[n.devdath]

Voted for the Storme simply because the recent crash tests of the Scorpio scare me, and if I buy an SUV, it has to have selectable low range gearing (4L), which none of the others have.

However, if I were to negate that requirement of mine and am ok with an MUV, I'd pick the XUV AT for its sprightly nature, younger looks and lighter weight.

Yes, the Hexa rides better, is built better on the inside and is spacious, but still looks like a van, which to me is a downer.

The Innova Crysta is simply too overpriced and the recent list of niggles has unseated it from its lofty quality perch too.

[wanderlust]

Voted for the Hexa. It is a large, fresh and refined people mover with 4X4 option. If it was within my budget, I would have had it, but I cancelled my booking only because I didn't want the XM and XT4X4 was beyond by about 2.5 lakhs.

I hope I will have it by the end of this year though!

[Deepu Sharma]

had been in the same boat a few days back and took mulitple rides of the hexa and the crysta . My heart kept telling me hexa as the ride the fit and finish is top notch but then the head had its part to play and kept insisting on the crysta gx and for the fact that the experience with the safari was real BAD . Had almost finalised the crysta when another dilemma struck with endeavour trend models 2016 had come up with excellent deals. Took a good drive of the 3.2 at trend and then there was no coming back. Stretched whatever i could and finally got an Endy 3.2 at Trend. This is a car a class above but after driving this Crysta does not sound value for money at all

[samm]

My heart says Hexa. Brilliant package. If Hexa proves its mettle, and does survive 5 years, then I will surely consider it.

My mind has no second opinion. Innova Crysta, if I'm buying now. The top end is about 5 Lakhs more than the Hexa AT top end. But with my experience with the old gen Innova, I I'm ok in plonking this extra money on Crysta. And its a powerful luxury cruiser. 0-100kmph is done in 9.9 sec (2.8 AT) as given in youtube videos. Not that I would buy a MUV/SUV just for its power.

XUV5OO not in contention, since its effectively a 5 seater. 7 seater option isn't usable since even kids refuse to go to the last row. Also interiors are just about ok.

[supertinu]

I voted for XUV500 without trying to be biased given that I am an owner . My logic is listed below

• Scorpio and Safari just dont make the cut cause of the their dated designs

• Innova didnt make the cut cause its ultimately a MPV aka van. Maybe its the effect of living in US but i dont want the soccer mom image

• This leaves the decision between Hexa vs XUV. If I look at just the front, then Hexa wins but rest of the MPV style body is a put off. It has an awesome ICE which can be after market upgrade on XUV. Performance and handling are XUV's forte though ride quality is inferior but not deal breaker. Given my requirement for spacious 5 seater with rare 7 seater need, I dont think I would choose Hexa over XUV in current state

[condor]

Safari should not be in this poll at all ! It is pretty much a 5-seater. Guess Scorp is the same ?

IMO, the shoot-out should have been only between vehicles having front facing 3rd row seats

[Sheel]

I have a ladder on frame based SUV with selectable low range. My next purchase too should have this feature as my usage demands this.

So, personally, it boils down to Storme & Scorpio. I will pick either, but becuase ASC is a huge deciding factor with our indigeneous manufacturers, I would go for Scorpio again.

Between Hexa/Crysta and XUV, I frankly do not know. I wouldn't like driving either much [too large & van types] and wouldn't like to be driven. Would prefer being driven around in a Crysta though. I am yet to see the Hexa, hence not voted yet.

[Shreyans_Jain]

I have booked the Hexa after giving this a lot of thought.

Currently drive - Scorpio 2.6 DI

Alternatives considered:

1. XUV500 W10 AT AWD:
Peppy, VFM, Feature loaded, AWD+AT+sunroof

Rejected because

• Unimpressive cabin
• Useless third row
• Too common
• Middle row shoulder space not as much as Scorpio. 3 abreast is a squeeze.
• 12 years of Scorpio ownership have shown me the good, bad and ugly of Mahindra ASS. The less you see of them, the better. FNG guys clearly said that they can handle the mechanical bits but not the fancy electronics. This was the big deal breaker.

2. Innova Crysta ZX AT
Top class reputation, good performance, cabin looks nice, captain seats, decent comfort levels.

Rejected because

• Lousy, dimwitted, jerky AT. Big disappointment.
• Heavy steering gets rather cumbersome.
• 10000km old TD vehicle showed looked horribly aged with faded plastics and lots of rattles coming from the third row.
• Friend drives a 2.4 ZX MT, 10k km done, well maintained. Car feels much older and worse for wear. Dash plastics have started to fade. Minor rattles.
• Worst ICE ever! Seriously, even my mobile phone's speaker sounds better
• Expensive. 24.75L on road + 25k for speaker upgrade.
• Not convinced about the promise of good resale in the light of the 10 year limit for diesel cars here in NCR. Can't transfer my immaculately maintained Scorpio, am being forced to scrap it for 50grand.

