2021 Tata Safari vs Mahindra XUV500 Comparison- Price, Specs, Mileage

The recently launched Safari is the flagship offering from Tata Motors in India. It has been an iconic SUV in the Indian market for a long time. In its latest avatar, it comes with all the modern features and tech, with resemblance with the last-gen Safari being restricted to the silhouette alone. Everything else has been updated to compete in the market in 2021. The Mahindra XUV500 on the other hand has been a luxurious offering from the homegrown carmaker. It has always remained focus on all the latest gadgets and gizmos along with striking and bold looks. We might actually see the updated XUV500 in a few months from now, but until then the current generation model on sale is the direct rival of the Tata Safari in the segment. Therefore, it is only natural to have these two 7-seater SUVs compete against one another. Before checking out our 2021 Tata Safari vs Mahindra XUV500 comparison, make sure to check out our comparison article of Tata Safari and MG Hector Plus.

Exterior and Dimensions

The Safari is the longer version of the Harrier which is already one of the better-looking SUVs around. The front end resembles the Harrier with the LED DRLs on the bonnet, Xenon HID Projector headlamp unit on the bonnet and the chrome tri-arrow marking on the front grille. The side lets you know the length and the typical silhouette of the Safari with the stepped-up rear roof and roof rails. The large 18-inch machined alloys make the SUV look bold and muscular. The rear looks sporty with LED tail lamps connected by a blacked-out glass housing. Overall, the flagship offering from Tata Motors does look premium enough from the outside.

The Mahindra XUV500, on the other hand, has a bold front end with a chrome grille, signature fog lamp bezels and Projector headlamps. The front also looks muscular because of the sculpted bonnet and LED DRLs and skid plates. When you go on the sides, the profile looks busy with large 18-inch diamond-cut alloys, chrome inserts on the side cladding, prominent wheel arches and chrome around the window line. Moving to the back, one will find split tail lamps, a chrome bar at the centre of the boot lid, a twin exhaust and an aerodynamic spoiler. One can’t deny the road presence that the XUV500 commands.

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The 2021 Tata Safari is quite a bit longer than the Mahindra XUV500 which also translates into a longer wheelbase. This means that the passengers in the second and the third row might be a tad bit more comfortable than in the XUV500. Apart from that, the width and height of both these SUVs are almost identical.

Interior, Safety and Features

When you enter inside the new Safari, you are greeted with the Oyster White colour scheme with Ashwood insert on the dashboard with a soft touch and anti-reflective surface The Safari is filled with features to the brim including a large Panoramic Sunroof with anti-pinch function, Reclining Second Row Seats, Ambient Mood Lighting, Automatic Temperature Control, Cooled Storage Box, 6-way Powered Driver Seat with adjustable lumbar support. On the tech front, there is an 8-inch Floating Island Touch Screen Infotainment System with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 9-speaker JBL audio system, Instrument Cluster with 7-inch Coloured TFT Display, Voice Recognition and Bluetooth connectivity. Then there is the connected car tech from Tata Motors called the iRA (Intelligent Real-time Assist) with functions like Geo and time-fencing, Valet Mode, Live Tracking, Intrusion Alert, Live Vehicle Diagnostics, Drive Pattern Analysis, Remote Commands, Over-the-air updates and much more.

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Safety features include a plethora of functions like All Disc Brakes, 6 Airbags, Front Fog Lamp with Cornering Function, Child Seat ISOFIX Anchor Points, Reverse Parking Camera, ABS with EBD and ESC, Electronic Traction Control, Corner Stability Control, Hill Hold and Descent Control, Roll Over Mitigation, Hydraulic Brake Assist, Dynamic Wheel Torque by Brake and much more. Tata is already a pioneer in vehicle safety and we expect nothing less from Tata this time around as well.

The Mahindra XUV500 is also well-known for its well-equipped cabin which includes a 7-inch Digital Touchscreen Infotainment System with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Connected Apps, Smart Watch Connectivity, Arkamys Audio System, 6-way adjustable driver’s seat, Electric Sunroof, Blue Cabin Lighting, Illuminated Scuff Plates, Premium Tan and Black Interiors, Soft-touch Dashboard, Fully Automatic Dual-zone Climate Control, Tilt and Telescopic Steering and Steering mounted controls. On the safety front, there are features like 6 Airbags, ABS with EBD, All-four Disc brakes, ESP with Roll-over Mitigation, Emergency Calling, Hill-Hold Function, Hill Descent Control, Cruise Control, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and Reverse Parking Sensors and Camera with dynamic guidelines for better control. Both these products are filled up to the brim when it comes to convenience and features and there is no one winner in this aspect of our 2021 Tata Safari vs Mahindra XUV500 comparison.

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2021 Tata Safari vs Mahindra XUV500 – Engines, Prices and Mileage

Both these SUVs come only with diesel powertrains and 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox options. The Tata Safari has a small edge in terms of power output but Mahindra XUV500 has a slightly higher torque output. The introductory prices of the Safari start from Rs 14.69 lakh and go all the way up to Rs 21.45 lakh, ex-showroom for the Adventure Persona Edition with automatic transmission. The Mahindra XUV500, on the other hand, starts at Rs 13.77 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 18.27 lakh, ex-showroom. Also, coming to the fuel mileage, the 2021 Tata Safari offers ARAI-rated figures of 16.14 kmpl, while the XUV500 offers 15.1 kmpl.

Also read: Tata Safari Manual vs Automatic Transmission – Which one suits you the best?

While we have highlighted various aspects of the two 7-seater SUVs in our 2021 Tata Safari vs Mahindra XUV500 comparison, we’re well aware that there’s no clear winner between these two models. Both of them have powerful diesel engines and similar transmission configurations. The safety, convenience and tech features are also more or less the same on both. Both these cars have monocoque body types. It really depends on your preference over the other. It might actually be decided on the basis of appearances in this case which only goes to tell that both these carmakers have made great products.