[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Was it with the 19 inch wheels or 16? If with 19 inch wheels, imagine what a 16 inch with a taller profile will do.

Just a doubt. Are 16 inch wheels supposed to be more comfortable on a rough road than 19 inch ones?

[nsbhagwat]

Originally Posted by abhi7013

Just a doubt. Are 16 inch wheels supposed to be more comfortable on a rough road than 19 inch ones?

Tyres with a higher sidewall provide better ride comfort due to their ability to soak up road imperfections much much more than low profile tyres.

Nikhil

[wanderlust]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Precisely why GTO insisted on TD as ergos do vary from person to person. What maybe comfortable for me, may not be comfortable for my friend.

I am 6'1" and I found the steering reach to be alright. My only gripe is the stretch for the gear leaver (it is too much to the left) and large movement to engage each gear. Engaging the reverse especially requires some skill.

[Jyodi Backster]

Originally Posted by nsbhagwat

Tyres with a higher sidewall provide better ride comfort due to their ability to soak up road imperfections much much more than low profile tyres.

Nikhil

But, that'll be at the cost of handling right?
Hexa's handling is already not so great, switching to high profile tyres will cause lots of body roll, isn't it?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by HappyRoadie

I would like to know how difficult it is to drive it around in city?

Not going to be easy for sure. The steering has some weight, the MT has messed up ergonomics, the gear lever is a stretch and the clutch is long (although light).

If you like the Hexa, get the AT.

Originally Posted by invidious

So I find your post a bit contradictory. "The ride is great but the driver isn't very comfortable."??

Ride quality (suspension comfort) and driver ergonomics are two different things, buddy.

Also, do note that some drivers may still be comfortable (perhaps the shorter ones), while some won't (to me, the ergonomics are a deal breaker).

Originally Posted by Sheel

Was it with the 19 inch wheels or 16? If with 19 inch wheels, imagine what a 16 inch with a taller profile will do.

You said it! I drove the top variant; the one with 16" rims should be a dream.

Originally Posted by ashis89

How much of a difference does it make to be driven in a Q7 and an Innova, if I put aside the snob value of those 4 rings? Condition being good city roads and occasional highway runs. If the roads are good, those air suspensions (if the expensive car has one) can't bring in much of a difference to the overall ride experience. If the roads are bad, one may think twice before driving (or being driven) through it in a Q7 vs. an Innova.

Well put. An Innova Crysta or Hexa with captain seats will match / beat any luxury sedan for comfort.

Originally Posted by Jyodi Backster

But, that'll be at the cost of handling right?
Hexa's handling is already not so great, switching to high profile tyres will cause lots of body roll, isn't it?

The difference won't be felt much in what is a family UV. On a corner carving sedan, yes, but not on a UV. I love my UVs with smaller wheels & big tyres. Superior ride & far better durability (no fear of wheel or tyre damage).

[narayan]

Originally Posted by wanderlust

I am 6'1" and I found the steering reach to be alright. My only gripe is the stretch for the gear leaver (it is too much to the left) and large movement to engage each gear. Engaging the reverse especially requires some skill.

Going by the pictures and comments, I think the gear lever placement and reach seems to be similar to the Storme. This takes a bit of getting used to and effort. Clearly could have been avoided by Tata but shouldn't be a deal breaker IMO. Anyway best to do extensive test drives and do an overall assessment

[roby_dk]

Originally Posted by GTO

Took the Hexa for a long spin.

Loved the ride quality - it's easily among the best riding cars this side of an S-Class.

That is a big compliment for Tata Hexa engineers. I feel Hexa will definitely prove itself as best product from Tata stable and better than its competition.

Guys we should forget about comparing 19" with 16" as they are already providing enough comfort and ride quality. Apart from cost one should never think of downsizing it will destroy the look of Hexa to great extent.

Just see how puny the 16" look on Safari (Pic attached). I wish it could have been 17" or 18" or more .

[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by roby_dk

That is a big compliment for Tata Hexa engineers. I feel Hexa will definitely prove itself as best product from Tata stable and better than its competition.

Guys we should forget about comparing 19" with 16" as they are already providing enough comfort and ride quality. Apart from cost one should never think of downsizing it will destroy the look of Hexa to great extent.

No one's thinking of downsizing! The XE and XM variants come with 16 inch steel wheels and that's why it is obvious to compare between them and the XT's 19inch alloys. But as of now, XM/XE are not yet available for test drive.

However, if tata provides an option to choose alloys for the XM, people with tight budgets would be happy and maybe willing to spend that extra bit!

[1.2TSI7DSG]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Was it with the 19-inch wheels or 16? If with 19-inch wheels, imagine what a 16 inch with a taller profile will do.

Just a thought:

The supple ride of the Hexa has been achieved by a superb combination of the tyres and the suspension together.

