Team-BHP - Tata Hexa : Official Review

I found the steering to be a bit smaller than what am used to in Duster. Having said that, it felt lighter than Duster in low speeds and seemed to weigh up nicely at higher speeds on the short highway stretch that we drove. My better half drove it too and she felt the same. This is from the XTA that we drove, don't have any idea about the manual. Most reviews have said that manual's steering is quite heavy in low speeds.

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Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain (Post 4128815)

Its about the brand. Toyota built their's little by little, just like how Tata destroyed their's. We can't deny that Tata does suffer from a problem of perception.
Now that they want us, the premium customer, to believe they have turned over a new leaf, they have to put their money where their mouth is. If dealers go around telling existing costumers they are going to get peanuts for their cars, that's not going to help anyone.

Your point is valid but improving resale value in India is a very long process given the overall buying behaviour being aggregated with a few brands ( the rest will always suffer from massive price erosion ). In fact, a Hyundai still commands noticeably poorer resale value than a Maruti despite being the #2 manufacturer. That shows customer's don't just calculate the amount they will recover by resale ( in which case only Marutis will sell ) but they also attach a "cost" to the additional comfort or features they get over the usage period as mentioned by ashis89 below ( Hyundais offer much more than a Maruti in every segment they operate )

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Originally Posted by ashis89 (Post 4128955)

+1 to that.

Since it's our hard earned that we are talking about, we have to consider the VFM or ROI too while making decisions. And many BHPians have shared that they found the Hexa to have a much better ride comfort, and even performance than the Crysta. Now, if you are paying significantly less for a vehicle which you like more, isn't it a win-win situation?

If a buyer finds the current price difference + life time usage experience differential of the Hexa overcomes the future sale price difference - they would buy it.

Its difficult to put all this in a simple equation. Which is where the role of an MBA (the most hated qualification in this forum ) comes in - to package the product well, price it well and market it well so that the customer "believes" he is making a "wise" decision :uncontrol

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Originally Posted by anthiltg (Post 4128958)

It is quite interesting to find the contrasting opinions that many members have shared here with respect to Steering, Gear Box, Audio System etc., This goes to prove how each of this can be so subjective based on the individual.
So there is never a single benchmark for any of this attribute. Probably, that is what keeps things interesting I guess! clap:

Guess i can add a point here. I had gone to the TD with a friend who owns a swift, and another an i20. I however, have a santro xing.
There were huge difference of opinions among the three of us. The i20 guy was not as impressed with the seat comfort as the guy with the swift and myself. Same goes with the audio system as well.
One thing we all agreed on however, was the super looks and drive quality. Since am looking at the xt 4x2, this is a very big upgrade for me. Even the plastics for glove box and the not-so-useful arm rest did not bother me as much as it did to my other friends! Guess that's an important factor which effects opinions: cars which people currently own!

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Originally Posted by abhi7013 (Post 4128992)

Very true. Me coming from a beat, would like a car with ACC, rear defogger with wash & wipe, super-silent engine (at idling), fog lamps and 60:40 split rear seats as a must in my next car. On the other hand, even a basic driver arm rest, a not so large boot, even a pull type door handle would be like a luxury (at least in the same segment).

Our perception definitely is affected by our current car, unless you are a Tbhp mod who thoroughly drive every car available in India!!

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Originally Posted by abhi7013 (Post 4128992)

Then you can imagine the changes I have seen - a Zen VXi in 98 to an Indigo LS in 03 to a Dzire LDi in 10 to a Nano in 12lol:

A friend of mine, Byram was asked by Tata Motors to take the Hexa for a long drive with a little offroading and give an interview to their team later on.

He invited me for the same drive and we took the vehicle for a long drive and a bit of soft roading.

