Tata Hexa – Second Time Lucky?

Is the Hexa just a rebadged Aria? No, Tata has thoroughly overhauled the Aria from its nose to tail, including mechanicals. But one question still remains unanswered – will the Hexa be able to impress where the Aria failed? Read on to find out!

Tata has been on the path of resurrection a lot of times in the past, but things are different this time around and honestly, they look promising. The Tiago, which started the renaissance, is a brilliant package that is priced aggressively and is doing well for the automaker. Perhaps, it won’t be wrong to call it the car which changed the perception about the homegrown automaker to one capable of making reliable and quality cars. 

The Hexa is the next big launch from Tata after the Tiago and it also happens to be the automaker’s flagship product. Every manufacturer showcases their prowess in terms of technology, design and powertrain options in their flagship products, and Tata is no different. It has left almost no stone unturned this time around with the Hexa.

Though it is based on the Aria, Tata has completely revamped the vehicle along with a lot of skin deep changes. And it is not a bad thing, since the Aria was already a promising product and introduced a brand a new hydroformed chassis from Tata Motors for the first time in many years, which is also shared with the Safari Storme. In fact, it has been reworked on all fronts – engine, suspension, chassis, interior, design and features too. All this rework has impacted the Tata Hexa mileage as well.

The main highlight of the new Hexa is the Super Drive Modes. It comes with segment-first driving modes – Auto, Comfort, Rough Road and Dynamic. The Aria already had a sophisticated AWD (all-wheel-drive) system – Adapterra – which transferred almost 45 per cent of the torque to the front wheel when required. The update has taken its capabilities to a whole new level. The Hexa's driving modes control how its all-wheel drive system performs, ESP intervenes and the engine reacts. For the uninitiated, the Aria was the first vehicle from an Indian manufacturer to come with an ESP (electronic stability control) system. 

In terms of aesthetics and features, the Hexa offers significantly more than what Tata had offered with the well-loaded Aria. All of this is coupled with improved quality and appearance, both inside and outside. At the outset, the Hexa features a high-placed, squared-off bonnet along with daytime running LEDs. The sides feature floating roof and massive 19-inch wheels (even the Ford Endeavour doesn’t come with 19-inch rubber in India). The rear features a more modern wrap-around LED tail lamp setup ditching the Christmas tree layout of the Aria. The all-round body cladding and the new colour schemes, especially the 'Arizona Blue', make the Hexa looks classier and more appealing compared to the Aria.   

In terms of features, the Hexa offers Tata’s latest ConnectNext infotainment system (powered by Harman) featuring a five-inch unit. The system is coupled to an amazing 10-speaker JBL sound system. Also, the Hexa features captain seats for the first time along with all-black cabin and leatherette upholstery with contrasting stitching.

There are a lot of small niceties such as the smart charging USB port (analyses the type of device connected and provides the charge accordingly), a large, colour, driver multi-information display, along with others that elevate the overall experience.   

The Hexa is certainly more than a repackaged Aria and it is very much evident as well. No vehicle is perfect in every aspect and the Hexa is no different, but it is clear that Tata has put its heart and soul in it. At the end of the day, it will all depend on how Tata prices the Hexa. If past launches from Tata, especially the Tiago, are anything to go by, we expect the Hexa to be priced aggressively. And if that happens, the Hexa will be capable enough to give a tough fight to its established rivals, particularly the Mahindra XUV500.

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