If the vehicle has been tuned to perfection on 19 inches its best to leave it that way. I am sure that the 16 inches stuff would have/require a different suspension setup all together.

My "prediction": The 16 inchers will be softer on the sharp bumps but then will compromise on the plain road ride by rolling here and there. I doubt that you would be as comfortable in the 16" on a long drive on the Mumbai Nashik/Mumbai Pune Eway (indicating smooth highways)

[madhu33]

Originally Posted by GTO

Loved the ride quality - it's easily among the best riding cars this side of an S-Class. Let me rephrase that : I can't think of any car costing under a crore rupees that rides this well.

. If I was a buyer in this segment, this point alone would push me toward the equally-competitive XUV500.

Hi GTO, i own a New gen Xuv W8,
* i am not so happy with XUV's city speed ride quality
* Interior fit and finish could have been better in the XUV. It feels out dated now looking at the interior pictures of the HExa.
*I detest the treatment meted out at Mahindra service centres across western & south Mumbai.
*I would want a better usable 3rd row seat.
* I would also want the advantage of an Automatic for those long driving vacations.

your comments on the messed up ergonomics reminds me of my Tata Manza days where i had still not found my sweet spot in the drivers seat even in the 5th year of ownership. Personally for me it might not be a deal breaker.

Having said all the above, Xuv's highway manners and driveability and ease of overtaking anything and its flick ability at those speeds will be sorely missed if at all i go in for the Hexa.
Can you please post in more comments on Hexa's highway manners and overtaking traits vis a vis the XUV?
Is the heavy kerb weight of the Hexa really a deal breaker here ?
How i wish if you could also do an extensive test drive of Hexa Auto.
Your inputs on above parameters would be highly useful for mortals like me.

[zeddo]

For what it's worth, National Auto Hadapsar Pune is providing test drives, albeit inside the magarpatta campus as the car is not yet registered. Anyone eager enough for an in the flesh experience -do head down there.

My quest for a good 7/8 seater has been ongoing since almost a year now.

Link

The Endy had the best driving experience and even after turning a blind eye to the bad 3rd row egress, this would have been my choice. But after the endy price hike, it killed the deal and decided to finalise on Crysta after all.

So one afternoon, after fixing up a time with the sales exec (Sameer: who was trained excellently on Hexa) I had decided to give the Hexa a look and then go over to DSK Toyota next door (Amanora) and finalise on one of the Crysta variants

Anyway, cutting a long story short, I spent about 20 minutes driving the HEXA and didn't need anymore convincing to put ​​down the booking amount. It is truly a great vehicle Tata has come up with. The interior comfort is MILES ahead of Crysta & the car really drives like a charm.

I have found that none of the cars in the segment have all the features one would expect, but in my opinion Hexa hits the sweet spot with a great balance of everything *needed* (not wanted) in a Car.

[invidious]

Saw 2 Hexas today. One was displayed prominently on the Mahim Causeway at the entrance of the Bandra-Worli Sealink and the second surprisingly had regular number plates and was being driven around the Kings Circle Garden. This was the first time I saw it in the flesh and it does have commanding road presence. However closely you look at videos and hi-res pictures on various reviews; the real thing tends to either disappoint or exceed expectations. Whilst I did not get to see the interiors, the exterior paint job, design and finish did indeed exceed expectations.

[Vikvkv]

I am in Bangalore for the last couple of days with my family. I managed to convince my dad to check out hexa. It was a late decision made by me and we set out to locate local TATA dealers in Bangalore with the help of gmaps. Found only one showroom open at 8:30pm at adugodi Concorde Motors. To my surprise found one attendant and asked him about hexa, he was very welcoming and soon one more guy joined him. They led us to the side of the showroom and there it was the stunning hexa. Pictures don't do justice to this behemoth. My Dad was instantly convinced that this will be our next upgrade from our Chevy Tavera. The attendant handed me a brochure and requested me to come tomorrow for a test drive. They had both the xta and xt version. One attendant said the xt would be priced at18lacs and the xta would be priced at 21lacs. Some initial impressions of hexa:-
Stunning presence and those wheels are stunning.
Paint job was good.
Interiors are excellent.
The touch screen is too small.
The middle row and last row don't fold flat.
Rear lights are leds and look great.
My Dad was finding it hard to find a perfect seating position on the driver seat. The seat adjuster was a bit confusing.
Did start the car and it sounded silent but have to test the nvh levels while the test drive. Hopefully I get to test drive it tomorrow.
Update:-
Happen to see a Tata kite like car. I'm confused because it looked like zest but was a bit proportionate and had different wheels. But I couldn't manage to take a pic.

