[viraj_s85]

For the sake of argument before comparing XE and XM understand that power plant in both variants is different, Most likely XE will targeted at Fleet Management / Travel Companies (Tata would love to have Indica / Sumo days back)

After going through all specifications XT or XTA or XT 4X4 are most favored picks, although as I mentioned in my previous post XM is good enough for city users but again pricing will be decision maker as XUV W6 is quite a decent package and dont forget Mahindra is already testing its new MPV



Please help clearing my confusion,

If Tata is opening booking in November and launch will be done in January will they declare prices in November or January?

If they planning to declare prices in January then I think they will already start making money off this car (Imagine how many enthusiast will put in 5K for booking at lock that money for 2 months - Further imagine rolling off money and interest gain on same)

[Black_Beast]

Originally Posted by viraj_s85

Please help clearing my confusion,

If Tata is opening booking in November and launch will be done in January will they declare prices in November or January?

If they planning to declare prices in January then I think they will already start making money off this car (Imagine how many enthusiast will put in 5K for booking at lock that money for 2 months - Further imagine rolling off money and interest gain on same)

For practical reasons, they can't announce price and not sell. Also they'll endup giving 2months gap for competition to rethink based on aggressiveness of Tata's pricing.

I wonder why Tata wouldn't give 7 seater in XT 4x4 / XTA.

[mobydick1983]

Was planning to book the XTA 4*2 if the on-road price in Kerala stayed within 18.5 lakhs. Only problem is I need the 7 seater version and seemingly there's no 7 seater XT/XTA. So now have to go for the XMA, I guess.

[OrangeCar]

IMO, one of the reasons Tata Motors wants to start taking bookings ahead of time is to evaluate possible demand and then determine pricing.

If pre-launch bookings are a runaway hit, with huge numbers, that will give Tata Motors confidence in adventurous pricing. If the pre-launch booking excitement is below expectations, lower pricing can further trigger bookings at launch.

Also, we all have read articles of new product launches having thousands of bookings / waiting period of 6 months or more. Consumers tend to get influenced by such reports and impose confidence in high demand products. It gives Tata Motors much needed publicity that its new launch is a runaway hit, right from the word go!

[viraj_s85]

Originally Posted by Black_Beast

For practical reasons, they can't announce price and not sell. Also they'll endup giving 2months gap for competition to rethink based on aggressiveness of Tata's pricing.

I wonder why Tata wouldn't give 7 seater in XT 4x4 / XTA.

XT 4X4 will be there top end version hence they will position it as per their promotional ads which boost 6 seat comfort

Originally Posted by mobydick1983

Was planning to book the XTA 4*2 if the on-road price in Kerala stayed within 18.5 lakhs. Only problem is I need the 7 seater version and seemingly there's no 7 seater XT/XTA. So now have to go for the XMA, I guess.

XT has both 6/7 option to choose from, No need to worry mate

Originally Posted by OrangeCar

IMO, one of the reasons Tata Motors wants to start taking bookings ahead of time to evaluate possible demand and then determine pricing.

If pre-launch bookings are a runaway hit, with huge numbers, that will give Tata Motors confidence in adventurous pricing. If the pre-launch booking excitement is below expectations, lower pricing can further trigger bookings at launch.

Also, we all have read articles of new product launches having thousands of bookings / waiting period of 6 months or more. Consumers tend to get influenced by such reports and impose confidence in high demand products. It gives Tata Motors much needed publicity of its new launch is a runaway hit, right from the word go!

I highly doubt just because of the booking amount set by them 5K in today's world is not much (No offense to anyone) so conversion rate will vary from actual once price is out

Even Honda takes booking amount of 5K for Activa, I feel if Tata wants realistic figures they need to either increase the booking amount or start booking which price details and deliveries from January

[ptushar]

Originally Posted by viraj_s85

XT has both 6/7 option to choose from, No need to worry mate

XT has both options (6/7 seater), but XTA has only 6 seater. I really wonder why this has to be the case? Why can't XTA also be provided in both the options. I really hope that Tata provides both options on the XTA as well; currently their website shows only 6 seater.

[swiftnfurious]

The discussion on the lack of flat folding seats is getting so bored to be honest! I'll ask a basic question - When would you place luggage on the back rest?

We place luggage on the backrest ONLY once the space closer to the tailgate is consumed; which means, there is no free space for the luggage to move around, at least towards the tailgate!

