[vibbs]

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

Yesterday evening, I saw a Hexa being trailed by Innova Crysta. Hexa has a better road presence than the Crysta IMO. It looked bigger in proportions and honestly, I liked the front look of Hexa more than the Crysta.

I agree. I saw the hexa in flesh for the first time today on road. It looks much better to my eyes than the innova crysta. My colleague had recently taken a test drive of both Hexa and Crysta and was mighty impressed with Hexa. He is an ardent critic of Tata. If he liked a tata car, then tata must have done something really good with Hexa.

I am tempted to take a look myself!!

[vigneshkumar31]

.Brawn and Butch.



Test drove the XT manual again, this time, along with my wife and kid. This is my 3rd test drive of the Hexa and with each time it grows more on me, I learn more about the car and it continues to impress on many accounts. I had to pen this down...

Looks:

The car looks 'regal' and moves with a mature 'all-knowing' elegance. As it pulls up near you, its easy to notice that its in no hurry, as if its not meant for haste. No childish sprint in its toes, no bounce, no drama. It stands butch in its stance as its massive 19 inch wheels spin on arrogantly to pull back the road. Its not trying to grab attention, not crying out loud, ...it doesn't have to.

As others clamour for road space, the Hexa holds its ground with a road presence and a casual apathy that comes only with seasoned experience of effective diplomacy. This is no wanna-be teenager with a tattoo and mohawk. This is the cigar smoking statesman, never short on suave.

Take a walk around the Hexa, and a gentle tap around should give you confidence regarding build quality. No overdone plastic panels to save weight, these are brawny solid metal panels that can arm wrestle a freight train.

Colour:

I have seen the Hexa in 3 colours, Grey, Silver and Blue. TATA's 'launch' colour choices have always been good, carving an identity to that product in its segment (Urban Bronze for Storme, Sunburst Orange in Tiago, Blue for the Hexa) And this is the colour that generally looks best on it., though personal preferences may differ. I love the blue that the Hexa wears, and gives it an unmistakably premium silhouette in the dark. I would have preferred if they could have gone easy on some chrome, but you know how it works here.

Interiors :

The air of no-nonsense elegance continues as you step into the cabin. Love the quality and finish of all that you see and touch. Some bits like the rubber sheathing gland in the neck of handbrake lever was not well finished for e.g., but overall the cabin is a large spacious happy place to be with good, lasting quality.

The plush captain seats are beefy and are so comfortable that Joey Tribbiani wouldn't complain. The seats have good travel and can liberate acres of leg space for the second row if desired.

When the driver seat is pulled back to my driving position and I tried to disembark, I found my leg hitting the travel-channel on which the seat slides. Its got a high coaming and will take some time to getting used to, or must be cushioned up.

With last row up, still can manage a few small bags. It would have been criminal if the last row ended right at the tail gate with no luggage space at all.

Folded the last row down and its irksome that it doesn't fold flat. It does liberate a huge boot, but would have loved it if it flushed flat. Captain seats are like La-z-Boys and wonderful to sink into. Im yet to see a middle row bench seat variant to comment on that. It would be a tough choice to choose between the two- a bench to accommodate one more person/practicality that a continuos bench offers in the 2nd row Vs the uber comfortable captains.

Air con is bone chilling, true to a TATA, but higher notches blow loud adding entropy to would want to. Again comparing with Storme experience, with a smart thermostat ACC setting choice, this will not be a deal breaker.

Sun blinds are a neat touch. The door latches make me wonder why they didn't carry the Storme locks to the Hexa. The lock and latch in the same conduit compared to Hexa's lock on top and latch on door arrangement.

The horizontal ( 'flexible') LED strip that runs in rear of the vehicle is a neat looker!

