Safari buys you a posher cabin and a smoother ride; XUV700 buys you more powertrain choice and proven reliability.
Most buyers decide here. Read this before anything else.
Both score 7.4/10. In real life, they are built for different people.
The Safari's OMEGA Arc platform and retuned suspension deliver a genuinely plush, absorbent ride that MotorOctane consistently highlights as class-leading on smooth tarmac. The XUV700's updated suspension is composed and confident, but the Safari edges it on passenger comfort over sustained distances. If your typical weekend involves four hours on the expressway, the Safari makes that journey noticeably more relaxed.
The XUV700's 200 mm of ground clearance, combined with the AWD diesel automatic option, gives it a meaningful practical advantage on rough surfaces and gradients. Gagan Choudhary notes that the XUV700's AWD system adds genuine confidence on slippery or uneven roads, which the Safari cannot match with its front-wheel-drive-only setup. For buyers in hilly regions or those who venture off the main road occasionally, this gap matters.
The XUV700 has established a strong residual value track record since its 2021 launch, with used examples holding price well in major cities. The Safari's updated 2024 model is newer and its resale trajectory is still settling, with some uncertainty around how electronics reliability will affect perception in the used market. Buyers treating this as a financial asset, not just a vehicle, have more data points on the XUV700's side.
The Safari's Samsung QLED touchscreen, wireless CarPlay, Arcade app store with Prime Video and YouTube, and Alexa home-to-car integration make it the more accomplished in-car technology platform right now. Faisal Khan notes that the Safari's visual update has leapfrogged the XUV700 on the infotainment front for 2024 to 2025. For buyers who spend significant time stuck in traffic and treat the cabin as a connected space, the Safari's screen quality and content ecosystem feel more current.
Scores shown inline. "Best for" tells you who each result matters to.
| Axis | Tata Safari | Mahindra XUV700 | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
Design |
The 2024 Safari arrives with connected LED DRLs, a black parametric grille and low-set projector headlamps that give it a clean, modern identity at 4.66 metres long. CarWale notes that Tata has integrated the regulation-driven low headlamp position neatly, so it reads as a deliberate design choice rather than a compromise. It is one of the more cohesive big-SUV facelifts in the segment. 8.2 / 10 |
The XUV700's 2025 updates are evolutionary: Napoli Black edition, dual-tone roof options and blacked-out trim, but the core silhouette is unchanged from 2021. Faisal Khan acknowledges that the Safari's refresh has leapfrogged the XUV700 on visual freshness for this model year. The XUV700 still looks purposeful and planted, but it no longer leads the conversation on kerb appeal. 7.5 / 10 |
Statement SUV buyersSafari's 2024 face reads as fresher and more contemporary at the kerb
|
Interior |
Twin 12.3-inch displays, a QLED touchscreen with Dolby Atmos and an Arcade app store, a 10-speaker JBL system, ventilated seats all round and a voice-controlled panoramic sunroof make the Safari's cabin feel genuinely flagship. The quality of materials and the coherence of the layout have improved substantially in this generation. It is the more immersive interior experience of the two. 7.5 / 10 |
The XUV700's Mercedes-inspired dual 10.25-inch screens plus a passenger-side display on top variants create a tech-forward environment. Gagan Choudhary notes the bronze, tan, black and dark grey dashboard combinations look slightly busy. Ventilated front seats and driver memory are present, but rear ventilation is absent, which the Safari now addresses. 7.5 / 10 |
Tech-focused familiesSafari's QLED screen, rear ventilation and Dolby Atmos pull ahead on premium feel
|
Performance |
The Safari's 2.0-litre Kryotec diesel produces 168 bhp and 350 Nm, available only with front-wheel drive and no petrol option. The engine is torquey and relaxed at highway speeds, but MotorOctane flags it as audibly gruff at idle and under hard acceleration. There is no AWD variant and no petrol, which limits choice significantly for buyers with specific requirements. 7.2 / 10 |
Five powertrain combinations cover nearly every buyer profile: a 200 hp petrol in manual or automatic, and a 2.2-litre diesel in 155 hp or 185 hp tunes, with AWD available on the diesel automatic. The petrol pulls hard and feels exciting; the diesel's wide torque band makes it the superior long-distance tool. This breadth of choice is the XUV700's single clearest mechanical advantage over the Safari. 8.0 / 10 |
Drivers with specific needsXUV700's five powertrain options, including AWD diesel, leave Safari with no answer
|
Ride Quality |
The OMEGA Arc platform, shared with Land Rover-derived architecture, gives the Safari one of the most absorbent rides in the three-row SUV segment. MotorOctane consistently highlights the Safari's ability to smooth out broken surfaces and highway undulations while keeping cabin noise low. For passenger comfort on long journeys, it sets the benchmark in this comparison. 8.3 / 10 |
The 2025 XUV700 arrives with updated suspension tuning that improves composure over the outgoing setup. Ride quality is confident and well-damped at highway speeds, and the 200 mm ground clearance adds to its ability on rough terrain. It is a very good ride, but the Safari's platform advantage means it finishes second in back-to-back comfort comparisons. 8.0 / 10 |
Long-distance familiesSafari's OMEGA Arc platform delivers the more composed, plush highway ride
|
Build Quality |
The Safari scores 6.8 on build quality in the Jury's aggregated assessment, reflecting a gap between the ambition of its feature list and the consistency of its long-term electronics reliability. Panel gaps and body rigidity are solid, but the recurring concern across reviewer consensus is the service experience and electronic component reliability over time. 6.8 / 10 |
The XUV700 scores 7.5 on build quality, backed by a longer production run since 2021 that has allowed Mahindra to iron out early issues. Long-term ownership reports are more settled, and the brand's service network for the XUV700 is more mature. For buyers who keep cars beyond three years, this track record carries real weight. 7.5 / 10 |
Long-term ownership buyersXUV700's proven production record gives buyers more confidence over a longer cycle
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Value for Money |
The Safari's 7.3 value score reflects a genuinely rich feature list at its price point, with Level 2 ADAS, rear ventilated seats, QLED infotainment and a 5-star safety rating bundled into top variants. The caveat is that the value calculation shifts if electronics issues require repeated service visits, which adds both cost and frustration to ownership. 7.3 / 10 |
The XUV700 scores 8.0 on value, covering a 16 to 33 lakh on-road bracket with five powertrain combinations, proven reliability and strong resale. The breadth of entry points means buyers at multiple budget levels find a well-equipped variant. Petrol fuel economy is the only consistent blot on its value story. 8.0 / 10 |
Budget-conscious three-row buyersXUV700's wider variant spread and stronger resale deliver better value across a broader buyer range
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Practicality |
The Safari's 2.71-metre wheelbase and 4.66-metre length create generous second-row space, and the panoramic sunroof and ambient lighting make the cabin feel airy. The third row is best suited to children or occasional adult use on short trips. There is no AWD, which limits its practicality for buyers in hilly or semi-rural areas. |
At 4.7 metres with 200 mm of ground clearance and an AWD option, the XUV700 is more genuinely versatile across terrain and use cases. The third row is more usable for adults than the Safari's. The passenger-side display on top variants adds a layer of daily usability that front-seat occupants appreciate on long drives. |
Versatile large-family buyersXUV700's AWD option, usable third row and taller stance make it the more practically adaptable vehicle
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Both cars score 7.4/10 overall from 6 independent creators. The overall number is almost meaningless here: the dimension breakdown is where the real story is.
MotorOctane: Tata Safari vs Mahindra XUV700 Comparison