Tata Safari vs Competition - Variant-Wise Price Comparison

Tata Motors flagship SUV, the Tata Safari has recently undergone a major overhaul, receiving a revised design, modern interiors and many new features. With all these changes, the prices of the facelifted Safari have increased substantially, making it now cost between Rs 16.19 lakh and Rs 27.34 lakh (ex-showroom).

Despite the significant price increase, the 2023 Tata Safari puts up a formidable proposition in its segments against models like the Mahindra XUV700, MG Hector Plus and Hyundai Alcazar. In this story, we will analyse how these models stack up in terms of price.

Let’s analyse the variant-wise prices of all these three-row offerings: -

Diesel-Manual Variants

2023 Tata Safari  -  Rs 16.19 lakh to Rs 25.94 lakh
Mahindra XUV700 -  Rs 14.16 lakh to Rs 23.48 lakh
MG Hector Plus  -  Rs 19.76 lakh to Rs 22.48 lakh
Hyundai Alcazar  -  Rs 17.73 lakh to Rs 20.13 lakh

Starting with the Tata Safari, it is available in four trim levels: Smart, Pure, Adventure and Accomplished. The prices for the Smart variant start from Rs 16.19 lakh, whereas the Pure variant costs Rs 20.13 lakh. The range further extends to the Adventure at Rs 20.99 lakh and the Accomplished at Rs 25.99 lakh. Customers can also explore their sub-variants with “+”, “S”, and “A” suffixes that come with added features over their standard counterparts.

Save for the base-spec Smart, all other variants of the Tata Safari also get the stealthier-looking #DARK treatment, which starts from Rs 20.69 lakh and goes to Rs 25.49 lakh for the Accomplished+ 6-seater #Dark trim.

The Mahindra XUV700 provides choices such as the MX (5-seater) starting from Rs 14.46 lakh, the AX3 (5-seater) at Rs 16.49 lakh, AX3 (7-seater) at Rs 17.77 lakh, and AX5 5/7-seater with prices starting from Rs 18.43 lakh. It goes up to the AX7 (7-seater) variant that ranges from Rs 21.53 lakh to Rs 23.48 lakh.

Also Read: Mahindra XUV700 VS Mahindra Scorpio N: Which one is a better buy

MG Hector Plus offers variants like Smart (7-seater) at Rs 19.76 lakh, Smart Pro (6-seater) at Rs 20.80 lakh and Sharp Pro (6/7-seater) at Rs 22.41 lakh.

The Hyundai Alcazar offers options like Prestige (7-seater) at Rs 17.73 lakh, Platinum (7-seater) at Rs 19.64 lakh, Platinum Adventure Edition (7-seater) at Rs 20 lakh and Signature (6-seater) at Rs 20.13 lakh.

It is worth noting that all the SUVs are available in two seating configurations, with the 7-seater arrangement being standard. However, while the XUV700 also comes in a 5-seater layout, all other SUVs get an optional 6-seater version featuring captain seats in the middle row.

Speaking of the pricing, the 5-seater variants of the Mahindra XUV700 are the most affordable of the lot. The starting price for the XUV700 is Rs 14.16 lakh for the MX 5-seater variant, while the Safari's starting price is Rs 16.19 lakh for the Smart 7-seater variant. However, when taking only 7-seater variants into account, the entry price point of the Tata Safari is the lowest among all. For reference, the 7-seater version of the XUV700 starts from the AX3 variant, priced at Rs 17.77 lakh. On the other hand, the Tata Safari ranges from Rs 16.19 lakh. Nevertheless, the Hyundai Alcazar holds the title of the most affordable diesel SUV.

Also Read: Tata Harrier New vs Old - Key Changes

Diesel-Automatic Variants

2023 Tata Safari  -  Rs 20.69 lakh to Rs 27.34 lakh
Mahindra XUV700  -  Rs 18.93 lakh to Rs 26.57 lakh
MG Hector Plus  -  Diesel-automatic not available
Hyundai Alcazar  -  Rs 19.20 lakh to Rs 21.24 lakh

Regarding the diesel-automatic combinations, the 2023 Tata Safari has a long list of variant options catering to specific likings and preferences. The lineup starts with the Pure+ at Rs 20.69 lakh, whereas the Pure+ S costs Rs 21.79 lakh. Customers seeking to make their SUV look different from the crowd can go with its #DARK trim, priced at Rs 22.09 lakh. You can also explore more feature-rich Adventure, Adventure+ #DARK, and Adventure+ A variants priced at Rs 23.89 lakh, Rs 24.44 lakh and Rs 24.89 lakh, respectively. Stepping up the ladder, buyers can opt for the Accomplished variant at Rs 25.39 lakh, the Accomplished #DARK at Rs 25.74 lakh, the Accomplished+ at Rs 26.89 lakh and the Accomplished+ 6-seater and its #DARK edition trim at Rs 26.99 lakh and Rs 27.34 lakh, respectively.

Speaking of the Mahindra XUV700, its automatic range starts from AX3 (5-seater) at Rs 18.93 lakh. Further on the list are the AX5 (5/7-seater), AX7 (7-Seater), AX7 AWD (7-Seater), AX7 L (7-Seater) and AX7 L AWD (7-Seater) costing at Rs 20.30 lakh, Rs 20.92 lakh, Rs 23.31 lakh, Rs 24.78 lakh, Rs 25.26 lakh and Rs 26.57 lakh, respectively.

The Hyundai Alcazar automatic range comprises the Prestige (O) 7-seater variant at Rs 19.20 lakh, the Platinum (O) 6/7-seater at Rs 20.76 lakh, Signature (O) (6/7-Seater) at Rs 20.88 lakh, and lastly the Signature (O) Adventure (7-Seater) at Rs 21.24 lakh.

The Hyundai Alcazar is the most reasonable among all, with the lowest starting and top-end prices. In fact, its range-topping Signature (O) Adventure variant undercuts the Safari’s Accomplished+ #DARK trim by approximately Rs 6 lakh. On the other hand, the FWD AX7 L variant of the XUV700 is Rs 1.63 lakh more affordable than Safari’s Accomplished+ 7-seater version. And interestingly, the Mahindra XUV700 is the only SUV with an optional all-wheel-drive system (AWD).

The MG Hector Plus skips the diesel-automatic powertrain.

*All prices ex-showroom.

Engine Specifications

The Tata Safari and MG Hector Plus are powered by the same Fiat-sourced 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that makes 170PS of max power and 350Nm of peak torque. While a 6-speed manual gearbox is standard for both SUVs, the Safari can also be had with Hyundai-sourced 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

Hyundai offers the Alcazar diesel with a 1.5-litre unit rated at 116PS and 250Nm. Its gearbox choices include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic unit.

The Mahindra’s flagship XUV700 gets a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel mill that comes in two states of tune: 155PS/360Nm paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox and 185PS/up to 450Nm with 6-speed manual and torque converter automatic transmission options.

Note: Except for the Tata Safari, all other three offerings also get petrol engine options.