[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

On a different note, finally was it the Crysta or Hexa that found space in your garage?

The Crysta VX came home on the 11th of Feb, despite me offering stiff resistance to it till the end. We had a family function deadline to meet, so my elder uncles gave me till 10th Feb to get the Hexa, which the Tata dealership could not keep.

But I haven't cancelled my booking yet. Planning to get the Hexa a few months' down the line.

Lazarus, say hello to the Tata Hexa!

My 4.3m Hyundai crossover is completely dwarfed!



Polar opposite frontal looks.


Rear overhang is big for the Tata.


Those extra millimeters make the difference.


How many comparison points can you draw?


On to the bigger side of things.


Interiors, from the 2nd row's captain seat.


The reversing guidelines on the HU's display, with the wheels fully turned to the right.
Yep, guidelines are fixed and don't move with steering inputs, unlike my Creta.


FE figure is fantastic for this heavy AT behemoth.

This Sky Grey XTA 4x2 arrived earlier today morning, and I was called by the dealership to come and check it out in person. This is a display car for the showroom, but they are letting prospective customers do a test drive.

Drove it in an exhaustive TD, took it to speeds in the high 100s on open roads and tested the braking, which was super-quick and excellent in response, specially for this 2.3 tonner. Zig-zagged on the roads on high speeds and swerved past a cow which appeared suddenly, to test the car's high-speed stability, and it came out with flying colours. Never lost control of the car for even a fleeting moment. The Hexa stuck to the road without any nervous jerks or fish-tailing, not indicating even once that it's such a heavy and burly machine.

Ride quality and driveability of this AT-engine combo is simply mind-blowing. Haven't seen a more responsive AT box, other than the DSG. Upshifting is completely seamless, and as a driver you never know when the box is upshifting except for the RPM meter.

Drove off the road into a farming dirt track at around 70-ish kmph, and the car was stable as a rock on the dirt, grime and pebbles.

Didn't touch the manual shifting at all, and I let the Sports mode pleasure me to the full. It was fun watching the needle redline before downshifting when I took the foot off the accelerator, with the engine emitting a soft "whoosh" sound every time that happened.

Only grouse I had when I parked the Hexa back in the dealership, was that the steering felt heavy. But I am coming from the Creta, which has one of the lightest steerings in the Indian auto scene. While the Hexa's steering was heavy, it wasn't cumbersome to deal with and gave excellent feedback regarding tyres and the road conditions, unlike my Creta's steering which lacks this.

To all present and future Hexa customers - you are getting this car for a steal at 20 lakhs OTR. The AT/engine/ride comfort alone is worth much, much more than what Tata is asking for it's flagship SUV.

Glad I have stuck to my booking. This car will definitely enter my garage in the future. Possibly soon.

[wilful]

Like some of the others, I have no intentions of buying the Hexa but I visit this thread frequently to savour the experience of the new owners and enthusiasts who have driven it. And I am thrilled to find that Tatas have come out with a high quality offering.

[Kishen.padiyar]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

The Crysta VX came home on the 11th of Feb, despite me offering stiff resistance to it till the end. We had a family function deadline to meet, so my elder uncles gave me till 10th Feb to get the Hexa, which the Tata dealership could not keep.

It's unfortunate that Tata have messed up on their logistics here! With bookings open as early as November and given that you had booked it way back, the dealership unable to deliver the car by February is criminal. Tata have definitely lost a huge potential customer(for now).

But I haven't cancelled my booking yet. Planning to get the Hexa a few months' down the line.

That's great news! Hope you get your hands on one soon!

This Sky Grey XTA 4x2 arrived earlier today morning, and I was called by the dealership to come and check it out in person. This is a display car for the showroom, but they are letting prospective customers do a test drive.

The Hexa in sky grey looks majestic! I used to be of the opinion that sky grey may not be a good choice of color as the body cladding does not stand out that much due to lack of contrast but now I firmly believe that it's a superb choice!

Only grouse I had when I parked the Hexa back in the dealership, was that the steering felt heavy. But I am coming from the Creta, which has one of the lightest steerings in the Indian auto scene. While the Hexa's steering was heavy, it wasn't cumbersome to deal with and gave excellent feedback regarding tyres and the road conditions, unlike my Creta's steering which lacks this.