3. Ford Endeavor 2.2 Trend AT
Butch looks, fantastic build quality, best drive with responsive AT and fabulous steering, quiet cabin, very well controlled body roll, nice ICE. Every bit a vehicle belonging to a higher segment

Rejected because

• Middle row lacks width and shoulder space is nowhere near what we are used to with our Scorpio. 3 abreast is a squeeze.
• Third row is tight.
• Third row access is a joke. What were they thinking?

Honestly, I was willing to overlook all this. Endy 2.2 Trend AT was my first choice and will go down as a missed opportunity. They were running some great offers back in December and this was costing only a lakh more than the Crysta, which is amazing VFM. I however wanted to wait for the Hexa's price announcement before finalizing, which only happened in mid January. By that time, the dealers refused to provide those Dec offers on 2016 stock. Within another couple of days, there was no stock left for me to bargain, everything was sold out! The higher/2017 models are beyond my budget.

Coming to the Hexa, I think it is a very well rounded product. I am not going to elaborate it's strengths and weaknesses, they have been discussed at length. What stands out for me is the premium cabin and the very well mated AT gearbox. It just has this knack of being in the right gear at the right time. The vehicle has an air of desirability about itself. At the same time, I feel the car has no real deal breaker. It does everything nicely and nothing badly. The 5 year warranty and 100k km AMC provide peace of mind. It could have been priced a lakh lower, or could have had the AT+AWD option. But at a shade under 21L on road including extended warranty, zero dep insurance and 100k km gold AMC, it is a fair deal for what it offers and what it seems capable of.

I expect mine to be delivered in a week.

[Rajeevraj]

I don't have enough exposure to all the vehicles here to make a clear cut vote. But if I was in the market to buy one of these, I am pretty sure my final shortlist will be the XUV and the Hexa. Transmission of choice would be Automatic.

Between these 2, I have driven the XUV AT and have had a look at the Hexa. I love the looks of the XUV and also really liked the way it drove. The AT box on the XUV was excellent. On the downside, although heavily loaded with features, the premium feel was kind of missing. It was definitely good quality- but that step up from good to great was missing. The other big downside was the absolute lack of luggage space with all the seats up.

Have not driven the Hexa, but from looking and it and sitting in it, the 'premium' feel is right up there. Almost 'Germanesque' if I may say so. Well loaded and has functional luggage space with all rows up. On the downside, disappointed to see some features like Traction Control missing in the AT variant.

In summary, at this point, I think my choice would be the Hexa. A fresh product, looks and feels premium, seems functionally better and from reports, drives well. If I get into an actual purchase mode and get into deeper analysis, the decision may change to the XUV.

Tata after sales concerns is not at all an issue for me. If I can buy and live with a Volkswagen DSG, Tata should be a walk in the park.

[5kmiles]

I will pick Hexa without batting an eyelid. Ride matters to me - and GTO has closed that debate.

Point you make is very pertinent - I have owned Manza for 1.2L kms. Tata gets unreliability tag because of people who don't maintain/service their cars. If serviced and parts replaced - when these age or become sub optimal in performance - it works out pretty well. And Tata's service is not half as bad as people make it out to be - generally.

Originally Posted by ashis89

Coming to my experience with Tata cars, we have never owned one. I have traveled long distances in numerous Tata cars. My extended family and father's friends have owned Tata cars starting from 1st-gen Sumo and Indica. My father's office has a fleet of Indica, Indigo, Sumo, Zest and Manza. None of them has ever faced a breakdown anywhere as far as I know. Rather everyone loves/prefers those cars as they find it more comfortable, including me.

[yogeshbala]

I would request that this poll be re-commenced after adding Ford Endeavour to the list specifically. Surprised as to how it got missed out, unless this poll is restricted to SUVs below INR 22 lakhs.

My choice of favourites would be 1. Ford Endeavour (others) followed by 2. Innova Crysta, 3. Tata Hexa, 4. XUV, 5. Scorpio and finally the 6. Tata Safari Storme.

[LordSharan]

This is a very interesting poll and a query on which I wanted to see opinions from BHPians. I'll probably buy a car only after 2 years and that would be probably a hatchback. The enthusiast in me though craves for a proper AWD machine, which I could take anywhere. It's a point to be noted though that: in this poll for 5 cars, 4 use the same engine, sourced from same manufacturer, though in different states of tune.

I did vote on this thread. My opinions on the options:

1. Safari: This was the car. What a road presence. What a ride. What a design. If you were to rewind 15 years back, I'll probably not wink my eyes and vote for Safari. But what now? Feature less compared even to Scorpio. Not a family mover effectively. Too old for its design now. Too much of chrome.

2. Scorpio: The vehicle I grew up with. This car replaced Safari in my wishlist. Scorpio exudes an image, which is unparalleled. Especially in the places near my home town. It's a symbol of power, to be specific- muscle power. They call it the "Scaar-pee-yoh" there. Ohh wait, this one has a very capable 4WD. I've driven it, courtesy, one of my senior who owns one. I did not vote for it here. Simply because I'm in love with something else now. And the ride quality is very bumpy.