[anthiltg]

Hexa TD Experience

Ok, finally managed to drive both Hexa XTA and XT. Earlier had test driven XUV500 as well. The folks at Harsha Toyota in Hyderabad were too busy to turn up for the promised TD of Crysta on last Saturday - so I anyway stuck that off my list. So here are my thoughts/comparison from my TDs:

Exterior Looks:

XUV - Has always been a great looker which drew attention on our roads. The latest version has further smoothened some of the rough edges to truly settle into a refined zone. But some of those over muscular protrusions are an eyesore to some and also needlessly increases the bulk without a functional rationale behind it. (My Score: 8/10)

Hexa - Wow, maybe this is what they call a 'road presence'. Unlike XUV, it doesn't attract eyeballs due to its quirkiness. Rather, it does so because of pure design harmony and an exterior that truly reflects the soul of the car. The design philosophy seems to effortlessly stem out of what the car aims to be and, is quite successful at that. (My Score: 9/10)

Interior Design:

XUV - The XUV now has a lot spunky gadgetry on the interiors - 7" Touchscreen, Sunroof, Tyre pressure indicator etc. So it seems like a hi-tech cockpit. But that is not the complete story; the plastics feel average at its best and the vertical layout in which everything is laid out made me feel claustrophobic. I felt there were too many thing around me giving a feeling of cramped space. Some of the storage spaces are also out of reach during normal usage and is not user friendly. (My Score: 7/10)

Hexa - It does not try too hard to impress, but actually succeeds in doing that. The layout seems to have been laid out in a leisurely manner and gives you a sense of space along with the commanding view of the road. The displays on Hexa also seem more aligned with the feature they try to showcase rather than just try to swoon the user with gimmickry. So you end up feeling much at home here rather than an XUV. (My Score: 9/10)

p.s: on ICE - I did not carry my iTouch and hence, couldnt really test the sound output on the Harman system. But I guess it is expected to be top notch from what the official reviews had to say in this regard. The one on XUV was like any other OEM stock system, which just did what it is expected to do.

Seating Comfort:

XUV - From driver's perspective, the comfort was reasonable and the leather (or art leather) upholstery was decent. However, the rear passengers had a lot of complaints on the space when 2 adults and 2 kids were sitting on the rear bench. My wife complained of feeling the vibrations under the seat at high speeds (the TD vehicle had only 20k on the odo). The 3rd row is a serious compromise and is definitely not a choice for long drives. Ingress and egress to the 3rd row also seems like an unpleasant chore. (My Score: 6.5/10)

Hexa - Irrespective of whether it is the first row or the second row (Captain seats), the comfort levels are supreme. My finicky wife went to sleep along with my naughty son during the TD; I guess that sums it up nicely. My aged parents, for once, also felt at ease in spending some time in the car. It does take you sometime to adjust the driver's seat for the right reach as the clutch travel is relatively long; but that is a minor niggle. Also the ingress and egress in the 6 seater version is really easy when you just walk through the second row (provided you are not very tall). (My Score: 9/10)

Engine:

XUV - It definitely is a tried and tested gem; an undisputed champion while overtaking.
My experience was no different, the acceleration capabilities of the vehicle can put a lot of light weight sedans to shame. I personally, enjoyed driving this beast on the highways. I never really felt wanting for power or torque in any band. (My Score: 9/10)

Hexa - This is also a very capable engine with lots of torque. When I first drove the XTA, was impressed on how effortlessly it moved from standstill. At no point do you really feel the weight; thanks to the Engine. But based on whether you are driving the ‘race mode’ in XTA or the ‘comfort’ mode in XT - you will be able to feel no or slight turbo lag (below 1500 rpm in the latter). This is a minor irritant, but not a deal breaker, unless you are a Petrol head who likes a quick move in traffic. When it comes to the highway, the beast is unleashed and easily comes across in the same league as that of XUV. Cruising at 120 kmph in the short highway access that I got, was a pure delight. (My Score: 8/10)

p.s: I also like the growl of the Hexa engine which sounds like a regal beast.

Transmission:

XUV - This is definitely a smooth unit, but I had a couple of misses when slotting into 6th gear. Due to the pull-up knob feature, reversing did not seem a problem. But again the throws are long and something, you feel tired of in city traffic. Clutch was showing signs of wear and tear (marginally hard). (My Score: 8/10)

Hexa Automatic - Sheer brilliance; makes Hexa feel like a car from a higher price band. Moves effortlessly and is a boon in city traffic. Even when you push it hard, there is a half a second pause after which it surges ahead after re-slotting into the right gear. In the race mode, the drivetrain is in a demonic mood wanting to chase everything at sight. However, it also ensures there is a constant Engine groan heard all along which sometimes makes you feel the Engine is under a stress test. (My Score: 9/10)

