Review: 2017 Tata Hexa XT
15 December 2017, Neil Parkhi
Introduction
The Tata Hexa is a crossover SUV manufactured by the Indian car major, Tata Motors. Manufactured at the commercial assembly line at the Pimpri-Chinchwad, the new Hexa crossover is successor to the Tata Aria and is the brand’s new flagship crossover model. The crossover is available as an all-diesel model and has been equipped with the 2.2 liter VariCor diesel motor. It is available for sale in the domestic car market of India in a total of six model trims, namely - XE, XM, XMA, XT, XTA and XT 4x4. The prices for the all new Tata Hexa starts at Rs. 12 lakhs for the base XE model, and goes up to Rs. 17.5 lakhs for the top of the line XT 4x4 variant. The Hexa crossover is the second car after the Tata Tiago to be based on Tata Motors’ new design language - Impact. The Hexa also comes with 5-spoke 19 inch wheels for the XT, which are done in a dual-tone black and polished finish. The Hexa also offers safety features including 6 Airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System, Electronic Brake-Force Distribution, Electronic Brake Pre-fill, Engine Immobilizer, Traction Control, Rear Parking Camera with Active Guideline, and Rear Parking Sensors. The Hexa offers four 'Super Drive' modes, namely Auto, Comfort, Dynamic and Rough Road. These different drive modes are selectable through a rotary knob that is located on the center console. The Auto mode is a temporary AWD mode which allows the vehicle to adapt itself as per the road surface. It primarily employs Rear Wheel Drive and sends torque to the front wheels when it is required. The Comfort more is purely Rear Wheel Drive mode that the company says focuses on a comfortable drive experience. In this mode, the vehicle is least powerful and is likely to offer best fuel efficiency as a result. This mode is best used for linear drives on expressways or in slow moving traffic situations. The Dynamic mode also a RWD (rear wheel drive) mode, but the engine offers the most powerful performance on this mode and the vehicle feels much more energetic in this mode. The Dynamic mode offers great acceleration and is aimed at offering an engaging drive experience. However, this mode will also return the least fuel economy. The Rough Road mode is meant to deal with the bad road conditions or for off-roading. This mode offers better performance on treacherous road conditions such as loose soil surfaces or slippery road conditions. The Rough Road mode also offers enhanced braking and enhanced off-road acceleration as well. The Automatic Transmission variant offers Sport and Tiptronic drive modes, while a unique Race Car mode is also offered to offer fun drive experience.
Specifications
| Steering and Transmission | |
|---|---|
| Steering Type | Speed Proportional, Electric Assist, Rack and Pinion Power Steering |
| Transmission Type | 6 Speed Manual |
| Wheels and Tires | |
| Front Wheel Type | 19 inch 5 spoke diamond cut finished alloys |
| Rear Wheel Type | 19 inch 5 spoke diamond cut finished alloys |
| Front Tire Type | 235/55R19 |
| Rear Tire Type | 235/55R19 |
| Front Brake Type | Disc |
| Rear Brake Type | Disc |
| Suspension | |
| Front Suspension Type | Double Wishbone |
| Rear Suspension Type | Penta-Link Rigid Axle |
| Suspension Features | Stabilizer Bars, Coil Springs, Gas Pressurized Shock Absorbers |
| Dimensions | |
| Length (in, mm) | 188.9in, 4788mm |
| Width (in, mm) | 74.9in, 1903mm |
| Height (in, mm) | 70.5in, 1791mm |
| Wheelbase (in, mm) | 112.2in, 2850mm |
| Weight (lb, kg) | 5027lb, 2280kg |
| Engine Specifications | |
| Engine Type | 2.2 liter VariCor 400 16 valve diesel inline 4 cylinder |
| Power (bhp, PS, kW) | 154bhp, 156PS, 115kW @ 4000RPM |
| Torque (lb-ft, Nm) | 295lb-ft, 400Nm @ 1700-2700RPM |
| 0-60 mph (0-97 kmph) | 13.1 seconds |
| Top Speed (mph, kmph) | 99 mph, 159 kmph |
| Drivetrain | All Wheel Drive |
| Fuel Tank Size (gal, L) | 15.9 gallons, 60L |
| Fuel Type | B20 Diesel |
| City Fuel Economy (mpg, kmpL) | 31mpg, 13kmpL |
| City Fuel Economy (mpg, kmpL) | 40mpg, 17kmpL |
| Cargo Specifications | |
| Cargo Space (ft3, L) | 21.5ft3, 610L |
| Max. Cargo Space (ft3, L) | 21.5ft3, 610L |