[caffeineAM]

Originally Posted by GTO

From January, the Hexa XE loses its music system & speakers .

The management of this company has certainly lost the plot. By "company" I mean the passenger cars division. Maybe they should just transform it into a bare bones taxi manufacturing division. What would they try to delete then? Engine? Transmission? Doors?

[octane_100]

This is poor product management from Tata. They are killing Hexa assuming Harrier will be a hit. Hexa and Harrier can co-exist and infact help Tata to retain customers within their fold by offering choice in an overlapping segment. Internal cannibalization is always better than losing sales to competition.



The other concern is letting down the customers who have put their faith and money in Tata when not many were ready to. Their lack of interest in promoting Hexa may further affect sales and subsequently the resale value for existing customers.

[nainan]

Originally Posted by GTO

Thanks to a Team-BHP Fan (who prefers to stay anonymous) for sending this information in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP page!

From January, the Hexa XE loses its music system & speakers .

Yeah right. If this is positioning for the Harrier then the Hexa has more power, torque, size and 2 more seats. It also has a 4x4 & automatic options. Now will they remove all these too? Tata please understand a brand gradually grows premium over time with a rock solid reputation and generations of hit products with each new product building on the previous generation in the Indian market. They should rather leave the Hexa intact and ensure the Harrier has everything the Hexa has and then some more. Since we know the Hexa has better instead of trying to position the Harrier 5 seater over the Hexa 7 seater they should try to position Harrier where it belongs below the Hexa and use the H7X opportunity to provide an experience better than the Hexa.

[discoverwild]

Is this some kind of inside job to tarnish the company's reputation? Can't make any sense of it.

[vibbs]

Just when I am warming up with the idea of buying a Tata, I hear this!!

By the way, in the Harrier thread, there were talks of providing configurable versions which never got confirmed any way. Even the lower variants of Harrier do not have much features to speak of.

Reading both of the above regarding the Harrier and this news of Hexa together, do we see a pattern?
Is it possible that the lower variants are being stripped off features to

1. Not make Hexa too feature rich when compared to Harrier
2. Give both Harrier and Hexa customers, the option of buying additional features over these stripped down variants based on their individual likes. Probably have a ICE module which can be applied to any variant you want and you get the same ICE options as the Top end model. Or perhaps have a Safety module which again can be applied on any of these lower variants to get similar safety features as the top end.

I have made a similar post in Harrier thread as well because there were initially talks of having customised Variants for Harrier. But now seeing that lower variants of Harrier not being as feature rich as expected and Tata deleting the features from Hexa as well, got me thinking if there is an over all pattern.

[PrideRed]

I think Hexa is turning out to be a bit of problem for Tata. Given the components involved, I doubt if Tata can price Harrier lower than Hexa. They cannot price it higher as it will then have to compete with Compass and arch rival XUV will have the price advantage. Given that Hexa XE comes with 140HP engine, Tata might market Harrier as more upmarket option which also comes with 140HP engine and slightly more features.

[vigneshkumar31]

Originally Posted by vibbs

, there were talks of providing configurable versions which never got confirmed any way.

Configurable 'modular' options would indeed be a good option for us customers. Similar to 'Build your car' option offered by some manufacturers abroad.

But here, the flexible modularity would be a logistical nightmare and an integration challenge. Delivery timelines would also probably increase as you customise your car, order it and wait. Consistent build quality over differential assembly would have to be looked into.

But considering their current manufacturing proficiency, I would be happy if they just deliver the stock variants properly as advertised. I am not sure, if our manufacturers have attained the production maturity to pull off modular units tailored to customer need yet.

Not only TML, some other manufacturers have also deleted some features during their annual batch revisions, and some with not much hoopla about it. for e.g.. Ford Endeavour 3.2 Titanium had a nice headlight washer. When the SYNC 3 went in, this washer was removed. Cost cutting? How much is that headlight washer going to save Ford in a 40 lakh car? Of course it was not mentioned anywhere or spoken about in their brochures.

