Tata Motors recently launched the facelifted Safari with updated cosmetics and new features on board. The mid-size SUV goes up against the likes of Mahindra XUV700, Hyundai Alcazar, and MG Hector Plus, all of them offering three-row seating configurations. Let us find out how the updated Safari fares against its rivals.
2023 Tata Safari Vs 7-seat SUV rivals: Dimensions
| Dimensions | Tata Safari | Mahindra XUV700 | Hyundai Alcazar | MG Hector Plus |
| Length (mm) | 4668 | 4695 | 4500 | 4720 |
| Width (mm) | 1922 | 1890 | 1790 | 1835 |
| Height (mm) | 1795 | 1755 | 1675 | 1760 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2741 | 2750 | 2760 | 2750 |
| Ground clearance (mm) | 200 | 229 | 200 | 192 |
The new Tata Safari measures 4668 mm in length, 1922 mm in width, and 1795 mm in height, with a wheelbase spanning 2741 mm. In comparison to its rivals,Safari is the widest, however, it also has the smallest wheelbase. The MG Hector Plus is the longest of the lot whereas Hyundai Alcazar offers the longest wheelbase at 2,760mm despite being the smallest overall among the current crop of SUVs.
2023 Tata Safari Vs 7-seat SUV rivals: Engine specs
| Diesel Engine specs | Tata Safari | Mahindra XUV700 | Hyundai Alcazar | MG Hector Plus |
| Engine Type | Kryotec 2.0L Turbocharged Diesel Engine | 2.2 Turbo Diesel With CRDi | 1.5L Diesel CRDi engine | 2.0L Turbocharged Diesel |
| Max Power | 168 bhp @ 3750 rpm | 182 bhp @ 3500 rpm | 113 bhp @ 4000 rpm | 168 bhp @ 3750 rpm |
| Ma Torque | 350 Nm @ 1750 rpm | 450 Nm @ 1750-2800 rpm | 250 Nm @ 1500-2750 rpm | 350 Nm @ 1750-2500 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT/AT | 6-speed MT/AT | 6-speed MT/AT | 6-speed MT |
Tata Safari is the only SUV among its rivals to be offered solely with a diesel engine with no petrol engine option on offer. Therefore, we shall only take the diesel engine options into consideration. The 2.0-litre oil burner offered in Safari is the same unit seen in Hector Plus, both of them sourced from Fiat. Hence, they share power and torque outputs.
The 2.2-litre unit powering XUV700 is the most powerful and torquiest in this segment. XUV700 is also the only model in this space to offer the option of an all-wheel-drive system. Alcazar gets the smallest diesel motor in this segment and as a result the 1.5-litre unit kicks out the lowest peak output among the current lot.
All diesel-powered SUVs in this space get a 6-speed manual transmission as standard with every model other than Hector Plus getting an optional 6-speed automatic transmission as well.
2023 Tata Safari Vs 7-seat SUV rivals: Price
| Tata Safari | Mahindra XUV700 | Hyundai Alcazar | MG Hector Plus | |
| Ex-showroom price (7-seat variant only) | Rs 16.19 lakh to Rs 25.49 lakh | Rs 17.77 lakh to Rs 26.57 lakh | Rs 16.77 to Rs 21.23 lakh | Rs 17.49 lakh to Rs 22.42 lakh |
Among the seven-seater mid-size SUVs, Safari offers the most affordable base variant at Rs 16.19 lakh, despite being a diesel-only offering. The Alcazar gets the most affordable top-spec variant at Rs 21.23 lakh. As far as pricing goes, XUV700 is the most premium 7-seater SUV in this space, however, prices for the top-spec Safari Dark Edition is yet to be revealed.