Ride Quality:

As you fire up the ignition, the sedate behemoth, shakes to a start. A shudder more pronounced than even my Storme. Once its woken up, it settles down ready to take orders. Start moving ahead... and you learn that Weight, like age, is just a number. The sure footed 2 tonner moves planted on the road and gets going. Speaking of its boastful ride quality, the Hexa is an arrogant snob that refuses to pay any heed to road conditions. Good roads, bad roads, no roads...these seem to be just third world problems the Hexa is blissfully oblivious to. Puddles, potholes and breakers are hushed up with mechanical bribery.

If you ever decide to get angry at Hexa, it's ride quality is one thing that can make you forgive and forget its other shortcomings. There are some things money can buy, for other things there is.. aftermarket. Ride quality however, is priceless.

The Hexa never breaks a sweat itself, and doesn't let you do either, as it powers over terrain, suspension doing its duty diligently. It is always calm and composed and nestles its occupants in serene comfort. While under the hood, the Varicor is doing its bit in pushing this beast ahead, twisting a good sounding 400 torque, enough to take along solid walls with it.

Took the Hexa over broken bad roads and its GC played to its strength.


Driveability:

I was sold on the Auto variant I test drove last time, but definitely missed the AWD option in it. It was lacking ESP,Traction Control and Hill Descent also.

This time, it was a top end manual and the first relief was the 'easy' clutch. My Storme has made my left leg stronger over years of ownership, with its heavy clutch. The Hexa was remarkably different but I felt its pedal had too long a travel to depress it to get beyond surety. Have to check it in stop-go traffic to have any real time effect of this sink in. Manual Gear box is good and has improved much beyond my Storme, (but constantly comparing it with the superior Auto in XTA is unavoidable in your head). For someone, spoilt by the Command Seating that Safari offers, I enjoyed the Hexa's driving position also and wouldn't complain in this regard.
My wife's turn to drive...

My wife did not take much time in finding her driving position using the height adjust lever, (same as in Storme) but I would have preferred electronic seat adjustment option.I miss that. My wife, a Figo veteran, was very happy with the ease of driving this huge vehicle and comfortably commandeered this beast down roads narrow and wide. She was finding no problem in operating this manual box compared to the endeavour we had rented out last month.

Features:

I'm personally more happy with mechanical soundness and reliability than a laundry list of gizmos and features if I had to choose between the two. But as its claim to premium fame, the Hexa cannot skimp on features. As its apparent from the brochure,has many feel good features which will keep a lot of people happy.

The 10 speaker setup is pleasing and Harman Kardon ICE is worth the price tag. The touch screen's size doesn't bother me. I would have preferred inbuilt maps though. Juke Car App ,Remote App and those other things... etc sound like cool things that fetch some bragging rights, but I don't know when I would use them. Must have features like Cruise control is absolutely required and happy it works well. Tried voice command, and it recognised what I was saying on 3rd attempt. (In Hexa's defence, even Siri takes two!)

Steering mounted controls are a charm. As I fiddled with the controls in HU I was wondering what I would do with mood lighting , my most dispensable feature in the Hexa, and I turned back to see my son having fun playing with the coloured illumination. Something to amuse him and keep him busy?

Bottom Line:

The Hexa is not the perfect car, sure there are bits that could have been done better. But with each test drive, it reassures, surprises and tugs at those strings. It is an impressive overall package for a Crossover., that gives a comfortable ride, a good list of creature comforts and features. Great for most of its daily life usage. And as its USP, can very comfortably tackle moderate off the road trails and take your family safely overland to exotic places if you demand it to.
The only crib I have is for the want of a AT AWD, which I expect and hope will come in .

//Being a cult follower of the iconic Safari, I'm eagerly waiting for the next gen safari whenever it comes. The Q501 holds good promise and Im sure TATA will give it all its got. But in all that enthusiasm, IF the price goes out of my reach, I'm gladly convinced on a HEXA.//

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by yogeshbala

Precisely!

This defeats the whole purpose of having a cup holder. How on earth can such a simple thing escape the designers' eye?

Not able to get it from the text. Can you post some pictures?

[AAD]

Originally Posted by vigneshkumar31

.Brawn and Butch.

