2021 Tata Safari vs rivals: specifications comparison

The all-new Tata Safari will launch in India on 22 February, becoming the carmakers new flagship SUV. Tata has already begun accepting booking for the SUV with the booking amount set at Rs 30,000.

• The Safari is the widest and tallest model in the comparison
• It comes with a 170hp, 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine
• Tata offers both a 6-speed manual and automatic gearbox

There has been a lot of buzz around the Safari in the run up to its launch, and everyone is keen to see how it will compare to its rivals – the MG Hector Plus and Mahindra XUV500. So, we have compiled all the technical specification of the Safari and its rivals, to see how they compare in terms of dimensions and powertrain.

2021 Tata vs rivals: dimensions

2021 Tata vs rivals: dimensions
	Tata Safari	MG Hector Plus	Mahindra XUV500
Length (mm)	4661	4720	4585
Width (mm)	1894	1835	1890
Height (mm)	1786	1760	1785
Wheelbase (mm)	2741	2750	2700
Kerb weight	1825kg	NA	1860kg
Fuel Tank	50 litres	60 litres	70 litres
Boot capacity	73-447 litres	155-530 litres	93-405 litres
Wheel size	18-inch	18-inch	18-inch

In terms of dimensions, all these three-row SUVs are quite close to one another, though each model has its strong suit. The MG Hector is the longest SUV in the comparison and has the longest wheelbase as well, with the Tata Safari coming in a close second.

The Safari is the widest model in this comparison, which when paired with its length, bodes well for its cabin space. At 1,890mm wide, the XUV500 loses out to the Safari by the slimmest of margins. In addition to its width, the Safari is also the tallest (at 1,786mm) of the SUVs we are comparing, with the XUV500 being within a hair’s margin of it (only 1mm shorter).

With all three rows of seats up, despite only offering 155-litre of space - the Hector Plus has the most boot space in the segment, as the XUV500 has 62-litres less and the Safari has the least amount of room being 82-litres smaller. Things change a bit with the third-row of seats folded, as here the XUV500 that has the smallest boot followed by the Safari, while the Hector Plus retains top spot with the largest boot.

2021 Tata vs rivals: diesel engine

2021 Tata vs rivals: diesel engine
	Tata Safari	MG Hector Plus	Mahindra XUV500
Type	4 cyl, turbocharged	4 cyl, turbocharged	4 cyl, turbocharged
Displacement (cc)	1956	1956	2179
Power	170hp	170hp	155hp
Torque	350Nm	350Nm	360Nm
Drive layout	Front-Wheel Drive	Front-Wheel Drive	Front-Wheel Drive
Gearbox MT	6-speed	6-speed	6-speed
Gearbox AT	6-speed torque convertor	-	6-speed torque convertor

Looking at the powertrain options, the units in Safari and Hector Plus are the most powerful as both models use a Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine producing 170hp and 350Nm. Despite the Mahindra XUV500 having the largest engine in this group – a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, at 155hp it makes 15hp less than its rivals. Though the XUV500’s engine is the torquiest churning out 360Nm (which is 10Nm more than its rivals).

Coming to the gearbox options, all three SUVs come paired with 6-speed manual gearboxes as standard. The Tata Safari and Mahindra XUV500 both come with 6-speed torque converter automatic gearboxes, with the MG Hector Plus being the only model not to be offered with an auto box at this point.

It is also worth noting that all the SUVs we are comparing are currently only available with a front-wheel drive layout. The XUV500 used to be offered with an all-wheel drive layout earlier, though the carmaker dropped those versions with the transition to BS6. The Tata Safari on the other hand, due to its Land Rover derived platform, can accommodate an all-wheel drive system, which Tata may develop in the future.

2021 Tata vs rivals: future competitors

The three-row SUV segment is going to get more competitive as the year goes on, as the both the next-gen Mahindra XUV500 and Hyundai’s new seven-seat Creta based SUV are slated to be launched in India later in 2021.

Also see:

2021 Tata Safari review, test drive

2021 Tata Safari image gallery

2021 Tata Safari: A close look