Tata will launch the new Safari Storme on October 17, 2012. First seen at the Auto Expo 2012, the Safari Storme incorporates some serious changes to make it more desirable, especially considering the ever-increasing competition in its segment.

While the changes to the exterior aren’t as revolutionary as we expected, Tata has made a lot of improvements to the car mechanically. The Safari Storme uses an improved suspension and a modern ladder-frame chassis similar to the one that underpins the Aria. It continues to be powered by the same 140bhp 2.2-litre DiCOR motor, but the engine now feels a lot more responsive. The five-speed G76 manual gearbox has also been tweaked for better refinement.

On the inside, the interiors have been reworked with clean, mature and minimalistic touches all-round. It also manages to retain the previous-gen Safari’s key quality - passenger comfort.

Once launched, the Safari Storme will compete with the likes of the Mahindra Scorpio and the recently-launched Renault Duster. We expect it to be priced at around Rs 10 lakh and, at this price point; it should have enough appeal to still be viewed as an attractive buy.