Tata Safari Storme vs. Mahindra Scorpio!

Tata Motors recently launched the the Safari Storme with changes to the exterior, interior, chassis and some engine refinement. Let’s see out how the Safari Storme stacks up against its arch rival, the Mahindra Scorpio.

Driving and Handling

The Storme gets the same 140 bhp 2.2 litre engine that the earlier Dicor Safari also has, while the Scorpio is powered by a 2.2-litre mHawk engine that puts out 120 bhp of power. Hence, performance wise, the Safari Storme has an edge over the Scorpio.

The Safari Storme is built on the Tata Aria platform. There is significant reduction in body roll and improvement in the ride quality as well. The Safari Storme also gets all round disc brakes not found in the Scorpio. The Scorpio is known for its refined engine and pretty good performance that offers sufficient torque for city runabouts. On highways too, the Scorpio offers decent cruising ability, but lacks stability.

 

Both the Safari and Scorpio are proven off-road vehicles. The new Safari Storme has further improved the Safari’s off-roading potential, as it takes it underpinnings from the Aria. It has a refined engine, while the four-wheel drive variant retains the old Borg Warner 4×4 system, which also has a low-ratio gearbox for extreme off-road conditions.

Overall, the Safari Storme seems to have made the right improvements that make driving and handling better and beats the Scorpio easily.

Space and Comfort

With regard to space and comfort, the Safari Storme has an edge over the Scorpio. The Safari Storme has comfortable seats for both the front and the middle row. The third row jump seats are best suited for children.

Coming to the Scorpio, it does offer space, but not as much as the Safari Storme does. The front row seats in the Scorpio are quite comfortable but the middle row seat has limited legroom and headroom. The rear seat is best suited for kids.

Summing up, the Safari Storme comes with large interior space and can happily fit five large adults. The Scorpio has limited space and best suited for average size adults.

Looks

The Safari Storme has subtle design cues borrowed from the Range Rover, owned by Tata Motors. The prominent front and rear chrome strips are stand out additions to the Safari facelift. The headlamps and taillamps are radically different from the ones featured in the present model. The spare wheel is now tucked under the body and hence the Safari Storme looks tame and less brawny than before. The interiors of the Safari Storme gets new faux wood inserts, slightly modified door handles and minor changes such as deeper cubby holes. The fit and finish has been improved though panel gaps are evident in some areas. The facelift breathes fresh air into this old working horse from Tata’s stable.

The Scorpio is a rugged looking SUV whose design was last updated in 2009 with a new grille, headlamps and bumper. Though the Scorpio looks a bit dated in its design, it still lives up to the macho SUV looks expected from a buyer in this segment. Interiors of the Scorpio have a ‘built to last’ feeling though the panel gap, plastic quality and fit and finish still have room for improvement.

Summing up, the Safari Storme looks more contemporary and elegant than the Scorpio. However, SUV enthusiasts may likely prefer the looks of the muscular Scorpio to the toned down Safari Storme.

Features

The Scorpio VLX (top-end model) has features such as micro hybrid technology, tyre pressure monitoring system, intelli-park, rain & light sensors, 2-DIN audio system with Bluetooth, CD/MP3 player, USB & SD card compatibility, cruise control & audio control on steering wheel, alloy wheels and optional 4WD and Airbags.

The Safari Storme, on the other hand comes with new features like projector headlamps, it gets Bluetooth integrated audio, power folding mirrors, and reverse parking sensors. The top-end variants get ABS and two airbags, reverse parking system, DVD player and a function similar to the‘follow me’ headlamps.

Price, mileage and VFM

First lets take a quick look at the prices of the Safari Storme:

Safari Storme LX:  Rs.9.95 lakh    

Safari Storme EX: Rs.10.77  lakh

Safari Storme VX: Rs.12.37  lakh

Safari Storme VX 4X4: RS.13.66 lakh

The Safari Storme is more expensive than the Scorpio, which is priced in the range of Rs. 7.53 lakh – 12.30 lakh. The 4×4 variants start at Rs. 9.28 lakh. The Scorpio and Safari have been arch rivals for many years and have always been priced close to each other. The Safari Storme offer decent features at a competitive price.

In terms of mileage, the Scorpio has an ARAI-certified mileage of 12.9 kmpl. The Safari Storme offers around 13 kmpl for the 4×2 variant and 13.2 kmpl for the 4×4 . On paper, the Safari Storme appears to have an edge over the Scorpio in terms of fuel economy.

Whether the Safari Storme will be a ‘value for money’ proposition or not will be known in February when it reaches dealers.

Verdict

The Safari Storme is a significant improvement over its predecessor, which is a good thing. If you are looking for a ‘less aggressive’ spacious and comfortable SUV, the Safari Storme is a better choice for you over the Scorpio. However, if you want an easy to drive, brawny SUV, the Scorpio is a proven vehicle.