Bottom Line:

The Hexa is not the perfect car, sure there are bits that could have been done better. But with each test drive, it reassures, surprises and tugs at those strings. It is an impressive overall package for a Crossover., that gives a comfortable ride, a good list of creature comforts and features. Great for most of its daily life usage. And as its USP, can very comfortably tackle moderate off the road trails and take your family safely overland to exotic places if you demand it to.
The only crib I have is for the want of a AT AWD, which I expect and hope will come in .

Hi Vignesh,

Firstly I must congratulate you on the excellent prose used which is as mature as the car it describes.

I tend to agree with most of the points mentioned by you and I would jump at the thought of owning the Hexa if it came with AT AWD.

[rshnvjy]

Test drove the XTA model on two different occasions, once in Coimbatore, where I study, and once in Thrissur, where I live. Both the dealers did not have the manual variant at the time of the TD and therefore I had to settle for driving the auto and reserve my judgement of the manual box for later.

First things first, the build quality of the exteriors, fitment of the panels and the sheet metal felt absolutely solid with no compromises. We had a 2010 model Fiat Punto (which has been sold), and I felt right at home with the heavy doors which gave a 'tank' like feel. The whole vehicle seems built to last.

Secondly, the interiors were very impressive. I remember being impressed by the interiors of the Zest but this was on another level. The ample use of soft touch materials as well as the premium design really reaffirms the effort Tata has put into designing and engineering this car.

And finally, driving impressions; in a word, sublime. This was the very first ladder frame as well as automatic that I've driven and it was in fact easier to handle than our old Punto owing to the fact that the visibility all-round is excellent. I was able to easily place the car while taking a sharp turn at both dealerships. The steering was well weighted (coming from a Punto, I loved that ). There was of course, a lot less feedback, but I found the steering to be better than some other cars on our roads. The auto box was telepathic and didn't ever hesitate shifting down if I were to give it the full beans and mash the throttle.

During the first TD, I drove a bit sedately to understand the car, the gearbox and more importantly the magic carpet ride. The TD route at Race Course, Coimbatore had its fair share of speedbreakers and potholes and the Hexa handled it with aplomb. It just glides over them. I've been in the Merc E-class, Chrysler 300C and even the Merc V-class (Viano), none of them ride as well as the Hexa does. Or even close.

Moving on to the second test drive, I was able to find a clear stretch of road in front of the dealership so I decided to floor the throttle. The gearbox responded in kind by downshifting, the engine screamed its lungs out and before I knew it I was doing 80 km/h. The SA was kind enough to remind me to shift to sports mode in order to check out the car's performance. This is one sweet combo of a gearbox and engine, made that much sweeter with the dual character (quiet and refined when you're sedate, sporty sound when you're in a hurry). I never thought a diesel motor could sound good, because they usually end up sounding strained and throaty as the revs climb. Not so here.

I am a tall person (maybe 6'2") and I had no trouble finding the sweet spot with regards to my driving position. I sat in the static display vehicle (which was a manual), and I was able to reach the gear lever and slot the gears in comfortably as well. The gearbox seemed rather good, coming from the rubbery shifts of the Punto and we won't have any problems with it. I think the ergonomics may be messed up for a small percentage of people but to most of us, it seems okay and very comfy even. The seats are superb and accommodate my large frame well. I did try the captain seats as well as the third row. Getting into the third row was a bit of a hassle since I'm tall, but once settled in, it felt more comfortable than sitting behind in my Punto.

We've booked a Sky Grey XT 4x2, 6 seater. My dad is abroad and will be coming next week and the main obstacle we face is the size of the parking garage at our home. He will need to do a test drive and bring it to the house to check if it fits. If it doesn't, we intend to convert our booking to the Zest, also Sky Grey, XT diesel. We'd almost confirmed the Zest until the Hexa came along and impressed us. We need the car mostly for long distance trips and not really for driving in the city. Fingers crossed, really!

[RavenAvi]

Big thanks to Sandeep for sharing these on WhatsApp!