Here's us (Byram's on the right):

Tata Hexa : Official Review-img_9480.jpg

This is what i wrote regarding the Hexa elsewhere - in a nutshell:

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Most reviews that you have read online on forums and automags are correct. This is not what you would expect in a Tata vehicle. It's leagues ahead from the first Indica that was launched by the company. In my opinion, the seating comfort is at par, if not superior than the Innova (which is a benchmark in this category). The ride comfort on bad roads is as good as the Duster AWD - which again is a benchmark in that category!
Yes, there are niggles - it is still a Tata - but these niggles or oversights rather are not deal-breakers - things like missing dead pedal, weird lane changing indicator, etc.
For a 2 ton vehicle, however, it handles very well and the body roll is minimal; steering is a bit hard for my liking but livable - not too light as the Endeavor which i just hate for highway use.
Coming to offroading, no, it's not an offroader and it shouldn't have been marketed as such. Approach and departure angles are nothing to write home about. Yes, the AWD system works well and when we took her soft roading, she did everything with easy and no drama. But, that involved multiple route selections to take the correct path. This car would be ideal for a visit to your farmhouse or factory which involves treading on rough roads or an expedition drive to the Himalayas.
Finally, would i buy it? If it was from a leading Jap company, yes immediately; but since it's a Tata, I'll wait for year to read long term reviews before putting my money down.
If they get the pricing correct and a reliable car, then it's a winner for sure.
Oh, and why no AWD option for the Automatic version?

Tata Hexa : Official Review-img_9475.jpg

Tata Hexa : Official Review-img_9481.jpg

Tata Hexa : Official Review-img_9482.jpg

Tata Hexa : Official Review-img_9484.jpg

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Originally Posted by ashis89 (Post 4128955)

agree:

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While everyone has been consistent regarding XUV being faster than the Hexa, I am confused with the feedback of steering feel. While some of you are comparing it with gym, some others feel it's so light that ladies will love it. And few Bhpians have been with their better half for TDs. They don't seem to complain either. Which is true?
I am yet to try my hands on a Hexa and don't have an opinion of my own. I am just wondering due to stark difference in feedback.

Here's what the team-bhp official review states about the steering

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While the ride and handling are satisfactory, the steering fails to impress. At 380 mm, the steering wheel is decently sized. However, the hydraulic unit feels heavy at parking / slow speeds (not as heavy as the Innova Crysta's). This means that operating it within the city requires effort. After experiencing the superlight EPS systems of modern vehicles, this old-school steering feels rather cumbersome to use. It's just bad tuning from Tata and we hope they solve this soon (should be a simple fix to increase the assistance level). The steering is much better to use at highway speeds, where it offers sufficient weight. However, the steering can feel vague. It's not your typically connected & 'direct' unit.

So perhaps, it is a little heavy at lower speeds, it being a hydraulic unit but traditionally hydraulic units are fun, aren't they? Just ask any of the Fiat owners! :D

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Originally Posted by teemus (Post 4129208)

agree:

Here's what the team-bhp official review states about the steering

So perhaps, it is a little heavy at lower speeds, it being a hydraulic unit but traditionally hydraulic units are fun, aren't they? Just ask any of the Fiat owners! :D

Yes I remember the observations from the official review.:) But, what surprises me is the extent of variation in the observations/feedback from people. Some of them which baffled me, apart from the steering feel, are:

- Music system: Some have written very good reviews (including our official review) while a few have termed it average and even below average.
- Last row seat: I remember reading somewhere that last row of XUV was much more comfortable than that of Hexa. Most others have said that last row is quite good if we ignore the exercise of getting/out.
- Engine noise/refinement (not performance): Again a divided opinion with some saying XUV is better while others go with Hexa.
- Ride quality: Some have said that Crysta is better than Hexa.

While views can differ based on the roads taken for each TD, stature/build of individuals, perceptions, preferences, benchmarks used (as discussed, what are our current rides) and several other factors, so many contrasting views are confusing.

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Originally Posted by ashis89 (Post 4129250)

While views can differ based on the roads taken for each TD, stature/build of individuals, perceptions, preferences, benchmarks used (as discussed, what are our current rides) and several other factors, so many contrasting views are confusing.

It is better to test drive a Hexa yourself with unbiased mind and then form a opinion. In my shorter stint with Hexa I found the follwoing:

Music system - Very good, best stock system in this price range.
Last row seats - better than XUV, Additional luggage space is a bonus. In XUV there is zero boot space.
Engine noise - both are similar.
Ride Quality - Hexa is better than Crysta

These are my opinions - go for a test drive and form yours.