3. Innova Crysta: Have taken long tours in older gen Innova and it is a supremely comfortable vehicle. Crysta being an improvement is bound to be better. But this car is extremely over priced. May be the VFM comes from its durability but let's face it, I'm not going to drive it for 1L KMs in my ownership. Also- I can't simply erase Innova's image as cab in my mind. and no AWD.

4. XUV5OO: Wow. This car is something. I've been in this car, although for a short ride. Ride quality was okayish. Liked the space in 1st & 2nd row. Did not even venture to the 3rd row and the boot space really sucks. Did Mahindra think that 7 people would travel together with minimal luggage? Why can't I have captain seats in 2nd row? Everything said- this is a vehicle I've adored since it was launched, and this vehicle replaced Scorpio in my wishlist. There's an AWD in W8, which I wanted to buy, may be 3-4 years down the lane. But, wait...

5. Finally: Tata Hexa: I've read through the entire review multiple times here at TBHP. I've been hard pressed to find things which I did not like. Missing sunroof does not bother me. The AWD feature has me hooked in.

And the deal clincher? Let me tell you my story: Recently I took a long trip (BLR-MYS-BLR) in Nissan Terrano, which is almost a Duster. I drove it close to 500 KMs in a day. And I was mighty impressed with its ride quality. It just glides. It is supremely comfortable. 5 of us travelled in the car. No one complained. In fact, for the return leg, people had a sound sleep in the rear seats. After driving close to 400 KMs in the day along with family, I drove for another 100 Kms later in the night and I was not even tired. It just soaks up everything which comes its way. I'd have voted for Nissan Terrano had it, but for its lack of features, over priced and lack of AWD. (Note: Did not vote for Duster 4WD- It's too close to XUV5OO in its price. I don't quite like its design. Kaptur may be, eh Renault?)

Hexa review quotes- the ride quality of Hexa is better than Duster/Terrano. (I can't really imagine which sub 20L car will have a ride quality better than Duster/Terrano, or may be I'm a bit inexperienced) It has captain seats in 2nd row. It has an AWD. That's it. I'm sold. I don't know why I've become such a sucker for ride quality. This goes against the enthusiast in me. Or may be it's because of Bangalore's potholed roads. But unless it's a BMW 530D, I'll probably never compromise with ride quality.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Ride & Handling Ride quality is one of the Hexa's strongest points. Rather, let me rephrase that = the Hexa's ride quality is AWESOME. Forget the Innova Crysta, there's no comparison with it. The Hexa easily meets or beats our ride comfort benchmark, the Renault Duster!!

I'll live with what it (XT 4x4) won't offer to, wrt XUV5OO W8/W10 AWD. (They discontinued Pajero Sport. Endeavour 4x4MT will be a bit too costly. And probably these two cars donot really belong to this comparison) It's a pretty sweet deal. Some time in the future, I'll probably be able to buy one. And take it to places where I've never been. And I'll happily wait for that time to come.

[saishivaj]

Tata have got the Hexa right IMO. It has the space, creature comforts, safety, decent engine and powertrain options and the introductory price is not too bad. But like the Aria, Bolt, Zest etc, Tata is not able to get decent traction in the passenger segments. It could be the brand image that is associated with the Indicabs or the inherent quality niggles. But if Tata marketing team pull up their socks to wipe this image and bring the Hexa as a VFM product, Tata can taste success with this car.

The innova might be a better people mover but the price difference can't be ignored compared to the Hexa. The XUV on the other hand appeals to younger buyers I feel. The unconventional mix of shapes, colors etc, appeal to the younger buyers. Although Hexa's interiors are drab in contrast to the XUV's, the quality levels are a notch above I feel. IMO this is enough for one to go to Hexa over the XUV.

[H_Dogg72]

Innova anyday.
4L more right?
I get ESP + 5 more airbags
I'm sorry, but safety is my number one priority.
If the Hexa had an AT+ safety pack then it's difficult.

I value my life more than money that will be what, 8k more monthly?
And not to mention the insane resale value of the Innova.
ESP and DSG is the reason I plonked my money on a Polo GT TSI.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by H_Dogg72

Innova anyday.
4L more right?
I get ESP + 5 more airbags
I'm sorry, but safety is my number one priority.
If the Hexa had an AT+ safety pack then it's difficult.

And not to mention the insane resale value of the Innova.

Hexa XT/XTA gets 6 airbags, just like the XUV. Innova has one additional knee airbag for the driver.

Also, you can't take the Innova's or any other diesel vehicle's resale for granted here in NCR. The 10 year limit ruling has been implemented. They will not issue any NOC or transfer certificate. If you still sell your vehicle off to someone, it will continue to remain in your name. If it is involved in any accident or used for nefarious activities, you will be responsible. It does not matter if you have an Rs 4L Indica or a 25L Innova or a 1.5crore S-Class. 10 years = residual scrap value.

I am being forced to scrap off my Scorpio. It just cant be sold! At best, I can transfer my no claim bonus to the new car. Nothing else can be done.

This precedent has been set. It is only a matter of time before it is copied in other places as well.