The interiors of the Hexa XM variant:

[PraNeel]

Overdrive have come up with their comparison video of Hexa and Innova Crysta. It felt like a paid one contrary to the balanced ones from the reviewer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uH4u897gMM

[pk_del]

Originally Posted by PraNeel

Overdrive have come up with their comparison video of Hexa and Innova Crysta. It felt like a paid one contrary to the balanced ones from the reviewer.

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=6uH4u897gMM

Thanks for sharing.

Can't believe it, so many contradictions. This review is farce and paid.

Let me point it out:

- The second row back rest is at almost 90 deg in Innova and author says third row is more comfortable in Innova. Misleading gullible public.
- In full load Innova is more poised and Hexa is meant for only one or two. This is pure misleading the public. Hexa is super stable and the occupants are totally comfortable and it rides without any bumps.
- Crash test - Innova is better - without any benchmarks how can he compare this.
- Audio system - both are equal - again no comparison and doesnt mention that Hexa comes with Harmon Kardon ICE.
- 4x4 - Innova doesnt even offer - But still reviewer says both can equally handle bad patches. Quite misleading
- He also doesnt mention why Innova is downgrading from 17" to 16". So many complaints from existing Innova owners about tyre bursts and Toyota is not even listening to them.

Overall, I am a happy and proud owner of Hexa where my manufacturer is not paying public reviewers to say good things.

This clearly shows Hexa has definitely shaken the giant called Innova.

And by the way, those 19" wheels in motion are chick.

-PK

[anthiltg]

Originally Posted by rshnvjy

We've booked a Sky Grey XT 4x2, 6 seater. My dad is abroad and will be coming next week and the main obstacle we face is the size of the parking garage at our home. He will need to do a test drive and bring it to the house to check if it fits. If it doesn't, we intend to convert our booking to the Zest, also Sky Grey, XT diesel. We'd almost confirmed the Zest until the Hexa came along and impressed us. We need the car mostly for long distance trips and not really for driving in the city. Fingers crossed, really!

Parking: Trust me, this beast would refuse to be fit into anything small. It really is long and most of the other vehicles look shunted besides it. Only BMW X5 or Toyota Fortuner seemed to be in comparable proportions.

Highway Comfort: I think Hexa is miles ahead of anything you can afford under 50 lakhs (or maybe even more).

[rshnvjy]

Originally Posted by anthiltg

Parking: Trust me, this beast would refuse to be fit into anything small. It really is long and most of the other vehicles look shunted besides it. Only BMW X5 or Toyota Fortuner seemed to be in comparable proportions.

Highway Comfort: I think Hexa is miles ahead of anything you can afford under 50 lakhs (or maybe even more).

1. Indeed, and which is why we have to take a test drive specifically for checking that. The parking lot as such is rather capacious, but it is the mouth of the gate that seems to be a bit narrow. Measurements show that theoretically it may be possible, but practical trials are a different scenario altogether. We will know on Monday and then I will know what car to start writing an ownership review thread on.

2. Definitely, and we are looking for utmost comfort for journeys greater than at least 100 kms. The Zest is great and would be lovely with the added bonus of being able to drive in the city too, even though this is not at all a priority as Thrissur is a rather small town, but the Hexa would take it to another level. We had a capable mile muncher (Punto) earlier, but sold it due to reasons such as Fiat's servicing costs and rumours that they may exit India. We intend to keep the car for at least 6-8 years and it would be a shame if suddenly spares and other parts were to become unavailable.

Originally Posted by pk_del

Thanks for sharing.

Can't believe it, so many contradictions. This review is farce and paid.

Let me point it out:

- The second row back rest is at almost 90 deg in Innova and author says third row is more comfortable in Innova. Misleading gullible public.
- In full load Innova is more poised and Hexa is meant for only one or two. This is pure misleading the public. Hexa is super stable and the occupants are totally comfortable and it rides without any bumps.
- Crash test - Innova is better - without any benchmarks how can he compare this.
- Audio system - both are equal - again no comparison and doesnt mention that Hexa comes with Harmon Kardon ICE.
- 4x4 - Innova doesnt even offer - But still reviewer says both can equally handle bad patches. Quite misleading
- He also doesnt mention why Innova is downgrading from 17" to 16". So many complaints from existing Innova owners about tyre bursts and Toyota is not even listening to them.

