Team-BHP - Tata Hexa : Official Review

Dad took delivery of the Hexa XMA. Looking forward to his review (he's also a member). Out of all the cars we evaluated so far, the Hexa stood out. We wanted a decent car that could run comfortably on most roads. We tried out the XUV, TUV, Compass and the Hexa. The creta is not VFM at all, and the Innova does not look premium in any way. The AC knobs, as I mentioned previously, are very similar to the ones used in the Alto. Moreover, no one in the showroom bothered to be bothered about us. We waited for close to 20 minutes, and looked at the fortuner while no one looked at us. If there's one SUV that still appeals to me, it is the Isuzu MU-X. The finish is better than what the Fortuner offers. It is very precise, and the vehicle would not be out of place in the first world. After it, the Hexa tugs the heart the most. It is better than the Crysta inside, and much, much better outside. I really hope Tata does not stop this model in the future. I can imagine how much heartburn the Aria customers went through to see their cars being discontinued, despite them paying close to 20 lakhs (almost close to a base model Merc back then). The Hexa holds a lot of promise, and I really hope they continue investing efforts in selling the car to customers who really want it. It is a flagship product and all debates about electric/hybrid notwithstanding, it is a product that should endure. I personally believe that electric cars are many decades away in a country like India, especially since they are nascent even in most first world countries. The only bump in the 10 year ownership plan is the possibility of the NGT intervening. I'm sure the business friendly folks in Gujarat would evolve a plan to register the cars outside Ahmedabad in case something like the NGT decides to hunt 10 year old diesel owners :)

We avoided the Scorpio because of its ride quality and the duster because it was quite old (and came from a manufacturer which believed in fooling Indian customers). The other cars which were avoided were the Storme (same engine and price as the hexa, side facing bench seats) and the pseudo SUVs (BRV, Creta, Ecosport). I got stuck in the mud in an area in an Ecosport where an ambassador driver could pass. That demolished the "SUV" reputation of the EcoSport for me. It is a great car, but it is definitely not an SUV.

Am in the market for a new car and am waiting to buy after seeing what is in the Auto Expo.

High Ground clearance, space and comfort are important - will be chauffer driven in the city, but I will drive when we go out - 20% of the mileage.
Though I am excited about the Toyota Rush, currently right up on the shortlist is the Hexa.

Confused a bit on whether I should go for the XT 4X4 or the XTA.

All other points equal, the 4X4 of course has AWD, plus more safety features but lacks the convenience of an Auto shift.

Any other considerations that I may have missed?

Quote:

Originally Posted by car.lover (Post 4335017)

If you have someone to drive for you in the city, the manual won't disappoint you. I'd also say that you could look at the base model because it provides all the comforts that a passenger would expect. The only constraint there is the lack of some features. The Varicor 320 is more than adequate in most circumstances and the onroad price (in Ahmedabad) is close to 12.5 lakhs, which is very good (even a top end Etios or Dzire costs more than 10 lakh these days). Unless you're into serious offroading, the manual/automatic RWD would suffice. If you're keen on additional safety features, the XT/ XT 4x4 is the best bet.

I've seen many Toyota Rush models (both old and new) and the road presence is just about okay. I'd say that the Duster has a similar presence. It's not a particularly comfortable car- it is a versatile one. If you're going to be driven around in the city, comfort could be the USP for choosing something like the Hexa. There's no substitute for it at a similar price point currently in India.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nissan1180 (Post 4334669)

I got stuck in the mud in an area in an Ecosport where an ambassador driver could pass. That demolished the "SUV" reputation of the EcoSport for me. It is a great car, but it is definitely not an SUV.

Sorry, couldn't resist. It could have been a bad day - for you and ES, both. I have seen EcoSport do some serious bad roads, including the infamous Gramphoo - Batal stretch in July, where you have innumerable water-crossings/boulders/slush etc. Even I was of similar opinion earlier, but seeing it cross all those obstacles made me change my mind.

It is often the driver that is the weakest link, we back out due to fear or our own limits, rather than the limitation of the vehicle.