How does it compare with the Crysta's steering? I haven't driven one extensively but the couple of occasions I drove it, it felt really heavy.

To all present and future Hexa customers - you are getting this car for a steal at 20 lakhs OTR. The AT/engine/ride comfort alone is worth much, much more than what Tata is asking for it's flagship SUV.

Definitely agree with you on this . Let's hope the market receives this product well and make it a success. Good volumes mean better desirability and in turn better resale as well.

[abhi7013]

While my dad was getting down the passenger seat, one of the locks holding the plastic cover to the bottom of the seat broke off. Now the plastic cover hangs loose over the side of the seat. Though the quality looks good, no idea why the lock broke off.
To owners, please ensure you do not put your whole weight to the side of the seat while stepping out as the weight falls right on that piece of plastic.
Can this replacement be claimed under warranty?

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by abhi7013

While my dad was getting down the passenger seat, one of the locks holding the plastic cover to the bottom of the seat broke off. Now the plastic cover hangs loose over the side of the seat. Though the quality looks good, no idea why the lock broke off.
To owners, please ensure you do not put your whole weight to the side of the seat while stepping out as the weight falls right on that piece of plastic.
Can this replacement be claimed under warranty?

Can you please post a picture here for better understanding? The seats and its parts should be designed considering the worst possible scenario one could get in and out. Either the part could be faulty or poorly designed. In either case it definitely warrants a free replacement.

[sureshurs]

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

Between the 6 speed manual and auto, which of them is a better highway cruiser? As in if we consider a speed of 100 km/h in 6th gear, what does the tacho read in both cases? I am assuming the autobox may have a slight edge here of around 100rpm or so.

XM/XT and XMA/XTA owners can comment on this please?

The tachometer was around 2000 rpm when I was doing 100 kmph. It went up to 2500 rpm on touching 140 km on NICE road.

[Kishen.padiyar]

Originally Posted by abhi7013

While my dad was getting down the passenger seat, one of the locks holding the plastic cover to the bottom of the seat broke off. Now the plastic cover hangs loose over the side of the seat. Though the quality looks good, no idea why the lock broke off.
To owners, please ensure you do not put your whole weight to the side of the seat while stepping out as the weight falls right on that piece of plastic.
Can this replacement be claimed under warranty?

Like you mentioned it is not a quality issue. The cover is pretty sturdy but at the same time it is not something that can take body weight. I ended up breaking the same cover on the driver's seat of my Aria within the first few months of owning it. Didn't think about warranty then but I remember it costed around 300 bucks to change it. After changing it it's been around 3+ years and I have had no issues.

[Kishen.padiyar]

Originally Posted by sureshurs

The tachometer was around 2000 rpm when I was doing 100 kmph. It went up to 2500 rpm on touching 140 km on NICE road.

2000 rpm sounds a little on the higher side considering that the 320Nm state of tune engine with 5 speed gearbox does 100kmph at about 2050 rpm in 5th gear.

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

Tata have definitely lost a huge potential customer(for now).

They haven't, yet.

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

The Hexa in sky grey looks majestic! I used to be of the opinion that sky grey may not be a good choice of color as the body cladding does not stand out that much due to lack of contrast but now I firmly believe that it's a superb choice!

Frankly, the pics don't do justice to this particular colour shade. It has to be seen in person, specially at night under the showroom lights, and appreciated for it's rich, premium lustre.

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

How does it compare with the Crysta's steering? I haven't driven one extensively but the couple of occasions I drove it, it felt really heavy.

Comparatively, the Crysta's steering is a bit more heavy to deal with at city/crawling speeds. Once you go past 55-60 kmph, the Crysta's steering becomes progressively better and is at home on highway speeds. But the steering sometimes loses it's composure when you go over a sharp speed-breaker or a pothole, much like my Creta. It can be annoying.

The Hexa AT's steering, although a bit heavy, is easier to deal with. Not only does it provide plenty of feedback, but it's actually better at slow city speeds. A big difference is it's composure when the Hexa runs over a broken patch - absolutely nothing is transmitted to the driver, except a muted thud from the wheels. At highway speeds, the Hexa definitely has the better steering wheel, out of the two.

As for reversing into parking spaces, I would prefer the Hexa's steering over the Crysta. Another point in favour of the Tata.

