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I don't think they gave the honours to XUV. She only mentioned it may win on merit of performance but it i
s the Hexa which makes you feel your money's worth. Also, performance on merit is also better on hexa as seen in the figures.

Was able to get a preview and Off-Road Experience at the Hexaxperience at BKC, Mumbai yesterday. Some videos I could take:

Own Experience. The 40 degrees banking was something to experience though did not find the hill climb so out of the way, wish they could do some more on the hill climb experience inclines.

https://youtu.be/uLW9k2yycBY

Articulation

https://youtu.be/8_cieb8yceg

I test drove the automatic 4x2 yesterday. I own the latest generation Aria and most of what i mention here would be in comparison with that.
The vehicle from the outside looks fairly well put together. The front and back are quite different from the conventional TATA. The side profile is no hiding that it is the Aria in the new avatar. 19" alloys goes very well with the car and it does looks large. The rear looks great too except for the thick chrome strip. Looks like an after thought to make the top end look different from the lower variants

The inside of the car looks very similar to the current Aria except for the center panel and steering. The center AC vents finally found a more sensible place. The vents on the right hand side of the driver would continue to be a pain as it is positioned too low and you would end up freezing your knuckles.

Steering was very nice to hold and was lot easier to maneuver compared to the current Aria which is heavier. I am unclear what happened to the practicality of the dash. There is absolutely no place for storage even for something as basic as a cell phone - leave alone other tit-bits. :Frustrati. Other controls remain the same (like lights, wiper stack etc). The dials looks more futuristic (wonder what took TATAs so long to get this). The touch screen was quite responsive. Several other have pointed out that it is way too small for a car of this size. Though responsive, you need to really focus on the screen as it is too small. Did not test the sound system much but thought the controls were a little too basic (probably i missed something)

Seats were very nice in leather. The stitch, the feel, the material - all of them looked very elegant. The driver seat for some reason had limited range to move back and forth. My current Aria has a slightly longer range to go back and i keep an arm's distance from the steering (i am 5'10"). They seems to have increased the under-thigh support in the middle row(was a captain seat config). The third row does not fold entirely flat like the current Aria. So if you are looking at a flat bed, it may not be the case. Rest all looked exactly similar to the Aria

Start the engine and it settles down to a decent murmur. I drove the automatic here. Gear changes were fairly ok and acceleration was linear and quite good. Insulation was very similar to the current Aria. One thing i noticed in this car (not as much as mine) was whenever i accelerate beyond 1500 rpm, there is another noise that surfaces. While it is lot more pronounced in my car, i heard it a couple of time in this car. TATA a.s.s have never been able to identify what is causing this. I have been to 3 different centers here.

Now my greatest annoyance was, i had asked for an evaluation of my existing car (2.5y and 28k and with over a lakh worth of functional accessories). The person looks around, captures all the details and finally says - "sir, i have to get back to you after i speak to the sales team. TATA has very poor resale value". Now here is a guy who owns a TATA - a competent one at that and is willing to change it for another TATA and this is what the response is!!:deadhorse

Overall, it is a nicely put together package. However if this is what it re-sells for, i would likely stay away from it. I am very happy with my Aria. It runs on racedynamics, which is why i am not able to see a difference in the Hexa from a driveability standpoint. Those coming from a non-Tata car can probably have different (and value-adding) opinions.

I am completely with you on this one. I test drove the Hexa yesterday, although nice, it did not see it offer anything significantly different over my Aria (it pretty much ticks all my boxes except the safety bits). If the resale value of the Aria is so poor, i wonder if the Hexa would re-sale higher as it is from the same stable and there is enough brand perception. I wish this car does really well, however i don't expect that to happen in the next year or two. It needs to hold its ground for atleast a few years before it attains that image.

Mod Note: Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD!

To know how to multi-quote, click here.

This is OT but still, how much is it that you were offered for the Aria?

I had a similar experience with my 6yo Indigo CS. When I first went to the dealer for Hexa's TD, I mentioned to the SA that I've a Tata in the family which I would exchange for the Hexa. The SA looked at me, didn't even inquire about the make, the model or the total running & said - "oh, a Tata - you bring the vehicle on ur next visit - we'll see. But don't expect too much". :Frustrati
I was like, I didn't make a rattling machine - Tata did and if Tata has a problem with exchanging their own cars - they should make them better. Ideally, Tata should instead be giving loyalty bonuses to the brave souls who've come to their showrooms for seconds - as a token of thanks for believing & standing by Tata in the tougher times lol:

At the risk of going off-topic, this is just a consequence of poor dealer training by Tata. The sales representative is too shortsighted to instinctively appreciate a concept like Lifetime Value of a Customer so it's incumbent upon the company to train them adequately so that such queries are handled appropriately. Such a response is totally unacceptable to a brand loyalist. there is a high probability a person thus rebuffed walks out and never returns.