Anyway, congrats for the Hexa! Hope you guys enjoy it to the fullest! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dry Ice (Post 4335270)

Sorry, couldn't resist. It could have been a bad day - for you and ES, both. I have seen EcoSport do some serious bad roads, including the infamous Gramphoo - Batal stretch in July, where you have innumerable water-crossings/boulders/slush etc. Even I was of similar opinion earlier, but seeing it cross all those obstacles made me change my mind.

It is often the driver that is the weakest link, we back out due to fear or our own limits, rather than the limitation of the vehicle!

Anyway, congrats for the Hexa! Hope you guys enjoy it to the fullest! :)

You're right- it is the driver that limits a machine. However, in this case, the issue was that the front wheel drive Ecosport simply did not respond. I got down, got the Ambassador driver in, but still it remained stuck and the front wheels kept spinning. The ES might have a high GC, but it is not good at all if you're stuck in mildly slushy terrain (it was a parking lot with some slush in this case). I may be wrong, but from the little I know, rear wheel drive cars have a better chance of driving through mildly slushy terrain. All I'm saying is that a car that claims to be an SUV should not get stuck in a position which an old RWD car can pass through. This is just my opinion and it may correspond to a number of factors, including the tire condition (which seemed good visually). Maybe with better tires, things might be different.

Thanks for the wishes. :)

The term SUV is misused these days by the manufacturers. Any car that has to be called an SUV should have AWD/4x4 as minimum . Just adding big wheels and increasing ground clearance will not make any car into an SUV. Ecosport is not an SUV. It is just a car with big wheels and good GC. These will aid in water crossings and tackle rocky terrains without taking a underbody hit. Apart from these, you cannot expect a Ecosport to become a SUV when the power is transmitted to the wheels just like a normal car. Heck, even the Nexon should not be called an SUV. But manufacturers do not care and as long as people are willing to pay for a faux SUV tag, manufacturers will create cars with heels and call them SUV

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki (Post 4336299)

The award for that should go to Mahindra for KUV100 and its advt! I want to go TD one and do what all they show it can do as per its advertisement .:Frustrati

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONe3kNxyyEY

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki (Post 4336299)

I wouldn't say the term SUV is misused but has rather evolved to meet current needs. There is no standard definition for SUV and its mostly what one perceive. For some SUV is not an SUV if it doesnot have 4x4, many don't even consider monocoque's an SUV. But for the rest butch looks, good GC, rugged nature is more than enough! They need a vehicle which can tackle bad road, sit high, carry more people and offer space and practicality. If not SUV what else would you call a 4x2 Fortuner?

Yesterday I went to the Singapore motor show ( a fairly largish show in comparison to how small this country is ! ). One of the things I wanted to report back in this thread is that I noticed that all the modern Merc cars including the extremely stylish GLC coupe, have those old fashioned stick type door locking mechanism ( that points out from the upper part of the door pad ). I remember that in this review as well as ones for a few other cars, this type of a door locking mechanism has been labelled as old fashioned and not keeping with times. I doubt that is the case because if Merc still follows it in its current gen of cars ( which are clearly far more desirable than the other German brands ), this is definitely must be a modern touch. We are possibly out of touch with latest trends, if we think this is old fashioned !

Quote:

Originally Posted by narayan (Post 4339022)

I remember that in this review as well as ones for a few other cars, this type of a door locking mechanism has been labelled as old fashioned and not keeping with times. I doubt that is the case because if Merc still follows it in its current gen of cars ( which are clearly far more desirable than the other German brands ), this is definitely must be a modern touch. We are possibly out of touch with latest trends, if we think this is old fashioned !

Someone labeling it as old-fashioned maybe an oversight; many modern cars have this, more as a manual safety override for emergencies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by narayan (Post 4339022)

I doubt that is the case because if Merc still follows it in its current gen of cars ( which are clearly far more desirable than the other German brands ), this is definitely must be a modern touch. We are possibly out of touch with latest trends, if we think this is old fashioned !

I really like the stick type of door locks as they look good from both the inside and the out, and you can easily verify if the car is locked from a distance! Also in case of emergencies, this design helps as it is easily accessible from outside.
This could also be a disadvantage in case of car thefts!