[vinodvayyat]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

How is the Clutch on Hexa MT? Is it Heavy and hard or Smooth and light?

For me absence of ESP and 4x4 on AT is the biggest bummer. I am eagerly waiting for AWD 4x4 with ESP. If Tata disappoints , then we might have to consider the MT only.

Clutch on MT is very light. The only issue with MT according to me is that after you shift the gear, you feel the gear bite when you accelerate afterwards and it lunges forward post that - the experience is not very smooth, but I don't term it was as a deal breaker for me. However, the AT is a completely different animal - smooth and quick enough shifts - I don't think you get such a transmission in any vehicle near its price tag- but that is a different subject and is not something you are inclined to

Originally Posted by power_slave77

I was curious to know the reasons for your disappointment. So was going through your earlier post. Agree, skipping ESP is not acceptable, had to accept it with a pinch of salt. But Hill Hold feature is available in the automatic variant of the Hexa.

4x4addict himself had clarified this further - that it is a natural turn out of the auto-transmission setup. It tries to accelerate to max of 7 km/hr, the moment you leave the brake pedal - you need to be in D mode for this. There is no HHC (brakes being applied momentarily so that you can accelerate within that time).

The views differ as you mentioned. Some of us who can't afford to buy (reasons might differ - financial crunch or that we don't think it is worth spending despite being rich enough ) a highly priced vehicle of a different brand. And it isn't either that the XTA customers are ignorant when they chose their vehicle - they knew what they have paid for. People like me have never owned an ESP vehicle and for me 6 Airbags, ABS, EBD etc are themselves good enough. I might be able to drive in a controlled manner over curves and decide not to tread fast on slippery surfaces. And probably, TATA could've sacrificed on 19" alloys and provided all those features - I really wish if such a variant is available or TATA give an XTA with these features. To each his own.

[mostlynerd]

I have been using the XTA ((top end automatic) now for about 2.5 months. In day to day use, I have never felt the need for ESP at all. It would have been a good to have for me but definitely was never a must have. Coming from 10 year old i10 and Aveo the XTA without ESP is still very well equipped. It would have been more attractive with ESP and 4x4 but again you have to evaluate for your use case. My use case, does not involve terrain where I will require 4x4. That will be the case for me 99.5 percent of the time. For the other .5% I will borrow my friend's Isuzu. Because if you are expecting the Hexa to be a "real" off-roader, you will be disappointed.

What I would have appreciated more would have been a bigger and better ICE display and more cup holders in the compartment. As you may have guessed, I am a practical minded fellow and not prone to dreams of ideal cars in a 20L budget :-)

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

Folks, any idea of when the TATA HEXA 4X4 Auto will be launched? It is surprising that TATA is taking so long to launch this. Competitors are flooding the market with 4WD Auto offerings, with the Tucson 4WD Auto, Tiguan 4WD Auto and the Kodiaq 4WD Auto being recently launched and XUV already in the market. I think there is entire segment of customers who want the comfort of Auto transmission, while knowing that they have go-anywhere capability when needed.

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

During the pro event in Chennai, I asked a senior engineer from TML and he told met that there is absolutely no plans of making a 4x4 Auto version. To me, this would have been the biggest advantage the Hexa would have over the Crysta. But Tata decided it was not worth it. This is the difference between Tata & Mahindra.

Some of us in Mumbai and Pune visited the TML factory in Pimpri and met with Karl Heinz who is the product owner for Hexa and other new products. He confirmed to us that as of now there are no plans to launch a 4x4 Automatic variant for the Hexa. However, he did confirm the brown Hexa which is out now.

[84.monsoon]

Originally Posted by mostlynerd

I have been using the XTA ((top end automatic) now for about 2.5 months. In day to day use, I have never felt the need for ESP at all. It would have been a good to have for me but definitely was never a must have. Coming from 10 year old i10 and Aveo the XTA without ESP is still very well equipped. It would have been more attractive with ESP and 4x4 but again you have to evaluate for your use case. :-)

ESP is not something you "feel the need for". It works invisibly in that one in thousand times when you really need it, to avoid a roll over. It is one of the most important passive safety features for a high riding vehicle like an SUV.

I used to live in the US in 2000s and there were multiple accidents involving roll over of SUVs. People overestimate the stability of SUVs because they appear tough, when in fact they are inherently unstable due to high centre of gravity. Speeding around curves was a very common cause of roll over accidents. ESP works to stabilize the vehicle by detecting loss of control and applying brakes to individual wheels selectively. US National Highway Traffic Safety authorities stated that ESP avoids one third of all fatal motor vehicles accidents. Since then, ESP has been mandatory in all vehicles sold in the US.

[rshnvjy]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

How is the Clutch on Hexa MT? Is it Heavy and hard or Smooth and light?