Overall, I am a happy and proud owner of Hexa where my manufacturer is not paying public reviewers to say good things.

This clearly shows Hexa has definitely shaken the giant called Innova.

And by the way, those 19" wheels in motion are chick.

-PK

Definitely. Couldn't agree more. Seemed like a biased review to be sure.

Just wanted to ask, from the perspective of a person who owns both a Punto and a Hexa, how do they both compare in terms of driving feel and size difference in the city? We had a 2010 MJD Emotion pack Punto which we sold in favour of a Hexa (also XT 4x2). Specifically, how is the gearbox? I found both to be very similar in terms of clutch and gearbox feel, barring the fact that Hexa's clutch is a bit more 'springy'. It would be great to know your opinion. Also, how does the engine feel mated to the manual gearbox? If it is any more enjoyable to drive than the Punto is, its a winner in our books.

[nsbhagwat]

Originally Posted by abhi7013

No, the arm rest is pretty sturdy and of excellent quality.
However, the lid of the armrest doesn't fold back into the seat which might make it fall back on the arm rest in bumps or heavy breaking.
I tried driving around with the lid open. It did not close though which is good. May vary from car to car.

It is the hinge design of the armrest that needs redesigning. When the armrest is lifted up it fouls with the upper edge of the cavity made to accommodate the cup holder plus armrest. The armrest and cup holder together flips up and fits snugly in the seat.

Regards
Nikhil

[abhi7013]

Unable to make any progress with ownership thread. I have a 1500km trip this weekend coming up. Will update everything in the thread after the drive.
Anyways, the sticker looks good in this position on Hexa!

Edit: Unable to add attachment.

[pk_del]

Originally Posted by rshnvjy

Just wanted to ask, from the perspective of a person who owns both a Punto and a Hexa, how do they both compare in terms of driving feel and size difference in the city? We had a 2010 MJD Emotion pack Punto which we sold in favour of a Hexa (also XT 4x2). Specifically, how is the gearbox? I found both to be very similar in terms of clutch and gearbox feel, barring the fact that Hexa's clutch is a bit more 'springy'. It would be great to know your opinion. Also, how does the engine feel mated to the manual gearbox? If it is any more enjoyable to drive than the Punto is, its a winner in our books.

I can just say that you will feel at home.

My GP is 2009 batch, steering is on the heavier side. In Hexa, considering the size of the car and weight, I find the steering light.

Both are fun to drive, I am relishing the power of being pushed, where rear pushes and front follows.

In traffic I would prefer Punto, but on highways my first choice would be Hexa.

I liked Hexa's gear box much better than Punto, clutch has long travel though but you will get used to it.

Power is mated perfectly, though there is some lag. Auto mode is perfect for traffic, in comfort mode the torque comes little later.

-PK

[Kishen.padiyar]

I would like to pen down two instances where I had been to check out the Hexa.

First experience was sometime towards the end of November - that's when the dealerships had begun to receive TD cars. Being an active follower of this thread, I read about Prerana Motors on Lalbagh road having a XTA for TD and I made it to the showroom with my cousin (the prospective customer in this case) and saw the Hexa for the first time in flesh. On seeing the car, I was left speechless! Such was the elegance of the car (car was in Tungsten Silver shade).