But looking at the laundry list TML has knocked off from the Hexa, Im stumped.

Hexa was a good VFM package and many of us would vouch for the value it brings to the table at its price point. I have been recommending it to my friends who are shopping in that bracket and few have purchased it too. If tata is going to strategise to maintain the price, by stripping features, its like throwing important goods off the Tata boat to stay afloat each year. This is not acceptable to me personally. I would rather have them plonk a stripped variant down below to maintain the entry level sticker price to pull people into the showroom if thats what they want to advertise starting at XX.XX lacs. If TML has to resort to this to float their boat, then they need a thorough introspection.

If your boat is sinking, plug the damn hole! How much will you throw off? You will sink eventually as long as that hole is there!

The sad thing, is all of us at TBHP follow the auto scene so closely like hawks, that we are able to notice these changes. The un-informed buyer will walk into the showroom, based on the good reviews and value tag that the car has garnered over its life and plonk money on it, oblivious to what all have been deleted from launch version. Of course, we can argue that the onus is on the buyer to ascertain what exactly he is paying for and what he gets.

But then lets just say he saw his friends 2017 Hexa, took a ride in it, impressed with how the car looked in Arizona Blue, and heard good reports about it from owner and hence made his mind up to trust TML and plonk. The poor bloke goes to the showroom and the roof rails are gone! The cars look does change with an omission like that. And of course the SA is not going to remind him that:

"Sir please note that the roof rails you might have seen before have been removed now, please check that though this fact is not mentioned in the brochure in as many words, we have not claimed that we provide roofrails either in the revised brochure, so we are politically correct. And this is just the most obvious difference, Ill leave it to you to figure out what other easter eggs you can uncover"

[mroutlander]

Originally Posted by vigneshkumar31

... The un-informed buyer will walk into the showroom, based on the good reviews and value tag that the car has garnered over its life and plonk money on it, oblivious to what all have been deleted from launch version.

I sincerely hope and pray that the shot callers at TML are made to go through this whole thread to understand that this sneaky deletion of features is only going to hurt them.

While an average non-BHPian out to buy a car might only check out the T-BHP reviews, chances are he/she might stumble on to this thread. And from there it would be word-of-mouth. TML should reflect on their wise decision (pun intended) lest it snowballs, hits them in the face and snaps their jaw.

Having put my money on Tata itself and being a self-proclaimed Tata fanboy, this kind of stupidity at their end just leaves me livid and disappointed.

[vigneshkumar31]

This thread pulls every carcastic nerve in me.

This argument that Hexa is to be stripped to make Harrier appealing does not hold water. Firstly, I believe the buyer for either H walks in with completely different requirements.

A large family looking for their next family car that can seat 7 in comfort is not going to suddenly look at the Harrier, fall head over heels with its looks and trade off his primary requirements because he likes the ICE screen and the copper colour.

Similarly a young couple looking for a snazzy cute ute, which turns heads and rolls eyeballs is not going to shift to the bigger H, just because its bigger and makes more power.(and run the risk of inlaws tagging along on roadtrips thanks to the extra seats)

And even if there is a rare buyer from that narrow cross section of intersection of both these cars, why does Tata want to alleviate his suffering from that delectable dilemma of choosing between two feature loaded capable cars. Regardless of H or h, Either way money comes to tata.

What is he going to say? "Im so confused to choose between these worthy Tata cars, so Ill walk out and buy the Creta instead, so that I can save myself the mental agony and burden of choice"

If the hexa has to be stripped to make space for the harrier and justify its price tag, then the Hexa is great value and the proposed ask on Harrier is more. Price both cars aggressively and let both of them sell volumes.TML don't lose the ball now.

I will not even start about the H7X!

Im eagerly waiting (read dreaming) for an Indian stable to give us one 'FULL' car- even if its only one apex variant - a fully loaded car, feature loaded to the gills, with top notch safety features. A car which you simply cannot say NO to, if you are shopping in that segment.
And if thats going to cost a bomb, so be it. If its price justifies its value, the Indian consumer will buy.