After a combined driving experience by me and my father of over 7300 kms in an XT 4x2, I can tell you that the clutch is fairly light and even with a long-ish travel, one will get used to it quite quickly. We've driven it extensively on highways, single and dual carriageways, on crowded towns and cities in Kerala and in Coimbatore and at no point did we feel stressed by the gearbox/clutch combo. Of course, an AT would be infinitely more relaxing, but for anyone who knows how to properly drive a manual gearbox, the Hexa MT would pose no issues at all.

Being a heavy vehicle with a large displacement diesel engine, one has to get used to matching revs of the engine during upshifts. If you leave the clutch without applying any throttle, the car will lurch a bit resulting in an unpleasant shift. Once you master this (which would hardly take a few hours of driving time), the MT is a superb choice.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by power_slave77

I was curious to know the reasons for your disappointment.

The primary reason for not getting a Hexa was not getting a flat floor in the boot and lack of cubby holes in the center console. It may seem silly for some of you, but I am particular about certain things.

For me a 7-Seater is a large 5-Seater which lots of luggage space which can be used as a 7-Seater when required. This means the last row needs to be either completely folded to the side or folded flat on the floor like pretty much every other 7 seat SUV/MUV in the world.

Lack of ESP/TC was also another important show stopper for me.

If they had offered Automatic with AWD/ESP/Traction Control, I may have overlooked some of the flaws and gone for the HEXA.

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

If Tata disappoints , then we might have to consider the MT only.

Tata has disappointed and if you want AWD then MT is your only option.

Originally Posted by mostlynerd

I have never felt the need for ESP at all.

Have you felt the need for Air Bags, ABS, Seat Belts, etc?? These are essential safety features. ESP kicks in emergency situations that are sometimes outside our control. We maybe safe drivers, but there are crazy drivers cattle and other potential obstructions around that may cause us to swerve the vehicle. ESP essentially helps in controlling the vehicle in such situations.

[mostlynerd]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Have you felt the need for Air Bags, ABS, Seat Belts, etc?? These are essential safety features. ESP kicks in emergency situations that are sometimes outside our control. We maybe safe drivers, but there are crazy drivers cattle and other potential obstructions around that may cause us to swerve the vehicle. ESP essentially helps in controlling the vehicle in such situations.

Yes. I have felt the need for ABS and EBD many times with my past cars. Also, comparing driving in india to the US is not an apple to apple comparison. Airbags and ABS are essential for indian conditions to prevent injuries due to the stupidity of drivers around you. ESP would be good to have. Typical speeds and daily office routes don't allow for the kind of driving that might warrant these. Then there is also the price point. At some point these"essential" features would put it out of the reach out many people.

Anyway, I am not here to argue with you or anyone, I was just sharing my opinion for my use case as I clearly mentioned in my previous post. Everyone needs to decide what works for them and what they are willing to pay for it.

[apachelongbow]

Esp is good to have. No arguments. However knowing limitations of yourself and your car is priceless. The only mandatory feature as per me should be abs and airbags. Even airbags dont help scumbags who wont belt up.
Esp is helpful when one wants to cut a racing line in a top heavy . Breaking and turning to avoid typical indian obstacles is always safe if your car has abs. I did a elk kind of maneuver when i avoided a crossing cow (who jumped across the median, through bushes), at 120kmph on a wet highway in safari 2.2. No drama and the car decelerated nicely to 80kmph and changed lanes easily without any hiccups.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by mostlynerd

Airbags and ABS are essential for indian conditions to prevent injuries due to the stupidity of drivers around you. ESP would be good to have. Typical speeds and daily office routes don't allow for the kind of driving that might warrant these. Then there is also the price point. At some point these"essential" features would put it out of the reach out many people.

India or abroad, active safety assists (ABS, ESC etc.) or passive safety features such as airbags work in the same way and its relevance is the same. Accidents need not be always because of the stupidity of the drivers around you; ESC can be life-saver when the biggest safety contributor in a car (the driver) makes a mistake.

[4x4addict]

Okay, I give up.

The point, I was trying to make is that it is available on the top end MT version, but has been deleted for the top end AT version which is absolutely silly of TML.

In my opinion any vehicle that is pushing 20 Lakhs on the road should come with ESP/TC.

[power_slave77]

4x4addict himself had clarified this further - that it is a natural turn out of the auto-transmission setup. It tries to accelerate to max of 7 km/hr, the moment you leave the brake pedal - you need to be in D mode for this. There is no HHC (brakes being applied momentarily so that you can accelerate within that time).


Vinod, what you are mentioning above is CREEP FUNCTION and not HHC. The 6L50 gearbox has HHC built in it. Please find spec sheet attached. Hexa has both Creep function and Automatic grade braking.

The feature which I personally missed the most was ESP. Traction control and HDC are part of ESP which would have come automatically if TATA had added ESP.