I have said this before and I still believe Tata needed a Nexa-like strategy for its upmarket offerings. Certainly cars like the Zest, Tiago and now the Hexa deserve a push in terms of image and quality of experience.

Absolutely agree.

I remember Tata once had a buyback scheme where they took back 3 year old vehicles at 60% value. This was when they sold old rattly Indicas and Sumos. They should have something better now, at least for Zest, Bolt and Storme owners. This is nothing but a confidence boosting measure for buyers, that the comapny is willing to stand by its own products.

Any idea regarding number of bookings till date? The last update available in public domain seems to be 250 in the first 2 days and thereafter there has been no news.

Exactly agree:
If the people supposed to be selling Tata cars don't have much confidence in their own vehicles of old, what sort of confidence are they instilling in the customers to buy their new ones.
And how can you even recommend, let alone sell, a Tata car to someone else if you too get jittery hearing the word "Tata".

It was a wonderful Sunday Morning and we were driving around the city, just when we saw a Tata Hexa parked outside the K.B.Motors (Ballygunge, Kolkata) Showroom. I was with a friend of mine in his Innova and he has been in the quest of finding the coorect replacement for his Innova. The Hexa looked Drool Stuff !!

The inquisitiveness ignited the want to Test Drive the Hexa immediately. However, we had family with kids with us on board at that time, so we headed home to drop them off. I took the opportunity to buzz up the owners of the dealership having knowing them personally and requested them to send the Hexo home for a Test Drive and they obliged by doing the needful on ASAP basis. The Hexa was knocking at our door in minutes !! That was indeed express service from K.B. Motors.

Here are some facts of the Test Drive :
Date of Test Drive : 15th of January 2017
Vehicle Variant : Tata Hexa XTA - Automatic 4x2
No. of heads in the Vehicle while Test Driving : 6 Adults (including Dealership Personnel)
Kilometers traveled while Test Driving : Approximately 12 Kms
Note : Test Drive was done with the windows rolled up and the Climate Control On and the Infotainment Off (for most of the time)

Coming to some of the Photographs taken during the Test Drive :

The devil looking into our eyes :


Under the Hood :

Note :
1.) A horizontal engine set up
2.) Not the best place for the Coolant Tank for me

Ingess and Egress could be a problem for elderly and obese people considering the height of the vehicle :

Check the 90 degree angle that my legs are making to get into the Hexa - though that's not a problem for me, but can be an issue for many

The Automatic Transmission Gear Lever :


Setting the driver's seat at my driving position, I took the middle row. Plenty of Leg room still considering that I am almost 5'11"

The friend of mine who is around 5'8" was seated behind me in the third row with a lot of comfort

There is no way that one can squeeze in to the 3rd row seat from here : It;s better to use the isle of the 2nd row :


The boot space :


My Take on the Tata Hexa :

Designing : Tata has been spot on on this one !! The stance is very appealing and inviting and the road presence is excellent.

Ingress & Egress : As mentioned earlier,it might be worry some for some short in height, obese and elderly people; but nothing seriously wrong to be hassled about.

Instrumentation & Infotainment : The 5" Touchscreen Infotainment System from Harman with the 10 Speaker JBL System provides very good sound quality all around the Cabin. The touch screen is also very responsive. The rear camera switch can be turned on while driving without engaging the Reverse Gear. No need to see the ORVM :D. The XTA offers Cruise Control as well !! The Steering Mounted Controls are very easy to use and one can get used to it pretty quickly.

Cabin Comfort & Seating : The cabin of the Hexa offers Space, More Space and a Lot of Space !! All three rows of seat offer phenomenal comfort. The under thigh support on the driver's seat is also good and offer a very commanding driving position.

NVH Levels : NVH Levels are minimal while on the move and extremely minimal while idling

Handling : The Electronic Power Steering is very responsive and efficient. It responds extremely well and does not make one feel that you are driving such a big MUV and makes maneuvering pretty easy. I tried my maneuvering skills being used to driving the Figo (which has a HPS) and I have no complaints.

Body Roll : Next to Zero if I comment !! Maneuvered the vehicle at higher speeds, took quick turns and tried sudden braking as well. The Hexa feels very grounded and never felt unstable and wobbly. Stood strong !!

