[gaurav_3000ad]

I had the chance to check out the hexa in flesh at the auto expo yesterday. Honestly speaking vid6639 has done justice to the vehicle and how. All aspects of a first look have been covered and then some. I'll just share a few of my initial impressions.

• As you approach the vehicle you realise that it is BIG. It will have substantial road presence without doubt
  
  
• The butch front end and the raised bonnet further enhance its SUV credentials. It is only in the profile view that traces of MPV show up but thats not much of an issue.
  
  
• The rear looks smart with the wraparound LEDs. Not overdone. Not garish. Just right.
  
  
• The 19" alloys look smashing. As stated earlier it is highly unlikely that they will be offered in the production version. However if i was in college and lucky enough to own one of these i wouldn't mind swapping in a heartbeat.
  
  
• Tata have managed to get over their interior quality demons. For far too long have i read this line in all tata car reviews - " The interior quality is definitely a step up from the previous gen but still has some way to go to compete with the segment best." I'm sure i won't read it with hexa reviews. Hide the tata badge and a non discerning person would be hard pressed to identify it as one. The quality is right up there. Understated. classy and functional with hints of big daddy range rover.
  
  
• Reasonably spacious. I'm 6'5" and after setting the seat to my driving position, i could squeeze into the second row seat with my knees just barely touching the seat back. I'm not a huge fan of the second row captain seats. I hope there is an option of having a 3 seater second row with possibly jumpseats at the rear.
  
  
• I wouldn't go near the third row of seats even with a bargepole in hand. Kids might like it.
  
  
• The blue colour on display looked nice. Befits the car.

I think its time to appreciate the honest effort that has gone into the hexa. I really liked the car. Lots of positive vibes. I hope it does well. The maddening crowd on saturday prevented me from taking as many pics as i would have liked however i will post one which can be used as a size reference.


Tata hexa posing with 6'5" of humanity.

[Latheesh]

You bloody... Hexa looks really short in front of you
Please do not go anywhere near sub 4m SUV/Crossover

[anubshar]

Hexa surely looks promising in every aspect. I am curious to know what will be the ground clearance they will be offering? Will it be the same as Aria offers or a little more to have an extra edge over its direct competitor XUV?

[adityadeva]

I would definitely like to see Tata in number 1, as a passenger car manufacturer. Of course the key is consistency in quality and afss. The steering wheel of Hexa and Zest based ice does imply cost cutting.

Cyrus Mistry looks rather wary than confident with the car. A smile should have send a very positive vibe.

Mod Note: Please avoid typing like.... this.....

[girishglg]

There is one thing about being great on paper and another in the real world of actual sales figures. This is a big problem with Tatas with some good product read Nano, Zest siblings etc doing really badly when it comes to pure sales numbers.

One of the biggest issues is the after sales experience which is still very iffy. Tatas should move into the Nexa kind of parallel distribution model for all their premium and new offerings with a total focus on customer service to make a mark in the long run.

Coming to Hexa, it looks like a really competent product and finally they have really mated the potential of the Aria platform with a neat skin and interiors. The only thing that stands out is the last quarter design which could have been better though the front and back looks well designed. This should do well ideally unless Tatas botch up as usual. Fingers crossed!

[BlueDevils]

The gentleman standing next to the Hexa said the launch should be mid 2016. He could not divulge the price but did say that the Hexa will be competing with the XUV500

[mayankjha1806]

Hexa looks good, few questions i am not sure if they were answered already. I read elsewhere that the launch date would be in second half of 2016 is that a correct assumption?

Also between the Safari Storme 400 and HEXA, which one looks more promising. I dont like the Van like looks, but havent seen it in flesh and blood hence my views might change.

[tifosikrishna]

Thought Zica will be first one to be launched...

"The first car to make it to the public will be the new Hexa. The new Hexa is a full sized crossover SUV that is the replacement for the Aria. The new Hexa comes with really sharp styling and gets large 19-inch wheels and a whole bunch of very good details like daytime running light clusters and a new greenhouse profile. Expect the Hexa to make it to showrooms in the next few weeks at a price point of Rs 15-20 lakh."


http://www.zigwheels.com/news-featur...-months/24570/

[DieselFan]

15-20 lacs price range will be the range in which the new Innova will operate and is 3-4 Lacs more than XUV. With features similar to XUV why would anyone pay such a high premium to a tata car with uncertain reliability? Are Tata repeating the mistake they did with Aria.

