Please let me know guys cos, I'm going to buy it.
The Ford Endeavour TDCi is quite nice, and would have picked it over the tuscon if only the handling was better.
Overall-
Tuscon-for the brilliant engine and razor sharp handling.
It looks like I'm going to be buying the Tuzy, but will wait for the Chevrolet captiva in Jan 08,and If I can get an Nissan Xtrail in kerala with a guarantee of good After SS, then I will buy it without a TD.