2005 TATA MOTORS Safari 3.0L CRD 5MT RWD (116 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Tata Motors was far from reaching international credits in 2005 when introducing the facelifted version for the Safari SUV model.

The Safari came on the Indian market in 1988, and it was the first original Indian SUV. It was an instant success and, thanks to the 2.2-liter turbo-diesel version, it made it on the European continent, where its sales were slow. Still, the carmaker continued producing it for its home market, where it checked the top of the sales charts in its segment. In 2005, the carmaker brought a second generation, which mainly looked like the first generation, but with better engines.

The car received new, wrapped-around plastic bumpers and a redesigned grille with a chromed surrounding on the outside. Its horizontal headlights featured corner-mounted turn signals with clear lenses. A set of body-colored plastic moldings enhanced the car’s look on the sides, along with a set of side steps. Its roofline featured a higher area over the trunk, resembling the Land Rover Discovery I, but that raise was needed to make room for additional passengers.

Inside, Tata installed a five or seven seats interior, with two jump-seats behind the rear bench. The dashboard featured a clean design with aluminum-like trims on the center stack. The carmaker installed two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer and two gauges for the fuel level and coolant temperature in the instrument panel. But, despite the decent design, the material’s quality was not among the best in class.

Under the hood, the most significant update was the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter diesel for the home market and a PSA-sourced 1.9-liter turbo-diesel powerplant. A gasoline-powered version was also available but offered an awful fuel efficiency.