In a grudge match that started over a decade ago, these two brutes have been trading blows year after year. That’s no exaggeration either, as ever since the launch of the Safari and the Scorpio all those years ago, both Tata and Mahindra have made it a point to update them bit by bit, to cater to changing technology, emission regulations and, of course, customer preferences. A new engine here, a facelift there – it all added up in the end, and for almost every update, we’ve put them head to head. But then in 2012, instead of just the usual minor updates, Tata Motors went and gave the Safari a whole new chassis and suspension setup.
Make it large
When the Safari Storme was first shown at the 2012 Auto Expo, there was a tinge of disappointment about the fact that it looked far too similar to the previous Safari. Fortunately that’s not quite something you can say of the new Scorpio. The basic shape is the same, of course, but the details are all new, and though some of them are a little gaudy, we think the overall look is a good step forward. The only place the Storme doesn’t look similar to the old Safari is at the rear where the spare wheel has been shifted from the tail gate to under the floor. But nothing tells you that there’s a new chassis and the design doesn’t really turn heads. However, the sheer size does give it a lot of presence.
On to the insides, and let’s start with the new Scorpio, whose interior has come a very long way from the last car’s. Quality is a huge step up, and though there are still some low-rent bits, they’re not right in your face anymore. The design is much cleaner and more modern too, with a good use of various materials, including chrome accents. Many of the ergonomic quirks have been addressed, but other flaws have cropped up. The wider seats have left no space between them and the doorpads, which forces you to, quite ridiculously, open the door to access the seat adjusters or the door pockets. There’s also almost no useful storage for front passengers and the pedals are placed a bit too high for most drivers. The Scorpio still feels very much like an old-school SUV and that’s because the cabin is still basically shaped like a box – all right angles and vertical surfaces. It’s a much better appointed box, no doubt, but it feels like the premium bits have just been bolted onto a basic structure
Old-school grunt
An area where both these cars haven’t changed is their engines – they both use the same 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel engines as before; although the Scorpio is also available in its base trim with the 2.5-litre M2DiCR motor. The Safari’s 138bhp and 32.63kgm edge out the Scorpio’s 118bhp and 8.5kgm on paper, but out on the road, it’s not that black and white. The Scorpio’s mHawk engine has much better responses low down, meaning it’s good for cut-and-thrust city driving, darting forward eagerly at low revs. It’s got a pretty potent mid-range too, but cross 3,700rpm and it starts to become more noise than actual movement. Speaking of which, it’s not the quietest engine, but it edges out the boomy Safari on refinement. The Storme’s engine is not as good at low revs, with not a whole lot of grunt off boost, so you have to work your way into the mid-range and use the gearbox to keep it there.
However, once you hit about 2,200rpm, the power just wallops in nicely. It then pulls for a lot longer than the Scorpio’s engine, though, and doesn’t feel as strained at higher revs, thanks to the taller gearing.
No comments:
Post a Comment