Performance and Engine of Tata Safari in Nepal

The Tata Safari is powered by the robust 2.0L Kryotec Turbocharged Diesel engine, a unit derived from Fiat’s Multijet family, known for its highway cruising capabilities. For 2025, Tata has also introduced the 1.5L Hyperion TGDi Petrol engine, featuring a high-pressure gasoline direct injection system and an aluminum build to reduce front-end weight by nearly 80 kg, significantly altering the vehicle's center of gravity and handling dynamics.

Both the Diesel and the new TGDi Petrol variants are tuned to deliver a peak power of 168 bhp. This parity ensures that regardless of fuel choice, the Safari maintains its status as a high-performance 7-seater. The power delivery is managed through three distinct drive modes—Eco, City, and Sport—which remap the throttle response and torque curves to suit driving conditions.

The Kryotec Diesel engine excels in low-end grunt with a massive 350 Nm of torque available from as low as 1,750 rpm, making it ideal for full-load hauling. The 1.5L Petrol variant, while lower at 280 Nm, utilizes an electronically actuated variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) to ensure that the "turbo lag" is minimized, providing a linear and smooth acceleration curve for urban environments.

Both the Diesel and Petrol engines utilize an inline 4-cylinder configuration. This setup is preferred for this segment to balance vibration, noise, and harshness (NVH) levels with manufacturing efficiency. The 4-cylinder layout provides a more refined idle and smoother power delivery compared to the 3-cylinder engines found in smaller SUVs.

The Safari employs a DOHC valve train with 4 valves per cylinder (16 valves total). This allows for more precise control over the intake and exhaust timing, especially at higher RPMs. The new Hyperion petrol engine further enhances this with Dual Variable Valve Timing, which independently adjusts both intake and exhaust cams to optimize fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

The Petrol Safari uses a 350-bar Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) system, which atomizes fuel directly into the combustion chamber for a cleaner burn. The Diesel variant uses a Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDi) system. Both systems are BS6 Phase 2 (RDE) compliant and are optimized for E20 ethanol-blended fuels.

Despite its nearly 1.8-ton kerb weight, the Tata Safari is surprisingly nimble. The Diesel Automatic variant clocks a 0-100 km/h sprint in roughly 11.5 seconds. The new Petrol variant is expected to be marginally quicker in the mid-range due to its lighter front end, though the official NATRAX testing figures are still being benchmarked for the production-spec TGDi.

The Safari is electronically limited to a top speed of approximately 175 km/h. While the engine has the potential for more, the limit is set to ensure vehicle stability and safety, considering the SUV's high ground clearance and center of gravity. The OMEGARC platform ensures that even at these speeds, the vehicle remains planted with minimal steering float.