Suspension & Ride Quality : The Hexa has got remarkable suspension. One of the best in this respect. I have not driven a car with better suspension in recent times. We drove the vehicle on bumpy roads, took it off the road near Maidan beside the ladies Golf Club where there are rocks/ bricks scattered on the side of the road and we just did not feel a thing. It actually "Sailed Through" all of it.

Air Conditioning : It was winter time. We set the Climate Control @ 26 degrees and it was very comfortable within a few seconds.

Braking : All 4 of them are Disc Brakes and hold up well. However, felt the brakes to be just a tad spongy. I guess it should elapse with time.

Safety : The Hexa comes with a 6 Airbag Set Up. The best part is that you can deactivate the passenger side AirBag if driving alone !! A very good thought from TATA. After all, why simply deploy airbags unnecessarily, if not required.

Some cool features : Air Cooled Glove Box (which my Etios also has) and the SUN BLINDS do come in very handy on those long distance drives.

Finally the Driving Experience : Initially I was driving the Hexa on the "D" Mode and it was cruising away very effortlessly. I must say that there was no engine growl as observed in most of the automatics. The 400Nm Varicor Engine does compliment the Hexa substantially well. However, I wanted to unleash the Hexa in the Sports "S" Mode and I did so for most of the time while driving it. The sports mode is indeed very responsive and gives the driver the opportunity to upshift/ downshift at one's own convenience and liking. The Rev Matching is also good while doing the same. I was on an open stretch of road and the "S" Mode did the talking when we touched 120kmph while on 3rd gear without even feeling it. The engine note all throughout was sweet and added adrenaline to our spirits.

What more TATA can offer with the Hexa ?
According to me the Hexa sorely misses a Sunroof/ Moonroof. Add this and see the scoreboard ticking for the Hexa. It deserves one !!

What can be improved in the Hexa ?
-> The plastic quality in some parts like in the Front Console around the Gear Lever and the Armrest Area, around the Instrument Cluster needs improvement with immediate effect. This is not upto the mark for many buyers.
-> The DRL on the Test Drive car was not working which was pretty surprising for me. Come on (common) TATA, not again !!

My Overall Take on the TD :

• Overall a very satisfying experience which offer a very good overall package as this vehicle really redefines the new breed of Tata vehicles that are being launched
• For someone looking to replace an Old Generation Innova, this is the right choice considering the pricing of the Innova Crysta. It will surely not be a compromise
• I would like to TD the Hexa Manual Transmission as well and compare the two. However, I was very charmed with the driving experience of the AT and the AT shall be the need of the hour in the times to come considering our traffic conditions
• It's 4WD abilities are yet to be tested and will be interesting to see how it fairs on that ground
• Definitely can be considered as a next change

Features and Specifications as provided in the Booklet given by them :




That's all from me and hope that I have done justice to the Test Drive of the Hexa :)

Feature-wise, the Aria was always ahead of the old under-powered Innova. So the Hexa's feature list doesn't surprise me. (Edit : I believe the Sun roof isn't a big deal at all. Few XUV owners I know say its often unused for months, so its really not as big a deal as people may think.)

One grouse is, even after 6 years of having developed this engine, platform & powertrain in the Safari, Aria & Storme, Tata still offers the same old 3yr / 1,00,000km warranty. Its unrealistic to believe that Hexa will simply keep selling in significant numbers based on its features when the USP of its prime competitor is based on long term reliability.

We generally tend to believe they may not be realising this, but its often been discussed in the forum about how very far would a longer term warranty go in terms of vehicle reliability and even resale - the primary concerns of a Tata car buyer (if we ignore A.S.S concerns). But there don't seem many realistic steps from TATA - things like the Service App help, but its not a solid USP as such.

If just the aspect about exceptional extended warranty is covered in the Launch (like the Crysta has a 7-yr optional warranty add-on package), then it'd help as a competitive selling point.

Crysta has got the first mover advantage, but maybe that can be countered with an attractive introductory price for this quarter.

It'd have been advertised hard if the number was significant. Demonitisation has definitely dented bookings, felt so from the interaction with dealership guys at the Hexa Experience event.

This is not the correct way to get inside 3rd row.

There is a lever on side of seat base used to fold down the backrest.



and then the lever below the seat base to tumble seat forward making ingress/egress easy, although it is a 2 step process.

I know buddy !! The service center guys suggested the use the 2nd Row isle to get into the 3rd row instead. I guess it is a wiser option.

In case you mean transverse, when you say "horizontal"; Its actually mounted longitudinally and not transverse. Yes, the plastic engine cover seems to suggest transverse mounting.

Can you please elaborate, why is it not the best place for coolant reservoir?