Tata Safari Storme VX 4x4 BS IV - Design Review

Tata's long-awaited upgrade to the Safari is finally here and as was revealed at the 2012 Auto Expo, it is called the Safari Storme. We have seen endless test mules of this SUV doing the rounds for the past three years - so what took such a long time for the Safari Storme to roll out? Let's find out...

Let us begin with the new design. The Safari Storme is the first vehicle to adopt Tata's new design direction that we saw on the Megapixel Concept a few months back. The front face has the new angular and swept back headlights. The trademark Tata smiley grille hasn't made it onto the new Safari and what you have instead, is the flat and detailed grille, which gives this car a more matured look. As a part of the new design language, the grille and the headlights appear like one harmonious unit.

You also see a prominent chrome moustache that runs between the bonnet lip and the grille and wears the embossed ‘Storme’ letters. The conventional bonnet is replaced with a clamshell unit that seems to have taken inspiration from the Land Rovers.

In fact, even the side profile seems Land Rover inspired, especially the Discovery styling. You still get the trademark cladding flowing over the wheel arches, but the ones seen on the Storme are bigger and add more muscle to the wide SUV. The large third window again takes cues from the LR Discovery and also adds a perception of roominess to the third row.

The tailgate is a slight bit of disappointment for the hardcore Safari purists - because the boot lid mounted spare wheel has now gone to the bottom of the car. But that's again some Land Rover inspiration at play, we reckon. To make sure the tail doesn't look monotonous, you get a black appliqué that wears all the badges and bisects the windshield from the metal. Since the Storme is based on the Aria’s X2 platform, you also get the twin tailpipes, which make the Safari Storme appear more ‘powerful’ than it actually is.

Overall, the design has evolved, but it’s taken a good fifteen years to do so. What people expect in such a time period is a revolution and not an evolution. But there is more to it than what meets the eye. Read on to find out…