TATA HEXA Reviews, Price, Specifications, Mileage
Once upon a time, Indian roads were all about Maruti 800, Ambassador
and Fiat Padmini. The occasional change in the landscape was brought
about by Tata Motors’ comparatively larger offering – Sierra. The
‘original Indian sports utility vehicle’ had quite the towering road
presence and the 1.9-litre turbo charged engine provided a drive like
no other.
The march of time affected markets. It is no secret that Tata Motors
found the going increasingly tough in the passenger vehicle segment by
the late 90s. Indica was its only passenger vehicle doing decent
numbers.
Times changed and, thankfully, so did Tata Motors. In one of its
strongest ever attempts to reclaim lost glory, the company in recent
years took the covers off of a number of promising vehicles. And none
may have as much potential as the Tata Hexa. Here is a vehicle that seeks
to be an all-rounder and (mostly) manages to pull it off effortlessly.
EXTERIORS
The Tata Hexa might be based on the Aria platform and possibly have
similar lines but it’s a completely new vehicle. Where the Aria was
curvy and a bit round, the Hexa is muscular, and in-your-face. It
achieves this thanks to the chrome laced grille and gold coloured
bumper. Complementing this is a modern looking lighting package
comprising big headlamps and LED DRLs. The side reveals the MPV
silhouette of the vehicle. However, it does get sharply raked
A-pillars and really nice looking 19 inch wheels which increase the
sporty quotient. The rear, despite having so many elements, looks too
square but this is not such a bad thing as the boxy rear-end has been
a defining trait of Tata’s SUVs over the ages
INTERORS
The dashboard layout of the Tata Hexa looks premium thanks to the new
design additions and controls made of fresh-looking materials like
chrome trim used with glossy black and soft grain plastic. The
instrument cluster is easy to read and except for the low-set air-con
controls, all functions are easily accessible on the dash.
We however noticed that the centre console was devoid of storage
spaces barring the cup holder behind the gear shifter and the centre
armrest. The seats are draped in a leather look-alike upholstery with
contrast stitching that feels rich. In fact the front seats offer a
comfortable drive thanks to the ample contours with lumbar, good back
and appropriate thigh suppo
Similarly, the middle row seats have identical contours and offer good
support, headroom and lots of legroom for the occupants. Entry to the
third row of seats is by tumbling the second row, and while the seats
offer hardly any support, headroom and space for adults is also
confined. With the last row up, the boot can only take a few soft bags
and a thin suitcase at the most. To stuff anything more, the last row
needs to be folded but it doesn’t fold flat either.
ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE
The Tata Hexa has a 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine. This comes with two
options – a 148bhp engine and 154bhp. The first one comes with a
five-speed manual and the more powerful one has two options: six-speed
manual or six-speed automatic. The NVH levels on the engine are fairly
low. The torque of this engine is more than sufficient for daily
driving. One doesn’t require too many gear shifts in the city or
highway driving.
The six-speed manual feels a bit notchy. It does take some getting
used too. The manual comes with four driving modes in the 4×4. These
are Auto, Rough Road, Comfort and Dynamic. The Auto and Rough Road are
4×4, while the other two work on 4×2. On the other hand, the automatic
transmission is fabulous. The shifts are smooth even downshifts. Put
it in the Sport mode and you shall be amazed in the manner it
performs. There is also the tiptronic mode that responds well.
In terms of fuel efficiency, the Tata Hexa scores 10 km/l with the
automatic in city and about 14 km/l on the highway. The manual version
of the Tata Hexa will return an efficiency of 11 km/l in city and
about 14.5 km/l on the highway. We haven’t driven the five-speed
manual engine but the range will be between the six-speed manual and
automatic.
DRIVING DYNAMICS
On the face of it, the Hexa has a number of things that could work
against it on the dynamics front – its immense weight, ladder-frame
chassis, long wheelbase, robust 4×4 system, 19-inch wheels – and those
things considered, it really pulls off something impressive. The ride
quality first; it is really good. You will get quite a bit of steering
shock (although not the worst we’ve seen in this sort of car) that’s
typical of ladder-frame SUVs when you hit a sharp bump. There’s an
underlying firmness that you’re constantly aware of, but at very few
points could you call it harsh or uncomfortable. The truth is, the
Hexa’s variable-rate dampers do a phenomenal job of tackling various
road conditions and keep things comfy in the cabin no matter what.
It’s at its best out on the highway, with a supremely flat ride and
very little movement. What you’ll also be impressed by is how silently
it goes about its business; very little suspension, tyre and road
noise makes it to the cabin.
Book a Test Drive for Tata Hexa
Handling expectedly is not in the same league as an SUV with a
monocoque chassis. The Hexa rolls around a lot, although, it has to be
said that there is a lot of grip, especially in the 4×4 version. The
bigger issue, however, is that it just feels too large and heavy for
you to ever dream of pushing it even remotely hard around a corner.
The hydraulic steering has a bit of slack at the centre position, and
is really heavy at low speeds, making parking this big hulk quite a
task. This is slightly less pronounced in the 4×2 version, likely
because of the lack of front driveshafts. Also, the lack of reach
adjustment for the steering is a bit annoying, and you do feel like
the wheel is canted slightly forward on the whole.
SAFETY ;
Tata Motors haven’t compromised on safety this time and the Hexa is
loaded with safety equipment. It comes with 6 airbags including dual
front, curtain and side airbags. There is a 4 channel, 4 sensor ABS
offered as standard along with Cornering Stability Control function.
Other safety features include Traction Control System, Electronic
Stability Program, Hill Hold Control and Hill Descent Control. The
Hexa’s long term durability and cost of ownership is yet to be seen
and Tata Motors needs to ensure stress-free ownership of the Hexa
considering the unreliable nature of the Safari faced by some owners
in the past.
CONCLUSSION
The Aria’s quite a capable machine and Tata has done well to build on
its strengths while making up for its shortcomings. The Hexa’s
spacious cabin with three rows of seats, its ability to shrug off bad
roads, commanding driving position and easy driving manners make for a
great machine to cover long distances in. Yes, it will be a bit
cumbersome to steer in the city and fit-finish of the interiors could
be better. Nonetheless Tata look to tackle the Mahindra XUV500 head on
with the Hexa and if priced right, the Hexa has not just the manners,
but the look and the appeal to make it happen this time around. Quite
simply, the Hexa is SUV enough, rich enough and fresh enough to
deliver an overall experience that feels quite welcome for those
looking for a rugged three-row SUV.
Tata Hexa Ex Showroom Price in Bangalore ranges from 10,95,541/- (Hexa XE) to 16,23,945/- (Hexa XT 4X4) .Tata Hexa has 6 Variants of Diesel are available in India. Tata Hexa comes in 5 colours, namely Arizone Blue,Platinum Silver,Pearl White,Tungsten Silver,Sky Grey.