.Build it and they will come.

[Chetan_Rao]

Stripping down an established car, on the assumption that the new, yet-to-be-launched one will be a hit and make up volumes is a risk Tata can't afford to take. What if Harrier sales don't live up to their expectations? Will they re-equip the Hexa? Will prospective customers even care or trust the brand at that point?

Should've waited for Harrier to gain traction, then rationalised the portfolio, if needed.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by GTO

Thanks to a Team-BHP Fan (who prefers to stay anonymous) for sending this information in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP page!

From January, the Hexa XE loses its music system & speakers .

Looks like they are reading Team Bhp posts, and taking negetive actions instead of positive.

I had pointed this out in Harrier thread - In fact, was shocked to see the base variant of what is supposed to be a D segment SUV come without even a basic music system, then upon checking out the Hexa - realized that it had many features Harrier base variant doesn't have. Don't be surprised if a few more things go missing too.

Harrier base variant comes only as a taxi spec white colour - Hexa gets 6 colour options. Won't be susprised if thats the next feature going out of the window.

[vigneshkumar31]

I wonder again ...Why can't tata spec two nice cars and sell them both? Especially when they target different clientele.

Do we see Toyota degutting the Innova just to make the Fortuner seem like more value.its not the same comparison but you get my drift. Both Innova and fortuner sell and how! The two buoys that float the Toyota empire in India.

If there's anyone who can bleed for a while .,take some hits, and undercut competition and do a predatory amazonian pricing strategy to make their offerings irresistible till they gain foothold in the segment its this TML.

...Such immature amateuristic product strategies from the large conglomerate tata which put India on the sky for crying out loud... is seriously disheartening. I won't be surprised if a Kia or an MG reads our market better and overtakes Tata in the years to come.

ot:Many Of us want this company to do well and give us competitive products..Personally, when we had the nano, I trusted the company enough, to have the cheapest and costliest car in the tata showroom at that time, share our garage .,..and hence the anguish.

[speedmiester]

Tata Motors lost a customer in me.
We wanted to get a small automatic car primarily for city runs to be used by my wife and father-in-law.
Started with used cars and looked at new cars.
We finalized on Tiago XZA due to its features, ride quality and safety factors.

Was about to book the Tiago when I came to know about Tata Motors not offering Alloys on XZA variant. There were no cars left with alloys with the dealer. Checked with other dealers in the city as well.
Most irritating part was when my neighbor informed about his purchase of Tiago XZA with alloys just two days before for similar price that was offered to me.
Had to drop the idea altogether. Will wait and get a new car around March, but will not be interested with Tata Motors anymore.

[gururajrv]

Looking at the current trend, Tata is going bearish and is clinging downwards! If this continues, base variant will only be left with bodyshell and engine whilst the rest of the features including second and third row seats will be optional

Why did you even revive a dying product like Aria and christen it Hexa? To capture market or to make a fool out of yourself? You’re killing your own product for the second time, good luck with that!

[vigneshkumar31]

Originally Posted by gururajrv

Why did you even revive a dying product like Aria and christen it Hexa?

Probably to create a stepping stone in the product lineup so that tata could pitch heavier products further north later?. These products needed time for development and when they come eventually TML couldn't plonk them super north and risk the question 'A tata at 20 lacs?!' So they used the existing platform of the Aria as a stop gap and gave us a super value proposition and gradually got us used to >15 lacs Tata.

To a point where we are now considering a harrier placement at 20 lakhs neighbourhood without batting an eyelid.

The Hexa was super value for money when it came and some loaded variants like the XTA may well could have been bleeding tata. They bled till the stepping stone was built and established and now scraping it off slowly as they climb up?

Just thinking loud.

I want to change my signature to :

Overpricing is an offence. Deleting features is a sin.