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by girishglg

There is one thing about being great on paper and another in the real world of actual sales figures. This is a big problem with Tatas with some good product read Nano, Zest siblings etc doing really badly when it comes to pure sales numbers.

One of the biggest issues is the after sales experience which is still very iffy.

Let's not bring up up the beaten-to-death topic of after sales service here again, shall we? No offense meant, but I thought this topic was specifically for the products on display at the auto expo, so let's please stick to it.

[pamiboy]

Originally Posted by girishglg

The only thing that stands out is the last quarter design which could have been better though the front and back looks well designed. Fingers crossed!

That and the 3rd row entry is far from ergonomic. The seats should have been tumble forward variety, not the 90's type simple tilt till it hits the front seat. The steering wheel from much lower segment car doesn't bode well.

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

Also between the Safari Storme 400 and HEXA, which one looks more promising. I dont like the Van like looks, but havent seen it in flesh and blood hence my views might change.

Neither. One is a van posing as an SUV and the other reminds of SUVs a quarter century ago.

Originally Posted by DieselFan

15-20 lacs price range will be the range in which the new Innova will operate and is 3-4 Lacs more than XUV. With features similar to XUV why would anyone pay such a high premium to a tata car with uncertain reliability? Are Tata repeating the mistake they did with Aria.

Seems like it. Don't expect those customers paying 15-20 lakhs to be unaware of what is being offered by competent world class products. Good luck Tata. We like to see you do well.

[damodar]

The Hexa which is based on the ARIA is more capable than most people assume it to be. When Hexa is launched TATA should organize off road events in the same way they did for the Storme.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TJh-mJs5QLg

[troublemaker]

I was about to go to Mahindra dealer to book XUV AT but now will have to wait.

I'm not a fan of Mahindra's design and interiors anyways. Looking forward to real inputs from the Gurus after the launch.

[Enobarbus]

Originally Posted by damodar

The Hexa which is based on the ARIA is more capable than most people assume it to be. When Hexa is launched TATA should organize off road events in the same way they did for the Storme.

I too have seen the Aria's rough road capabillites. I live in a place called Beeramguda, and my community is about 4 KM from the NH 9. For about 3 years, the only way to get to Hyderabad city was to use the NH 9 (now we can use the ORR as well). Between 2012 and 2014 the 4 KM stretch had gone totally bad. You will find it hard to believe, but the road was NEVER repaired for 2.5 years. Even the RTC stopped bus service. Very few autos were plying and that too for astronomical fares. Taxi wallas absolutely refused to ply on that stretch. During that period, there was a lone Aria taxi that was plying this route. No other, not even the Innova taxis were able to take the beating like the Aria. It soldiered on famously.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by BlueDevils

He could not divulge the price but did say that the Hexa will be competing with the XUV500

Originally Posted by tifosikrishna

Expect the Hexa to make it to showrooms in the next few weeks at a price point of Rs 15-20 lakh."

These two together will ensure that the Hexa is dead on arrival. There is just no way anyone other than a Recent Tata vehicle owner (Zest, Bolt, Storme) will choose a Tata over the XUV.

Originally Posted by DieselFan

15-20 lacs price range will be the range in which the new Innova will operate and is 3-4 Lacs more than XUV. With features similar to XUV why would anyone pay such a high premium to a tata car with uncertain reliability? Are Tata repeating the mistake they did with Aria.

Reliability is not uncertain. I'm willing to bet that all recent Tata launches are niggle free. I have first hand experience from the Zest we purchased last year.

The only way the Innova could be competition is if Toyota prices it out of reach, reliability and longevity notwithstanding.

I went on an 800+ km round trip in a previous gen XUV last weekend. Around 240kms were pothole filled and badly patched roads that made everything in the car rattle with the surprising exception on the hood over the meter console. The interior quality fit and finish and engines are where the Hexa can compete, but the XUV certainly looks the part (of an SUV).

On the other hand a good quality, well kitted product priced as it should (at par with the XUV) will in the long term prove to be better value. Maybe Tata is playing the long term game.