Team-BHP - Tata Hexa : Official Review

In the market for an SUV to replace the 2010 Toyota Fortuner 4x4. Looking at the Hexa XTA as a serious option but the offers on other SUV's are confusing me to a great extent. Wanted to check with folks here on few things:
1) How is the service feedback of Wasan Motors in Kandivali? I am in Western Suburbs of Mumbai and the only other option is Deogiri in Jogeshwari. What has been the first hand experience.

2) Coming from the Fortuner, size is not an issue but I am keen to look at the better ride quality. I have taken a short test drive and found it satisfactory. Has anyone experienced both cars on a longer run, what your feedback?

3) Although I have read it many times, do the missing safety features on the XTA act as a big deterrent on a daily basis? What shall I be aware of and take into consideration ?
Mainly this car would be used as a daily driver with a weekly run of ~300 Kms and an occasional outstation trip. In both occasions it would be chauffeur driven 90% of the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by curiosity (Post 4670619)

Although I cannot add much value to either of your questions, only partly to the last one; you'll not miss the additional safety features in the XTA. Majority of the sales are automatics & owners are mighty satisfied. It's a great vehicle, inside & out.

One question though, isn't this a step down from a higher segment? Unless you are replacing the Fortuner with another & getting the Hexa as an additional.
If not, why don't you look at a preworshipped vehicle? That way you'll stay in the same segment.

If you do hop onto the Hexa bandwagon, do come over to www.tatahexaowners.com & join the All India Owners group.

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLaren Roxx (Post 4670657)

Thanks for the confirmation!

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLaren Roxx (Post 4670657)

One question though, isn't this a step down from a higher segment? Unless you are replacing the Fortuner with another & getting the Hexa as an additional.
If not, why don't you look at a preworshipped vehicle? That way you'll stay in the same segment.

If you do hop onto the Hexa bandwagon, do come over to www.tatahexaowners.com & join the All India Owners group.

1) Valid point. But correct me if I am wrong here wouldn't this ride better than the Fortuner, carry the same amount of load, similar safety and is hopefully nearly as reliable? Yes engine is smaller but I do not think it makes a difference in my daily use. The only step down aspect in that sense would be the image i.e. others thinking this is a car from a segment lower. That is something I have learnt to be least bothered with and heck in my mind I believe this is a lateral replacement. stupid:

2) Maybe next year we may look to add a Luxury badge alongside a workhorse. But time being the Fortuner needs to be replaced with a reliable workhorse.

3) We are not really keen on looking at a preowned vehicle. Past experiences with family & friends have not really been great. Although times have changed but still.

Quote:

Originally Posted by curiosity (Post 4670619)

I use the Kandivali workshop everytime.
Have not had a bad experience yet.
I have gotten my hexa serviced there for the past 2 years.
They also have the pickup drop service.
Another thing I got was the option of the deductible waived off if I purchased the insurance from them.
The quote was also quite less compared to others.
I paid 30k for second year insurance for my XTA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostforce (Post 4673287)

Hi all
Wanted to know about the cruise control in the hexa. Does the ECU mapping etc change with comfort and dynamic modes? I used the cruise control extensively in comfort mode and the acceleration feels quite similar to the dynamic mode.

Sorry but I didn't get your question. Cruise control let's you cruise at a preset speed with no accelerator input. The moment you touch either the accelerator or the brakes it disengages.

So I don't think it has anything to do with ECU mapping. So whether you are in Comfort mode or Dynamic mode, it shouldn't make any difference because you are just locked at a certain speed and cruising. But if you accelerate to let's say 100 kmph and then set the cruise control then the driving modes come into play for the acceleration part only. After that you just engage the cruise control and let it do its thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ram87pune (Post 4673308)

Thank you for the response

I'll clarify.....in the hexa, you can set your cruise control speed to a value greater than 60kmph. When I set the speed to say 110kmph and brake, the cruise control deactivates but the speed setting remains at a 110kmph.
As the cruise control can be activated at any speed beyond 60, if I activate the cruise control at say 75kmph, the vehicle accelerates to the set speed of 110kmph.
My question was whether the hexa acceleration would vary in different modes( when the cruise control is engaged)?

Again took a test drive for the XTA today:

Tried using the car on slopes specifically to check the missing Hill Hold feature and I think the car did pretty well. The only point where I felt the car move back very slightly was when the front wheels and the back wheels were at a different angle, I ain't technically sound to figure out the reason why this happened.
Used it on rough roads and the car is very stable.
I could sense the heaviness of the car but it was also confidence inspiring
The brakes seemed week. I know coming from a Fortuner I am used to this but still I am unable to figure out if this was a test drive car specific issue. Can existing owners throw some light on this?
The steering seemed less heavy than my previous test drive which was a positive

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostforce (Post 4673327)

Untill you cancel the cruise control by button, it will remain at the last speed setting. I had driven Aria before and it had similar behavior for cruise control.

Quote:

Originally Posted by curiosity (Post 4673515)

Again took a test drive for the XTA today:

Tried using the car on slopes specifically to check the missing Hill Hold feature and I think the car did pretty well. The only point where I felt the car move back very slightly was when the front wheels and the back wheels were at a different angle, I ain't technically sound to figure out the reason why this happened.
Used it on rough roads and the car is very stable.
I could sense the heaviness of the car but it was also confidence inspiring
The brakes seemed week. I know coming from a Fortuner I am used to this but still I am unable to figure out if this was a test drive car specific issue. Can existing owners throw some light on this?
The steering seemed less heavy than my previous test drive which was a positive

Good that you enjoyed your TD. I have been using my XT for more than 2 years now and it is my daily driver apart from my dad's Jetta. I am now so much used to manoeuvring this beast through traffic that whatever the Hexa loses in terms of sheer size as compared to the Jetta it easily makes up by offering better all round visibility. Other smaller cars don't cut you off is an added bonus.

Sorry for asking this but I think all TC auto equipped cars have inbuilt hill hold feature. The brakes are not weak at all but you have to take into account the sheer weight of the SUV and the associated momentum that it carries and plan your braking accordingly. My car is now close to 30k mark and I will be replacing all 4 brake pads by Diwali this year.

As far as driving on rough roads is concerned my mantra is faster the better :D. I have noticed that if I go at a fair clip over small to moderate sized potholes then even the water in my stomach doesn't move but if I take them at slow speeds then there is that typical side to side movement associated with ladder on frame SUV's. But larger potholes have to be dealt with slowly as they may cause damage to those lovely 19 inch alloys.