With the launch of the 2023 Safari, its rivalry with XUV7OO has once again reignited. The facelifted Tata now comes equipped with solid upgrades (both outside and inside) and seems ready to take its battle with XUV7OO to another level. While both Mahindra and Tata are capable offerings in their own ways, these do have some distinctively exclusive features to lure customers to their folds. Here are details of such unique features that both SUVs are projecting hard to come across as a better offering.
Features that are Unique to new Safari Facelift and not present in XUV7OO
a) Bigger Touchscreen: Compared to the 10.25-inch screen of XUV7OO, the new Safari boasts a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen for offering a more immersive experience to users. Tata has opted for two separate displays for the centre console and instrument cluster whereas Mahindra’s unit is an integrated one housing all controls and instrumentation in a single assembly.
b) Ventilated Seats: While both Tata and Mahindra have dual-zone climate control on offer, the 2023 Safari comes with the added convenience of ventilated front seat seats. Further, the 6-seat variant of the Safari facelift offers ventilated seats for the rear passengers as well, taking the comfort and convenience factor a notch higher.
c) Captain Seat: The 2023 Safari has captain seats in the second row in its 6-seat configuration. However, Mahindra XUV7OO is strictly a 7-seater with no option of captain seats across its range. This means prospective buyers looking for a 6-seat configuration can’t consider XUV7OO for the purchase.
d) Powered Tailgate: Another important feature of convenience on the 2023 Tata Safari is the powered tailgate which makes it easy to access the boot, especially when one’s hands are full of shopping bags, luggage, etc. Equipped with gesture control, the trunk of Safari can be easily accessed by sliding the foot beneath the boot.
e) Powered Front Seat: New Safari has got powered 4-way front passenger seat, a feature that is not available in XUV7OO. In addition, Safari boasts the Boss mode which allows the rear occupant to adjust the front seat from the behind.
f) Paddle Shifters: Surprisingly, XUV7OO doesn’t feature the convenience of paddle shifters which is quite a downer for many who are looking for a relaxed and convenient shifting experience. 2023 Safari, on the other hand, has paddle shifters which make the driving experience easy, relaxed, and seamless.
g) 19-inch alloys: Selected variants of the 2023 Safari come with 19-inch alloys which make the SUV look more rugged, imposing, and dynamic in its turnout. XUV7OO, on the other hand, runs on 18-inch rims and even in its top variants, the 19-inch option is not available.
h) Auto-Dimming IRVM: Another important feature that XUV7OO doesn’t offer is the auto-dimming IRVM which should be in the car of this price range. Tata Safari, on the other hand, has this feature that makes the SUV safer and more secure to drive at night.
Features that are Unique to XUV7OO and not present in new Safari Facelift
a) 12-speaker Sound System: While the new Safari gets a 10-speaker JBL system, XUV7OO has a 12-speaker Sony system with four different acoustic modes. Tata Safari does offer 13 different JBL sound modes but in terms of the total number of speakers, it trails the XUV7OO with a slender margin of 2 speakers.
b) Smart Door Handles: Mahindra XUV7OO features flush door handles that pop out the moment the SUV is unlocked. This offers the SUV a very luxurious look as this feature is available only in high-end cars. Tata, however, has gone ahead with conventional door handles on Safari which means you won’t get to enjoy the feel of flush door handles on SUV.
c) Lane Keep Assist: XUV7OO is ahead of the Safari by offering a lane keep assist feature on its ADAS system. New Safari does feature a warning for lane departure and an alert for lane change although the feature of Lane Keep Assist is missing on the Tata.
d) Petrol Engine: XUV7OO can be had with the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine which is capable of putting out 200PS along with 380Nm of max torque. The transmission options available with the engine include both a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The 2023 Safari doesn’t have a petrol engine on offer as it comes only with a 2.0-litre diesel churning dishing out170PS and 350 Nm.
e) All-Wheel Drive: Mahindra offers the option of all-wheel drive (AWD) with the diesel automatic variant of XUV7OO. In comparison, the 2023 Safari is available purely in the form of front-wheel drive which makes the Mahindra more capable of taking to rough terrains than Safari.
