[r0nit7]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Infact, no need to reduce the price of the XM variant by much as well. It does well by undercutting the XUV 5OO W6 by a good 66k already.

However, they really need another variant in between XM and XT, along the lines of the XUV 5OO W8. The features you have mentioned are really basic and absolutely essential. When you are asking all customers to pay the full extra for the XT just for these features, they might just prefer to shift to other brands.

The reason I proposed a price cut in XM is that the price differential with respect to the XE doesn't make sense for the features offered. In comparison to the W6, XM does lose out on ACC, cruise control, Auto headlamps, DRLs, Break assist & 17" vs 16" tyres, & doesn't gain much feature wise, not deal breakers anyways. The feature spread in XUV is quite commendable which is something that can't be said of the HEXA.
So Tata can't take the fight to XUV variant vs variant. What they can hope to do is spread the features across multiple variants & let people make a choice. At the moment, like you mentioned, the only variant to go for in Hexa, eyes closed, is the top end one & the transmission of choice is auto. There are takers for XTA, no doubt, but looking at the sales, people will always be apprehensive about spending that much on a Tata.

Originally Posted by vibbs

That's a nice thought. However does not cut the bill for me. I may be looking for an upgrade next year and it's only the XTA that I will be looking at. AT for obvious reasons and of course the single biggest factor of 6 airbags. I have decided my next car will have them. Give me 6 airbags in XMA, I will happily lap it up despite lack of other features.

Unfortunately, 6 airbags is a luxury at the moment & almost reserved for top end variants only. Half the cars sold per month don't even have this option (talking to you Maruti ). So your grouse, somewhat justified, will not be resolved in sometime to come unless either Maruti makes it mass market & others follow suit or the Government makes it mandatory.

[Kishen.padiyar]

Here is my take on the 'easy to drive' nature of the XUV, that is currently being highlighted. My friend who owns a XUV W6 - first generation before the facelift always manages to stall my Aria every time he drives it. Reason: XUV has a rather long clutch travel with a high bite point unlike the Aria/Hexa where the vehicle crawls even with around 50% of the clutch released.

Coming to the heaviness of the steering, as we all know it is down to the weight on the front wheels. XUV being a monocoque is lighter by ~300-400 kgs overall which means the load on the front axle is greater by approx 200 kgs (assuming an approximate 50:50 weight distribution). This extra weight can be made not felt at the steering wheel by increasing the power assistance. This means less feedback on the steering and also increased fuel consumption (courtesy a bigger power steering pump). So in this case, heavy steering is a compromise for the robustness of the underpinnings.

Turning radius as many have mentioned is a function of steering angle and wheelbase. 4" of extra wheelbase can make a big difference in terms of stability compared to 0.4m increase in turning radius. Comparing and stating that it is 0.2m more than XUV etc is pure nitpicking. If you can't live with a 5.XXm of turning radius for a full sized SUV/Crossover then please look elsewhere. One needs to understand that in most cases whether it is 5.4m or 5.8m, both require 3 point turns for a U-turn.

[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

If you can't live with a 5.XXm of turning radius for a full sized SUV/Crossover then please look elsewhere. One needs to understand that in most cases whether it is 5.4m or 5.8m, both require 3 point turns for a U-turn.

Exactly what i was typing and you summarised it brilliantly. If anyone's sensitive to a 0.2 to 0.4mm turning radius, then this is not the right segment to go shopping for! Yes, if your parking space is narrow and you are expert enough to make that 0.2mm difference count, then it does matter.
This same point was highlighted by a friend and i politely asked him to be honest with himself and try searching for the real reason why he doesn't want to buy a Hexa. He's still struggling to find one!

[sparky@home]

Will the Hexa sales get affected when the updated XUV500 with a 170 BHP engine enters the show room. It is supposed to have many more features and if the price is increased, of course then it’s in a different terrain, and probably a competitor for the Endeavour and Fortuner. The Hexa from what I gather is slowly picking up sales, even though it’s not running of the shelf. This may affect its sales, I hope not though.

[Fiest@DuraTec]

We've been on the lookout for a car and funnily while we started by thinking about the Tiago - have now almost finalized on the Hexa.

We were horribly confused on our requirements and tested hatches, then moved over to the sedans and finally decided to take a look at the beasts when we're spending that much.

I have always been an admirer of the Tata Safari and since that is too dated, took a look at the Hexa. Brilliant package overall - interiors are just way above Tata's standards - every inch feels premium, great space, roomy - huge vehicle. Loved the ride - had a great view of the road, it literally blew everything that came into its way - mind you we went through some really bad roads. People were crawling and started giving us the way when they saw it in their rear view mirrors - it definitely has that great road presence. The only down part on the vehicle was its drivability - it felt a little too tiring to drive - the manual gearbox was a put off along with a jerky and long clutch plus the heavy steering.

Even though I was the one who proposed it and family was unsupportive but one ride in it and they're hooked to it which now leaves me confused because of the con I mentioned above. Still thinking !!!

[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by Fiest@DuraTec

l
Even though I was the one who proposed it and family was unsupportive but one ride in it and they're hooked to it which now leaves me confused because of the con I mentioned above. Still thinking !!!

Why not try the automatic? After all, this car is known in this segment to have the best AT.

[Fiest@DuraTec]

Originally Posted by abhi7013

Why not try the automatic? After all, this car is known in this segment to have the best AT.

I don't feel connected while driving an automatic - manual is a must have for me - find the automatic a bit too uninvolving.

The case for Hexa is still strong since I think it will just take a couple days to get accustomed to the driving dynamics. Heart says Yes, Mind says No as a usual habit.