My fully detailed TD report from earlier (in December 2016) can be read here - LINK (Tata Hexa : Official Review)

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

Let's hope the market receives this product well and make it a success.

Never thought I would say this about a Tata product, but the interior quality, paint quality, overall product quality and in-cabin insulation is comparable to Hyundai-esque standards.

NVH levels is still some ways away - Hyundai diesels are top class in this regard. Nothing else comes close.

When you sit inside a car for the umpteenth time and cannot stop yourself from running your fingers across the dashboard plastics above the glovebox and on top of the central console, you realise that you are dealing with a rich, premium-finish product. Hats off, Tata!


Thanks to my good friend Sujit for these pics of a February-2017 manufactured, Sky Grey XMA variant from a Pune dealership stockyard.

[anthiltg]

My ownership report,

Variant: XT 4x2
Colour: Sky Grey
Seating Arrangement: 6 seater with Captain seats
Delivery Date: 3rd Feb
Kms done (till date): 400+ Kms (mostly in City)
Mileage: 10 kmpl (my driving style is anything but sedate)

Dealership Experience:
I have mainly owned Maruti Suzuki cars before this. Also have experience with Honda and Hyundai (purchase of my friends). This is the first one with Tata and for sure has been a pleasant one till now. The SA (Raza) in Concorde, Chandanagar (Hyderabad) has been one excellent support throughout. His prompt response and handling of all my requests in time has been nothing short of spectacular. The delivery experience was also seamless except for the cake cutting and photograph sessions (which I am not a big fan of). Since this was the first Hexa being delivered out of this particular branch - the entire unit was in attendance. Overall, full marks to the team.
I didn't opt for any accessories except Extended Warranty (3 + 2 years @ INR 13K) and rubber mats. I wanted carpet mats, but that was not available. After these few weeks, the rubber mats with hexa pattern all over it has one problem. My formal shoes (soles) tend to get trapped on the mats during clutch movement. Just before the evening ended, noticed that the child lock on rear right side door was stuck and could not be moved. Called the SA and he asked me to drop in the next day as it was already late.
The next day, they had some door mechanic available to check this. But when he got into the process of removing the inner door casing, did he realise what a monster this was. Almost 2 other people were required to help him remove it and hold when he checked the problem. While doing so, I got to first hand see the solid manner in which everything was put beneath that door cover. To keep the story short, he found out that some bar inside was not aligned properly and was obstructing the movement of the switch. He fixed it and the problem was solved. In the process, they managed to induce a couple of small scratches on on the window beading housing the window glass. The SA was very apologetic and promised to take it to the service centre for touch up. I told him not to bother and we could get it addressed during the 1st Service. The windshield liquid was also low when delivered. Definitely a couple of misses on the PDI front.

But whenever I have a query - the SA handles it immediately with the same alacrity shown before the delivery of the vehicle.

First Impressions from the drive till now:
a. Road Presence:
Simply majestic; attracts eyeballs everywhere. What is more, it feels like you are sitting on a chariot looking down on other vehicles. Once, there was a black BMW X5 standing next to it and they looked like siblings in terms of physical dimensions. Funny, but XUVs and Dusters looks like a hatchback besides it.

b. Maneuverability:
Excellent on road when in motion. But definitely not the easiest one to park in narrow corners. Only when I pulled her into my Apartment Parking block did I realize how small it made that space look (my Swift had acres of space in it until Hexa came along). The steering at low speeds is also not like the smooth Electronic units and reminds you that this is a car of large proportions and behaves like one. But when you are in motion on the roads, you can zip and shift around like any normal car and it won't complain. Importantly, the feedback from the steering is precise. I did not have trouble in pushing it into some tight corners where there was hardly any additional space to leverage.
Note: This is the first time I am finding the inadequacy of large parking spaces in my Office and other places. It makes anything standard look small by default. In a couple of places, the valet parking folks were more comfortable with showing me the parking space instead of taking over the vehicle.

c. Engine and Drive Modes:
An engine that truly shows its class in a mature and unhassled way. The growl is so majestic and yet unstated in its own way. The oodles of torque is really there for you to feel and experience. But don't expect it to move out of the block like a sprinter (unless you are ok with quick and jerky shifts). Beyond the initial turbo lag, it just pulls so cleanly in any gear. The other good aspect is how you can amble around in even the 4th gear without too much of fuss. I just prefer leaving it in auto in the city drives. "Comfort" mode is the one that can show you what a slouch ball this can be if mandated. The response really becomes muted and is best reserved for highway cruising without any overtakings.