On entering the showroom, a lady walked up to us to welcome and asked us as to what we are looking for. We told 'Hexa' with a smile on our faces and we were soon put on to one of the concerned sales advisers. The SA was reasonably knowledgeable and was not trying to fake anything about the car. We were promptly offered coffee and in the meantime brochure along with price list were handed over. Features across different variants were explained as we awaited our turn to get our hands on the TD car. Once we got moving, the first thing I was able to notice is how good the NVH levels are compared to my Aria. Slotted into 'D' mode and the engine was more than eager to get going soon after releasing the brakes. Drove through some dense traffic and on finding a 200m empty stretch of road, I decided to check the sports mode and trust me, it was nothing less than a take-off experience on the 747-8

The SA asked us if are interested in checking out the rough road capability and we agreed instantly. He took us to a small 50m stretch of highly broken road and we were really impressed with the way the car tackled it. I soon had to make a 3 point turn and coming from the Aria, I did not find it to be a herculean task. Steering is better than on my Aria in terms of effort required.

Headed back to the showroom and explored the interiors and space. I am 6'1" and I was comfortable in the third row seat (the car was was a 6 seat version). The middle row captain seats are simple superb and I guess everyone who have experienced this car will agree with me Loved all the attention to detail, the plastics, the fit and finish. Had little or no reasons to complaint. My cousin booked the XMA variant in Tungsten Silver and we headed back home smiling all the way.

Overall experience was top notch. Everything from the reception at the showroom to the SA and his Manager and last but not the least - the car itself left us with a feeling that Tata definitely deserves a pat on the back.

Few days back I had been to Prerana Motors on KR Road with another cousin of mine who is probably not considering buying the Hexa at this point of time (his current ride is in the middle of a company lease) but was really interested to have a look the car to get a feel of it. We entered the showroom at 8PM on a Sunday thinking that it may be closed but we wanted to try anyway. To our surprise, the showroom was open - later on we realized that there was a midnight shopping festival going on and that meant one SA was doing duty beyond his work hours.

He quickly acknowledged us and was running through the features of the car. There was an XT 4X2 on display in the 7 seat guise. I decided to check the 3rd row and I must admit that it is very accommodating. Much better than my Aria. Checked out the driver's seat and found that the gear lever was well within reach from my driving position and was able to slot all gears without any fuss. Yes, it's not a Fiesta in terms of shift quality but nothing to complain either.

We asked the SA about the bookings and he mentioned about 25+ bookings for that showroom alone and 2 cars were already delivered so far.

TD was not possible as it was way beyond their 6PM cut-off time which I think is fair. The SA then took down my cousin's contact details and asked for a convenient time slot for a TD.

Both occasions, I was really impressed with the proceedings at the showroom. I feel this vehicle definitely has the potential to create a buzz in the SUV/Crossover segment.

[Kishen.padiyar]

Originally Posted by pk_del

Thanks for sharing.

Can't believe it, so many contradictions. This review is farce and paid.

Let me point it out:

- The second row back rest is at almost 90 deg in Innova and author says third row is more comfortable in Innova. Misleading gullible public.
- In full load Innova is more poised and Hexa is meant for only one or two. This is pure misleading the public. Hexa is super stable and the occupants are totally comfortable and it rides without any bumps.
- Crash test - Innova is better - without any benchmarks how can he compare this.
- Audio system - both are equal - again no comparison and doesnt mention that Hexa comes with Harmon Kardon ICE.
- 4x4 - Innova doesnt even offer - But still reviewer says both can equally handle bad patches. Quite misleading
- He also doesnt mention why Innova is downgrading from 17" to 16". So many complaints from existing Innova owners about tyre bursts and Toyota is not even listening to them.

Overall, I am a happy and proud owner of Hexa where my manufacturer is not paying public reviewers to say good things.

This clearly shows Hexa has definitely shaken the giant called Innova.

And by the way, those 19" wheels in motion are chick.

-PK

I was not too convinced when ACI compared Hexa and XUV. The result of the comparison was something like "on pure merit alone it is the XUV that emerges on top but the Hexa offers lot more and is more VFM".

Coming to OD's comparison of the Hexa and Crysta, they really should not have commented on the crash worthiness at this point of time given that we do not have data/numbers for Hexa on the crash test front.

I feel the overall quality of articles and reviews is on the decline these days.