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BHPian vinodvayyat recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
My Tata Hexa XTA has been serving me and my family very well for the last 5 years and 3 months. There wasn't a single episode of stalling anywhere, anytime. Covered about 50k kms (I usually do about 15k kms in a year. But the pandemic years caused quite low mileage for about 2 years). It has been a reliable highway rider and could take any road with ease.
Let me list the likes and dislikes of Hexa that I have.
Likes:
Dislikes:
I have been thinking for quite a long before deciding to replace the car. I had owned a Fiat Punto for 6 years prior to owning Hexa and I was all game for a good driving car and wasn't bothered much about the ASS network etc. I had time enough to chase niggles and issues of my cars (I have a Hyundai New Santro in the stable as well). Times changed and I became a father and got a lot involved in my work at the office - as a result, I don't have time to spare to keep pampering my cars. While Santro is used predominantly by my better half and that is the go-to car for city drives, the bigger car will be used for my office drives and highway rides (7-8 of them in a year minimum).
Listing my needs for the new car below:
Options that I consider currently are:
Heart says Tucson, head says Hycross. Inviting opinions/suggestions from fellow BHPians.
Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:
Yours is a purely heart-over-head decision, but here's what I will recommend to you = drive your Hexa XTA for another couple of years (even if 2 or 5). The Hexa is a very capable UV that punched above its weight. The engine & AT are well-matched. The options you have listed will be an upgrade, but I don't think worth the money spent. In fact, some of them won't even touch the Hexa in ride comfort. The Hexa is a really mature big fellow.
Drive it for a few more years and then, do a real upgrade. This article of mine was practically written for you. When your car is competent, reliable & capable, why change it? Not like it's small, outdated or underpowered (reasons I would agree apply to an upgrade otherwise). You could also invest the 35 - 40 lakhs you have allocated for the new car wisely and re-enter the auto market with 60 - 70 lakhs in a few years. One more article was written for you.
If your Hexa has some small issues or inconveniences, fix them. Trust me, no new car is perfect either.
Here's what BHPian Cresterk had to say on the matter:
Hycross is good and is the only one in the market with decent boot space with all 3 rows up. However, it now has a 1-year waiting list so I would probably just get the Tucson. It gets AWD + better quality cameras + more fun to drive.
Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say on the matter:
Fellow 2017 XTA owner here.
I have booked a ZX Hycross, and I will be upgrading to the ZX(o). The fact is that this new Innova is the closest like-for-like replacement for the big Tata, for nothing else can actually seat two adults in the third row in any modicum of comfort and still have boot space for weekend luggage. The hybrid powertrain will offer phenomenal refinement and low running costs. As brilliant as the Hexa is, after 6 years (10-year limit in NCR), BS4 limitations in winters and the deteriorating experience at TASS, I am looking forward to a decade of no-nonsense, fuss-free and high-quality motoring.
Meridian is simply too tight for space, in comparison. And with a Compass in the garage, I can tell you that Jeep maintenance is EXPENSIVE. It is a phenomenal highway machine though. Too bad the AT gearbox sucks in traffic. Overall, too many compromises.
Tucson can be an option but honestly, I am not too impressed. I’d rather spend on the Skoda Kodiaq instead. The big Skoda is perhaps the single most capable, well-rounded and polished car you can buy for 45L. It is the perfect and complete all-rounder. We have one in the family. As long as you don’t have an extremely rough usage scenario, the kind that demands a Fortuner, this is the car for you. The sweet TSi engine makes every other motor in this price range seem pedestrian, petrol or diesel.
Here's what BHPian GForceEnjoyer had to say on the matter:
I'll have to add further to your confusion! I've experienced the Meridian and Tucson and at least out of both of them, I'd recommend the Meridian diesel. The transmission isn't the wittiest out there but it's a wonderful highway machine. Incredibly accomplished at munching miles. The car also feels solidly put together and at least feels solid like the Hexa.
The Tucson has a more powerful diesel but in all other aspects, it felt like a jack of all trades and a master of none. I didn't find the comfort to be particularly outstanding (which I did in the Meridian, combined with the luxurious-looking dark brown interiors). Had it not been for the questionable reliability of Jeeps, I'd have recommended it immediately.
However, if you'd like to tip your decision a little bit in your heart's favour, the Meridian is what would suit you best. Test driving all these cars one after the other should help greatly. Good luck with your decision.
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