We can either talk about problems all through or find solutions to it. To avoid the stuffs from moving around, please consider these points

1. Place the stuff so that it's tight and has not much space to move
2. Fill stuff from boot with the seats in place; fold it only if you need more space
3. Try to use some nets / rope to secure the luggage.
4. Most importantly, please drive carefully (steady) if you have your boot loaded.

I am not sure why would most think that if the floor is flat, stuffs wouldn't move around while braking hard? It's all physics and a good braking can throw luggage around irrespective of the flat or non-flat floor.

Having driven a Swift which was completely packed (so much so that I had little view through the rear windshield) for 600 kms, I can assure you that safe & steady driving can keep the luggage in place provided you arrange it properly.

Can we now move on to some productive discussions please?

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by Guna

Now, with a sloping floor, I can imagine that things get worse and the luggage tends slide and to move to the lowest point..

What degree of slope are you talking about? What is the lowest point? What things will get worse in this scenario?

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Can we now move on to some productive discussions please?

Exactly. People are spending all their energies on such trivial subject which is such a non issue.

[DieselAddikt]

@swiftnfurious

I can't thank you enough for your post. There are dozens of things that we can discuss about this product and all we have been talking for pages is about a third row seat that does not fold flat. And people are thinking that it is like a slide in a children's park. Your points are very valid and I am not sure why people are not understanding it. May be people are still used to bashing TATA and they could not find anything else. Can't blame them. This is a trivial issue and people are talking as if the third row does not fold at all. In any car, safely fasten your cargo or you are in trouble during hard braking. It is as simple as that.

Can we talk about the actual car now ?

By the way, looking at the stripped down version XE, I have a feeling that TATA is aiming at a killer starting price. Not many private buyers would buy that variant though.

[aayushnair]

Originally Posted by ptushar

XT has both options (6/7 seater), but XTA has only 6 seater. I really wonder why this has to be the case? Why can't XTA also be provided in both the options. I really hope that Tata provides both options on the XTA as well; currently their website shows only 6 seater.

Agree with you, even my family will look for a 7 seater option, and as im going to be the one driving why should I complain. But this leaves one with a feeling of compromise by choosing a lower variant, when all the features I'd want are in the top variant only! Hope they give us an option to choose the seating config - will have to wait and watch.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by sourabhzen

What degree of slope are you talking about? What is the lowest point? What things will get worse in this scenario?

From some posts and pictures, I understood that the floor leaves a slope. I don't know what angle. Probably I should comment any further only after physically checking myself.
If you feel such issues are trivial, you may ignore them. But if I feel they are important, I would like to express my views and don't like someone shutting me from raising them.

[avisidhu]

Originally Posted by DieselAddikt

...
By the way, looking at the stripped down version XE, I have a feeling that TATA is aiming at a killer starting price. Not many private buyers would buy that variant though.

Don't know how true this is(and nothing specific to Hexa), but it looks like the price difference between variants has become huge compared to 6-7 years back. For cars like 3rd gen City the entire gap was close to 2 lakhs, and one could easily bite the bullet and go for the top variant. Now it seems you can budget a second car by choosing the base variant!

Can't argue that there's anything unhealthy about this, but for most those days are long gone when you entered the showroom enticed by the base model pricing, and the sales rep would lure you all the way to the top

[DieselAddikt]

Agreed. The price difference between base model and top of the line versions these days is so huge that another lower segment car can be had for that money. But, I think cabbies would be interested in XE. Private buyers will never look for one. And then, they can advertise saying that "Hexa starts at XX.YY Lakhs now" and then show the top of the line variant in the video with all the features and then some extra accessories too. Old marketing gimmick, but it still works I guess.

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by Guna

Probably I should comment any further only after physically checking myself.
If you feel such issues are trivial, you may ignore them. But if I feel they are important, I would like to express my views and don't like someone shutting me from raising them.

I am not shutting you, just asking for clarification for what toy posted here. The questions I asked are important to understand the logic behind the impact of 5 or 10 degrees of slope in folded seats.

Once i needed to fold down the rear seats of my Swift to carry some extra baggage (in my eight years ownership). I noticed that they do not fold flat but that would have been an issue only if the luggage was 5mm higher that what it was. Other than that it pose no challenge.

[damodar]

Okay to all of you who were feeling that maybe Hexa could be underpowered for its weight, got some numbers from Nov Autocar India magazine. It mentions that the in gear acceleration i.e 20-80kph 3rd gear and 40-100kph 4th gear of Hexa 4x4 is faster than Xuv 4x4 manual. And the truly amazing bit is that ARAI mileage for the AT is 17.5kpl!