The overall level of refinement is much better now with an engine that is quieter throughout its rev range, and a cabin that feels particularly well insulated from the outside. This 2.2-litre common-rail, direct-injection motor uses double overhead cams, hydraulic valve adjusters and sixteen valves to breathe better. On the mechanical front, the Safari Storme uses an updated version of the 138bhp Dicor motor, which Tata now calls VariCor, because of the use of a variable geometry turbo. The tiny, foldable jump seats are only useable on short journeys, at best.
In stark contrast, the third row is far from comfortable or practical. The front seats are large and very well bolstered, whilst the rear bench is supportive too. Just like the previous generation Safari, the Storme has excellent seat comfort and, once you haul yourself in, you are rewarded with a commanding seating position and a delightfully spacious and airy cabin. The chrome door handles and leather seats add a touch of luxury, as do small details like the chrome on the gearlever and the flock lining in the glovebox.
On the inside, the overall improvement in quality all around is immediately evident and almost nothing of the old car is carried over. The result is a cleaner rear profile with a new set of tail-lights. New cladding for the doors and wheel arches can’t hide the fact that the glass house is identical, the doors are similar and the A, B and C pillars are the same as well.Īt the back, the tailgate-mounted spare wheel has now been moved under the floor. Move to the side however and the Storme looks exactly like the old Safari. The most obvious changes are to the front, where the slim, wide grille (capped with a thick chrome strip) undercuts the sharp-looking headlights in a nice, stylistic touch. It feels better built, it’s far more refined, it rides really well and the interior too feels a generation ahead. Once you’re behind the wheel, you realise just how much of an improvement the new Storme is over the previous Safari. However, that misconception gets blown to dust the moment you drive it. Alterations to the nose and rear suggest that it’s not much more than a facelift.
When you first look at the new Safari Storme, you are immediately struck by how, even 14 years after its launch, Tata seems to have made barely any changes to the exterior.
0 kommentar(er)
