Hello to all the fellow BHPians. First post of mine on this forum and I am feeling very elated to announce my booking of Hexa XTA. Delivery is scheduled in less than a week and I have lots of adrenaline pumping through my blood right now in anticipation.
Requirements and preferences:
- Automatic gearbox, preferably not an AMT
- Good ground clearance, at least 180 mm
- Spacious enough for 4 adults and a kid
- Rough road abuse friendly, within reasonable limits. I have always hated slowing down for minor road undulations. If it were up to me, I would just not slow down or stop for anything other than traffic rules/safe distance/safe speed limit
- Decent safety kit. ABS and front airbags are absolute must
- Solidly put together i.e. no tinny build, no default expected rattles etc.
- Second car in the garage, so larger size than a premium hatchback or compact sedan preferred
- Open with choice of fuel, running cost not too much of a constraint
- Preferably top or near top variant
- Anything 20L or below, as long as it meets other criterion and feels good value for our hard earned money
After multiple and extensive test drives (and lukewarm liking or outright rejection) of many automatic cars between 9-23L price bucket in the last 1+ year, one drive of Hexa was all it took to get me hooked. My better half was very impressed as well, more than anything else we had checked out. After driving the Hexa, I did test drive once again other cars that were even remotely being considered, but everything else simply failed to impress us. Not that the cars are not good. These just did not sync with what we wanted or the price we were willing to pay for it. Me and family ended up crossing off the following with these primary rejection reasons:
Ertiga : AT only in VXi. Spartan feature list. Felt a tad bit under powered.
Ecosport : Too small from the inside, refresh around the corner
BRV : #4 car on the contender list. Compromised seat comfort for middle and last row. Lack of features and cheap build feeling for the asking price
Duster : AMT was very jerky, interiors felt bare bones. Did not check CVT.
Creta : #3 car on the contender list. Lost the battle with its claustrophobic feel at the rear and non value for money pricing. Although, if I needed a car to drive around in city with just 2 people on board, this would have been it, in spite of the asking price.
XUV500 : #2 car on the contender list. W8 AT was almost finalized before Hexa came and ruled our hearts. Hexa just felt so much better in factors that mattered to us, esp. the build quality and ride quality overall
Innova : No matter what extra benefits this car is supposed to offer in terms of reliability, brand value or features, it just felt too overpriced for ZX AT
At 22L on road in Bangalore, XTA was going to be a bit of a stretch from initial set budget, but post GST (and hidden correction) price of 20L was the final clicking point in favor of Hexa. The decision was finally made and
Hexa XTA in
Arizona Blue with
captain seats is going to be the new ride we get to cherish.
What I loved, other than core requirements met:
- One test drive was enough to put a wide smile on faces of ones who matter most to me. Smile much wider than sitting in anything else we checked out
- Unbeatable ride quality. The suspension set-up is the best I have experienced in all my driving so far (including driving rental cars across segments in many countries)
- Luxurious look and feel, inside and out. The front is especially menacing.
- Captain Seats
- Best in class speaker set-up
What would have made me appreciate it (XTA) even more:
- ESP
- Traction control system
- Hydraulic Brake Assist
- Dedicated storage space for phone
Honestly though, there was long pondering over putting 20L on a TATA. The sliding monthly sales numbers for Hexa did not add up too much confidence either. Then there were some not-so-good TATA experiences shared by friends and family to add to the dilemma. However, no matter what the mind said, the heart was pinned on the Hexa. Past experience assured me that I have never regretted spending with the heart but with the mind, yes sometimes. The lack of a few extra safety features in comparison to manual was a bit of a downer and re-considered for a long time. However, I do not plan to ever exceed safe speed limits, as much tempting it might be with effortless cruising, on the tap power, handling(for a SUV) and plush ride quality of the Hexa. Heart manged to sell it to the mind as a 'feature' that will make me even more careful while driving.
Team-BHP reviews and the very detailed discussion threads helped me tremendously in making up my mind and I am confident the decision is a very informed one. There are no second thoughts at this stage and then, sometimes it is good to let the heart rule. So, here I am, looking forward to being a part of this dynamic community, to share my experiences, to learn form you all and to lots of happy miles ahead.