Safari on (and off) the road
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• All off-roaders are a compromise, but the Safari seems to offer a good balance between well-mannered handling on the highway, where it will probably spend most of its life, and a tolerable ride on unmade surfaces.
The suspension (double wishbone and torsion bar front; coil-sprung five-link rear) gives good articulation, and ground clearance is acceptably high. The 1,948cc turbo-diesel, producing 86hp (64kW) at 4,300rpm and 198Nm (1461bft) at 2,500rpm, would be capable of cruising at an easy 80mph-plus, but acceleration and on-road climbing are no more than adequate.
The flexible engine definitely feels more at home off-road, helped by the dual-range fivespeed transmission with its electrically switched four-wheel drive. Another half-litre of displacement would work wonders, and no doubt such plans exist somewhere.