Tata Safari

The Tata Safari is a good replacement for the Tata Hexa. Like the Hexa, the Safari feels tough and has great road presence. At the same time, the Safari is also a lot easier to drive than the Hexa. 

Comfort and high-speed stability are highlights, and you'll also like the performance on offer. The 2-litre diesel engine and 1.5-litre turbo-petrol suit the Safari's character; we'd recommend the automatics though.   

As another bonus, the Safari's third row is usable and better than the Hexa's. 

If you don't mind the additional spend, we'd recommend the Mahindra XUV 7XO in AX7 trim. Elements like its larger 18-inch alloy wheels and leatherette upholstery add greatly to the look and feel of things. While auto climate control, a 540-degree camera and front parking sensors are features you will appreciate every day.  

The Tata Sierra is not a like-for-like alternative to the Mahindra 7XO. The 7XO is larger, more powerful and also offers three rows of seating.

Further, the 7XO is slightly pricier, too. Within Tata's range, the Tata Safari is an alternative to the 7XO. 

Before you go ahead with the purchase, please keep in mind that the Tata Safari is a heavy vehicle and in its petrol-automatic guise, expecting double digit city fuel efficiency will be a bit ambitious. Yes, on the open roads, at constant speeds and light throttle inputs, the turbo-petrol could deliver good fuel efficiency, but in bumper-to-bumper traffic and stop-go conditions, fuel efficiency will be low. As a family car though, the Safari is a good option, on account of its spacious cabin, and impressive ride comfort. Tata's service experience can be a hit or a miss, and it isn't the best in terms of reliability either, occasionally throwing up a glitch or two. The Mahindra XUV 7XO is slightly better in that regard, however space isn't as good as in the Tata, especially in the third row. Also, the XUV's 2.0-litre turbo-petrol-automatic will fare worse (if not equally) as far as efficiency goes.

Hence, if you want a fuel-efficient family car, the Maruti Invicto or the Toyota Innova Hycross hybrid are the ones to get. Of course, these are very expensive, and as you've rightly pointed out, unless your usage is very high, it will take a long time to benefit from its lower running costs after breaking even. But as far as reliability, peace of mind and a trouble-free ownership experience goes the Maruti and Toyota are still the ones to beat.

With your kind of usage around 40,000km a year, mostly on highways, the Tata Safari diesel would be the better option for you overall.

The main reason is that the Safari is simply the stronger highway car, which is where you’ll be spending most of your time. Its 2.0-litre diesel engine produces more torque than the one in the Hyundai Alcazar, and that extra pulling power really helps during highway driving. Especially when overtaking or cruising with a full load of passengers and luggage. The Safari also has a more substantial feel and tends to feel more planted and stable at higher speeds, which is something you will appreciate on long highway runs. Safety is another area where the Safari has an edge.

The Alcazar’s advantage lies in efficiency and ease of use. It is slightly more fuel-efficient and feels lighter and easier to drive in city conditions. Maintenance on Hyundai models is also generally predictable, and service networks are very strong. However, given that your driving is predominantly highway-based, these benefits may not be as significant for your usage pattern.

In terms of running costs, both being diesel means fuel costs will remain relatively manageable, even with such high annual mileage. The Alcazar will likely return slightly better fuel efficiency, but the difference isn’t dramatic enough to outweigh the Safari’s advantages in performance, stability and overall highway ability.

Your concerns about Tata's 1.5-litre Hyperion engine being new are valid. If you are not in a hurry, it is advisable to wait a few months to see what buyers have to say about its reliability and efficiency. Do note that the same engine also powers the Tata Sierra, which is selling in huge numbers, so owner feedback should be coming soon.

That said, the Hyperion engine is one of Tata's best engines to date. During our first drive review, we found that performance was much better than the displacement suggests. It picks up speed effortlessly and feels grunty in city driving, and even on the highway, it does not run out of breath. 

We also tried the same engine in the Tata Safari with six people on board and the AC on, and even then, performance was more than adequate. Real-world fuel efficiency will not be great, expect single digits in the city. 

The diesel will offer better efficiency and is a more proven powerplant, and if you are driving huge mileages, then it is the better choice. However, performance is not as strong as the petrol.

If you are still concerned about reliability, we suggest you look at the Kia Seltos. The current generation has grown in size, resulting in a roomier interior, and the 1.5-litre TGDi petrol offers good performance and proven reliability. Before you decide, take test drives of both cars.