Adding this : Ok - so we're almost convinced on the Hexa. We're looking for a gurgaon registration and the dealers are not negotiating one bit on the price. XT 4x2 is going to cost 17.3 on road. Any leads here for a better pricing ?

[Torquedo]

Fellow BHPians -

I am in the process of finalizing the XE variant, I searched though the internet, there does not seem to be a single review on the XE variant.

I would be thankful if any BHPian has TDn the XE variant and provide the feedback here, better if I was to expect, a comparo of the the drive-ability, ride, handling between the Varicor 400 and 320 on the Hexa.

Thanks Much.

[narayan]

Originally Posted by Fiest@DuraTec

I don't feel connected while driving an automatic - manual is a must have for me - find the automatic a bit too uninvolving.

Do consider the fact that these MUVs/SUVs anyway don't give you that great "involved" feeling in a manual the way a sedan with a free revving petrol engine or a creamy diesel would. So, you would be doing your left hand and left foot some good service by opting for the auto. Just my 2 cents.

Originally Posted by Torquedo

Fellow BHPians -

I am in the process of finalizing the XE variant, I searched though the internet, there does not seem to be a single review on the XE variant.

I would be thankful if any BHPian has TDn the XE variant and provide the feedback here, better if I was to expect, a comparo of the the drive-ability, ride, handling between the Varicor 400 and 320 on the Hexa.

Thanks Much.

From a drive-ability perspective, it shouldn't be different from the Storme that I used to own - so the 320 is a good enough engine to do the duties. Ride should be same as other variants because I don't think the suspension set up is different across variants.

But are you ok with the rest of the XE in terms of features and the colours on offer ( I heard its only available in white ? ).

[Fiest@DuraTec]

Originally Posted by narayan

Do consider the fact that these MUVs/SUVs anyway don't give you that great "involved" feeling in a manual the way a sedan with a free revving petrol engine or a creamy diesel would. So, you would be doing your left hand and left foot some good service by opting for the auto. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks and I completely agree ! However have tried AT's and can't choose it for a couple reasons.
1. Manual vs Auto - again a matter of heart and mind.
2. XMA is too basic and XTA is way above my budget. I'm extending my budget already for the XT.

[Torquedo]

Originally Posted by narayan

From a drive-ability perspective, it shouldn't be different from the Storme that I used to own - so the 320 is a good enough engine to do the duties. Ride should be same as other variants because I don't think the suspension set up is different across variants.

But are you ok with the rest of the XE in terms of features and the colours on offer ( I heard its only available in white ? ).

Thanks a lot for the quick response, Narayan.

My questions were stemming from the fact that the Hexa has a lot more (minimum of 200 odd) flab when compared to the Storme, consequentially, the difference on the Storme might not be that evident but can be more pronounced on the Hexa for the 320 Vs 400 comparo.

I am more than happy to save bucks by buying the base variants and spending (not that I would ever want to) that amount on the ownership cost over the years. Hexa presents the curious case where the specs on the base variant is different from the higher ones, hence the proposed question/s.

I am not at all gizmo/feature savvy if there be glaring gaps in the pricing of variants.

Color - The pearl white with the black cladding actually look nice on the Hexa, I must admit that the door handles and ORVM's in Body color look out of place.

Thanks once again.

[Kishen.padiyar]

Originally Posted by Torquedo

Fellow BHPians -

I am in the process of finalizing the XE variant, I searched though the internet, there does not seem to be a single review on the XE variant.

I would be thankful if any BHPian has TDn the XE variant and provide the feedback here, better if I was to expect, a comparo of the the drive-ability, ride, handling between the Varicor 400 and 320 on the Hexa.

Thanks Much.

VARICOR 320 with 150PS state of tune is a very good engine and more than sufficient for city as well as highway runs. The only thing that you may miss is the 6th cog but again it is only the spacing between the gears you will miss and not the cruising ability as the 5th gear ratio on the 320 is not very far behind the 6th gear ratio of the 400. To put it in simple terms, 100 kmph in 5th gear on the 320 engine is approx. 2050 rpm and the same speed in 6th gear on the 400 engine is ~1900 rpm.

Also do note that the difference in kerb weight is not that much as you have quoted - the XE weighs 2094 kgs and not the 2280 kgs as in the case of the XT 4X4. The ARAI rating of 14.XX what we see is for the XE with the 320 engine and is the most fuel efficient.

To sum it up, like other BHP-ian(s) have mentioned - if you are ok with the pearl white only color choice (most brands charge a premium for this color, you're getting it for free ) , then XE will definitely be a super VFM variant especially after GST pricing. It is a real steal! For the door handles, you can always pick up the chrome accessory that is available for the handles as well as the wing mirrors.

[Torquedo]

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

Also do note that the difference in kerb weight is not that much as you have quoted - the XE weighs 2094 kgs and not the 2280 kgs as in the case of the XT 4X4. The ARAI rating of 14.XX what we see is for the XE with the 320 engine and is the most fuel efficient.

Thanks, thanks a bunch, Kishen (wish there an option of giving more than 1 Thanks).

Could you please share the source, where you got the variant wise weight distribution of the Hexa?

[Kishen.padiyar]

Originally Posted by Torquedo

Thanks, thanks a bunch, Kishen (wish there an option of giving more than 1 Thanks).

Could you please share the source, where you got the variant wise weight distribution of the Hexa?

My pleasure. The weight information is from Hexa user manual page 216. I am attaching the screenshot of the same for your reference. Cheers!

[r0nit7]

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

My pleasure. The weight information is from Hexa user manual page 216. I am attaching the screenshot of the same for your reference. Cheers!

The user manual mentions XM & XE variants in both 6 seat & 7 seat configurations. I don't think the 6 seat configuration is available even as an option, not even at dealer level. Have I missed something or is the manual incorrect?