Hexa Manual - I went in with trepidation as this was quite often flogged as one of the primary shortcoming; but I came back pleasantly surprised. Yes, the throw is long and makes it cumbersome to drive in the city traffic - but, the gearbox is definitely smooth and coupled with a light clutch, did not really trouble me much. And more importantly, I had no misses while slotting it into any gear (even the 6th) at any point of time. But of course, I was stupid to forget trying out the reverse gear (maybe was drooling over the Hexa). In general, I feel this is a sufficiently accomplished gearbox and even in the worst case will be something that owners will definitely get used to in time. (My Score: 8.5/10)

Ride & Handling:

XUV - there is no mistaking that this is a tall design and there is considerable body roll when pushed on rough tarmac. The tyre profile does help in cushioning some impact, but definitely is out of its comfort zone when moving through those puddles and potholes. It looks like an attractive SUV, but surely does not handle like one (read as ‘compared to the ladder-on-frame types’). (My Score: 7.5/10)

Hexa - welcome the new trendsetter or should I say ‘bulldozer’? This beast simply tames the undulations on the tarmac and dismisses them of its presence. I test drove on the same set of roads on all 3 vehicles - XUV, Hexa and my old Swift. To sum it up, Hexa made me doubt if the roads were recently relaid. What a boon for Indian roads. You no longer need to slow down to pay respects to the potholes on the road. There is still some body roll, but perceptibly lesser than the competitors. (My Score: 9.5/10)

After my XUV TD, the sales person asked me which other cars I was considering. When I said Hexa, his confidence dropped a notch lower. I now understand why!
As far as Toyota Crysta is concerned, it is high time their snobbishness and over the top price takes a beating.

So in conclusion, I hope with sensible or preferably Tiago type of ‘pleasant shock’ pricing - the Tata gets back on track in the Indian Automotive scene to stake claim for a throne they quite deserve in this segment.

[Musa]

Originally Posted by GTO

Took the Hexa for a long spin.

However, the ergonomics are totally messed up, at least for taller drivers. I asked Vid6639 as he has a driving position similar to mine, and he agreed too (that it can be a deal-breaker for him). Whatever I tried, I was just not able to find the 'ideal' driving position.

- The steering is too far away. No reach adjustment.
- If I pull the seat closer, then the pedals (especially starting point of clutch) are too close.
- The MT's gear lever is placed too much to the left. You will need to stretch a lot more to engage 1st & 2nd in the Hexa.

I tried on 5 different occasions, but just couldn't feel at home in the Hexa's driving chair. If I was a buyer in this segment, this point alone would push me toward the equally-competitive XUV500.

If you are tall, please be sure to take a long test-drive before signing on the dotted line. The Hexa's messed up ergonomics are just not something I'd be able to live with. Of course, it might be different with the AT (where my left hand & leg aren't required), but I haven't driven the slushbox variant yet.

I am so relieved to see this post !!!

I went for the Hexa Experience at Bangalore and went through all the motions of registering, waiting, going for the off-roading and then waiting for the TD. While doing so, I slipped into the driver's seat on the car on display and I was immediately shocked and disappointed. The driver's ergonomics for me was such a HUGE LET DOWN.

I am a driver at heart and I am 5' 5". I have extensively driven my Baleno (the older sedan avatar), Figo (again the older avatar) and M800. And I have also driven a friend's Safari a lot. In all, I can find just the right ergonomic sweet spot with just a few adjustments of the driver's seat. But, in the Hexa, I just could not find it ... and believe me, I tried and tried and tried.

The worst is the driver ergonomics in the MT version. The footwell is so so so cramped, it's just unbelievable! Even the front passenger side footwell is a huge disappointment. I believe I state facts when I say that the Baleno, Figo and M800 have way better footwells! I am no car expert by any standard, just an ordinary driver, but does the gear box (or whatever) really require so much space that the footwells have to be so badly compromised? I think a baby elephant would nicely fit in all the space that is there in between the two front footwells! Added to this, the gear lever positioning is all messed up in the MT as GTO pointed out. And when I got a relatively "nice" spot, my knees would touch the dashboard. It was just too much.

Like GTO said, maybe the AT would be different, but still, the footwell and my knees touching the dashboard would certainly be a sore point. After eagerly waiting so long and reading the reviews, I was seriously considering the Hexa, but for now, I am so put off that the Hexa is definitely off my list. I did not even bother to go for the TD for which I had registered!

With the Safari / Storme experience behind them, just how is it possible to not get this right for the Tata's and that too in their flagship vehicle?

And the reason I am so relived to see this post? Well, you see after reading & watching all that I did about the Hexa I was wondering why nobody in the 30+ pages had made an issue of the horrible driver ergonomics! I was wondering if my anatomy had something off. So relived after reading GTO's post, that well, I am normal. Thank YOU; - GTO ...