4X4 addict, I agree that Hexa lacks cubby holes in the center console. I have found some solutions. Pictures attached.

1. I have the fixed mobile holders on both sides of the central tunnel.
2. I have purchased a tray from the TATA accessories which can be placed
below the center armrest. You can keep your mobile phone or
put some small stuff in there.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Okay Tata Fans

Sorry for going OT.

I see this statement frequently on most Tata threads. If someone is posting something on this thread, why is it that he/she is tagged as a Tata fan? Why can't we learn from others experience as well as share our own and educate each other in the process? I feel this is a form of racism if not more.

I follow and participate in threads of Hyundai and Maruti. In fact, after being a Maruti owner, I have criticized Maruti's build quality among others and several other members have pitched in their thoughts against mine. I have never judged them by what car they own or what brand they like. Neither do I get to read statements like Maruti fan or Hyundai fan or Fiat fan.

Going forward, can we have a more unbiased, neutral discussion on any car/topic, be it Tata, Maruti or even GM?

Originally Posted by Sheel

I did not get this part. Central tunnel = the space for rear differential is what I know. What has it got to do with safety if I may ask?

Or it is an oversight by me, please do correct

From what I have read, the kink or the curved tunnel created in the chassis gives additional strength to the structure. Just like roof is ribbed to increase its strength.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by power_slave77

Recently I had been to the Audi A5 launch. There I asked a Person from Audi Germany, as to why the Q3,5 and 7 have huge central tunnels. He told that Central tunnels gives the required strength to the chassis. Even in Hexa the central tunnel is huge. This shows that Tata has not compromised on safety or Quality. .

I did not get this part. Central tunnel = the space for rear differential is what I know. What has it got to do with safety if I may ask?

Or it is an oversight by me, please do correct

[narayan]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

The primary reason for not getting a Hexa was not getting a flat floor in the boot

This point caught my attention because if I was in India around the time of the HEXA launch, on the face of it, I would have been tempted to trade in my Storme for the HEXA except for the pt you have mentioned above. That would have been a deal breaker for me too because in all our long drives ( typically 700+kms per day kind of driving ), we typically start very early in the morning and my wife and son doze off in the flat floor of the Storme where I put a custom cut bed for these trips. Such is the quality of the ride. Heck - even our Bolt had an almost flat floor once the rear seat base is tumbled forward and the back rest folded and my son used to sleep peacefully there.

The Endy does well on this front.

I am surprised how the Innova that you bought, met this need because I don't think it has a fully flat floor at the rear.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by Sheel

I did not get this part. Central tunnel = the space for rear differential is what I know. What has it got to do with safety if I may ask?

Or it is an oversight by me, please do correct

Central tunnel gives structural rigidity and opposes collapse/flexing of a the foot board in case something heavy presses from the top.

It is the same reason why the packaging of e-commerce websites like amazon,flipkart have two layers of cardboard at the bottom with the lower one of the two shaped like rumbler strips, when the content in the box is heavy,for ex, an UPS unit.

Originally Posted by rshnvjy

After a combined driving experience by me and my father of over 7300 kms in an XT 4x2, I can tell you that the clutch is fairly light and even with a long-ish travel, one will get used to it quite quickly. We've driven it extensively on highways, single and dual carriageways, on crowded towns and cities in Kerala and in Coimbatore and at no point did we feel stressed by the gearbox/clutch combo. Of course, an AT would be infinitely more relaxing, but for anyone who knows how to properly drive a manual gearbox, the Hexa MT would pose no issues at all.

Being a heavy vehicle with a large displacement diesel engine, one has to get used to matching revs of the engine during upshifts. If you leave the clutch without applying any throttle, the car will lurch a bit resulting in an unpleasant shift. Once you master this (which would hardly take a few hours of driving time), the MT is a superb choice.

Thank you. I shall take a TD soon of the MT.

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Tata has disappointed and if you want AWD then MT is your only option.

Well then, MT is the only option for us then. Cannot compromise on a top heavy vehicle without ESP especially since our highways are littered with uncertain elements and the family would be travelling.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Okay Tata Fans, I concede that ESP is not required and we should not feel the need for it. I give up. The point, I was trying to make is that it is available on the top end MT version, but has been deleted for the top end AT version which is absolutely silly of TML.

In my opinion any vehicle that is pushing 20 Lakhs on the road should come with ESP/TC.

OT: Not specifically an issue with Tata. Unfortunately this is the pattern most mainstream manufacturers follow. Under 20 lakhs we only a handful of cars equipped with ESC (Ecosport AT, Top MT variant of Creta, DSG variants of Vento/Rapid). Until recently even the Hyundai Tucson had it as a feature only in the top variant. IIRC only a few models (below the luxury space) have ESC as a standard across the range (e.g.; Skoda Octavia, Jeep Compass etc.)