Tata Safari Petrol Claims 25 km/l at NATRAX: Here’s What Our Real-World Test Got

Tata Motors has conducted a hypermile test for the upcoming petrol-powered versions of the Tata Safari and Tata Harrier at NATRAX, Indore. The SUVs were driven for 12 hours straight in a controlled environment, where the new 1.5-litre Hyperion turbo-petrol engine was put to the test. The Harrier petrol delivered a mileage of 25.9 kmpl, which has been registered by the India Book of Record for the highest fuel efficiency delivered by a petrol SUV with a manual gearbox. The Safari petrol was pushed to its limits to clock a top speed of 216 kmph.

It is worth noting that the Harrier’s mileage comes out of testing in a controlled environment with no traffic. In our real-world mileage test of the new Safari petrol with the same engine, we managed to extract just 8.04 kmpl. While it is unrealistic to expect the same claimed mileage when driving in the real world, Tata’s new test is an attempt to showcase what the engine is capable of.

New 1.5-litre Hyperion turbo GDi petrol engine:

The new Safari petrol, powered by the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit, clocked a top speed of 216 kmph on NATRAX

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The new Safari petrol, powered by the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit, clocked a top speed of 216 kmph on NATRAX

The Tata Safari and Harrier SUVs have been updated with new petrol-powered variants, which derive power from a new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine from the Hyperion family. This four-cylinder powerplant features high-pressure gasoline direct injection and an aluminium engine block that is lighter while being more durable. The engine gets a water-cooled variable geometry turbocharger and uses dual cam phasing. It further features an exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head, a variable oil pump, and a maintenance-free timing chain and valve train.

The new Hyperion Turbo GDi can deliver 168 bhp and 280 Nm of peak torque, a higher state of tune than the unit found in the recently-launched Sierra. The engine can be mated to either a 6-speed automatic or manual gearbox.

Tata Harrier and Safari petrol: Price and positioning

While official pricing has not yet been announced, both models are expected to be positioned at a noticeable gap below their respective diesel versions, potentially undercutting them by around ₹1 lakh. Once launched, the Safari petrol will slot into a competitive three-row SUV segment, taking on petrol-powered rivals such as the Mahindra XUV700, Hyundai Alcazar and MG Hector Plus, while the Harrier petrol will target buyers in the mid-size SUV space looking for a petrol alternative with a strong feature list.

The official prices are not out yet, but both models are expected to be priced noticeably lower than their respective diesel versions and are likely to undercut them by approximately ₹1 lakh. Once launched, the Safari petrol will enter the competitive three-row petrol SUV market where it will now directly compete with the likes of the Mahindra XUV700, Hyundai Alcazar, and MG Hector Plus. The Harrier petrol will target buyers looking for mid-size petrol SUVs with a strong feature list, going up against the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos.

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