d. Gear Box (manual):
Not the best out there but neither the worst. But make no mistake, the manual box requires a firm hand is not going to please the members of the fairer sex. But yes, it does give you a sense of driving that big vehicle which doesn't make everything look dainty. If you plan to drive more in the City, better stick to Automatic. Else be prepared for your arms workout (not complaining as it saves me a trip to the gym ). Shifting gears is not exactly a smooth affair, but my wife still vouches that she cannot figure out when I shift them. But I definitely expect it to become lot smoother beyond the first thousand kms.
Between XUV and Hexa, I found the former to be more easy to operate whereas the latter slots in more precisely. Both have their hits and misses.

e. Handling:
No competition here; is too arrogant to slow down for bad patches. Everytime I go back to some other car, they remind me the actual state of roads which is so forgotten when driving an Hexa. In some of the short drives on highway, it promises to be a supremely comfortable cruiser as well. If you love long drives and some adventurous terrains - there is no need to look beyond. If you intend to be chauffeured, this one is miles ahead of Innova in comfort. My wife lived all here life in US and is so critical of the road conditions here. Her long trips on Innova or XUV did not do much to change that perception. However, Hexa has left her muted for the past few weeks.

f. Seating and Passenger Comfort:
- Extremely comfortable on all 3 rows
- Legroom is more than adequate for people of all sizes
- Lumbar support and other adjustments were easy and hassle free
- Seats firm but comfortable nevertheless; stitching and contouring on spot
- Ingress and egress is not easy for old people; definitely requires an effort (but the cabin rewards you for it once in)
- In general, you never feel claustrophobic in this cabin - no matter what!

g. ICE and Others:
- Sound quality is top notch provided you are using the right source (iPod,SD card with good quality music).
- 10 on a scale of 30 for volume was the max I have pushed it to when it gets really loud, but zero distortion
- The equalizer settings are also comprehensive to suit your style
- Haven't tried the map yet, so cannot comment on it.
- The screen size did not matter much to me as it did the expected functionality reasonably well. Not sure if a bigger or more responsive screen makes a huge difference as I most often use the buttons or steering mounted controls.
- Pairing your phone with it didn't need me to refer to the manual; was intuitive and easy.
- Mood lighting is nice, but looks faint as it is only from the floors. Might be better when in highway; will confirm later when I do try it.
- But everything in the interior seems to be built to last (only time will ultimately confirm though). Nothing seems flimsy or cheap.
- Reversing camera is adequate and is something I am using for the first time (this car demands it, while never felt the need for it earlier).
- The central console in the instrument cluster giving info such as mileage, gear etc., is also simple and intuitive. The stalk used to operate it is also pretty easy.
- The interior definitely lacks storage space for the driver and a lot of other things. Things improve for other passengers, but is definitely a shortcoming from the driver's perspective. XUV definitely has a smarter layout in comparison.
- Haven't had the time to explore the ConnectNext Apps (though I have installed them on my phone).
- Auto headlamps and wipers are convenient features that work with a nice touch
- Keyless entry is missed, but not really a deal breaker
- Sunroof is not really on my list, so doesn't really matter

h. Miscellaneous:
- Not the easiest car to clean. Kids with their dusty shoes can leave several imprints on the interiors. Always enjoyed cleaning my cars, but this one would be an endurance test.
- Mileage depends on your driving style and how you treat the engine during the first few hundred Kms. Tata recommends caution and care for the first 1500 to 1800 Kms. When the car was delivered to me, it had 65 Kms on it and an average mileage of 7.1 kmpl. It has not improved to an average of 10 kmpl under heavy Hyderabad traffic.
- Last week, got a call from Telangana Service Head who introduced himself and asked me about the vehicle performance. He also left me his number which I can used to contact if any issue with servicing and also dropped me a mail with Service related details.
- My personal opinion, the features you get on the top end is really worth the money you pay for it (not just cosmetic).
- All the people who have hopped in to my car till now, have left it being thoroughly impressed

More updates once I do some long trips on it. Sorry for the delay in posting these details (I thought better late than never). Hope it helped providing some clarity from an owner's perspective.

On the topic of comparison to competitors, I believe there is a simple logic. You either like or don't based on what it offers (and also what it doesn't). So it is just a personal choice you have to make irrespective of what anyone feels. But in general, this is definitely a highly commendable effort from Tata and their intent is very clear with the refinement levels they have tried to target in this offering.

[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Can you please post a picture here for better understanding? The seats and its parts should be designed considering the worst possible scenario one could get in and out. Either the part could be faulty or poorly designed. In either case it definitely warrants a free replacement.

Yeah i will post the pics here and in my ownership thread once i reach home. Will also contact the dealer on Wednesday.

[Kishen.padiyar]

Originally Posted by anthiltg

My ownership report

Probably the first Hexa ownership report to go live in this Forum! Congratulations and wish you many miles of happy and safe motoring

Some pictures would have made this already good ownership report even better.

Just before the evening ended, noticed that the child lock on rear right side door was stuck and could not be moved.

Now this is annoying. Tata still does not have the necessary QC before the car reaches the customer. I can probably understand a jammed lock after using it regularly for a year or two but not this early!

What is more, it feels like you are sitting on a chariot looking down on other vehicles. Once, there was a black BMW X5 standing next to it and they looked like siblings in terms of physical dimensions. Funny, but XUVs and Dusters looks like a hatchback besides it.

True that! The behemoth simply makes wannabe SUVs feel ashamed

Not the best out there but neither the worst. But make no mistake, the manual box requires a firm hand is not going to please the members of the fairer sex. But yes, it does give you a sense of driving that big vehicle which doesn't make everything look dainty. If you plan to drive more in the City, better stick to Automatic. Else be prepared for your arms workout (not complaining as it saves me a trip to the gym ). Shifting gears is not exactly a smooth affair, but my wife still vouches that she cannot figure out when I shift them. But I definitely expect it to become lot smoother beyond the first thousand kms.

Is it that bad? I mean referring shifting gears to an equivalent of gym workouts?

[Anuruddhs]

Guys, I need to decide now on XTA vs XT 4x2. My heart goes for XTA based on my test drive and reviews but I have not seen real mileage figures for automatic till now. My most of the driving is in highways even for daily office trips as I live on expressway and my office is on same expressway. Now a days with good AT boxes there is hardly a difference in mileage with AT boxes is that true with HEXA also. I do lot of long trips 1000+ km in year so mileage is a concern for me. I am going to book the car in next 2 weeks.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by Anuruddhs

Guys, I need to decide now on XTA vs XT 4x2. My heart goes for XTA based on my test drive and reviews but I have not seen real mileage figures for automatic till now. My most of the driving is in highways even for daily office trips as I live on expressway and my office is on same expressway. Now a days with good AT boxes there is hardly a difference in mileage with AT boxes is that true with HEXA also. I do lot of long trips 1000+ km in year so mileage is a concern for me. I am going to book the car in next 2 weeks.

My XTA has done almost 1000km. I am consistently getting 11-11.5kmpl in mixed conditions. I think this is a very good figure considering the sheer weight of the thing and how swiftly it still manages to move.

The best I have seen is 15.2kmpl. This was on a lazy cruise over 30km. All figures are as per the MID.

If you are looking to book the Hexa, go for the automatic. The gearbox is a piece of brilliance and is almost as good as the DSGs and the ZF 8 speed of Jags and BMWs.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by Anuruddhs

Guys, I need to decide now on XTA vs XT 4x2. My heart goes for XTA based on my test drive and reviews but I have not seen real mileage figures for automatic till now. My most of the driving is in highways even for daily office trips as I live on expressway and my office is on same expressway. Now a days with good AT boxes there is hardly a difference in mileage with AT boxes is that true with HEXA also. I do lot of long trips 1000+ km in year so mileage is a concern for me. I am going to book the car in next 2 weeks.

I would suggest you go for the automatic. Apart from the convenience aspect, modern day automatics are very efficient, in my experience more efficient than manuals or when using automatic as a manual. Even if it is not as efficient as the manual, i dont think the difference would be much anyway. Mainly highway usage may be does not need an automatic per se but I will still go with one for the convenience.