2016 Tata Hexa review, test drive

With the Hexa, Tata opens a new chapter in the premium SUV segment. Here are our first impressions of the car.

Published on Oct 21, 2016 10:00:00 PM

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What's it like inside?

It’s quite a step up into the Hexa’s high-set cabin but once inside you’ll have to remind yourself you are in a Tata. What you get are some of the best seats in the business and a superb level of quality you would find hard to associate with Tata cars. The carmaker’s investment in getting the look and feel right has reaped rewards because the cabin scores brilliantly on perceived quality. Right from the knitted roof lining and contrast stitching on the leather seats to the brushed aluminium effect on the side air-con vents and knurled finish on the climate control knobs, there’s a certain premiumness to just about everything. Tata has even gone to the extent of giving the door locks a textured finish! At places, however, panel gaps are larger than warranted but the cabin’s black theme ensures they don’t necessarily stand out.

The Hexa’s dashboard is relatively simply styled but it does have a solid look. The centre console is neatly split between the air-con vents, infotainment system and climate control buttons and each section uses a gloss-black trim and chrome detailing to good effect.

But given how in-car connectivity and entertainment have been areas of focus at Tata for a while now, it’s a bit disappointing to know the Hexa shares its infotainment system with the cheaper Bolt and Zest. The 5.0-inch touchscreen looks small in such a wide car.

Functionality-wise though, Tata has packed the system with features including downloadable mobile apps for offline navigation, jukebox (songs from multiple phones can be added to a playlist on a primary synced phone), remote control for the audio system, vehicle service and the owner’s manual. As we learned, the apps are quite heavy in terms of battery usage so perhaps Tata could have been more generous with USB ports – there are only two. But you do get three 12V sockets which includes one in the boot.

Fine-tuned specifically for the Hexa, The incredible sounding 10-speaker JBL system delivers immense power and clarity for all three rows of seats. And to set the tone, there is eight colour configurable ambient lighting too! Cruise control, auto headlamps and wipers and reverse camera with dynamic guide lines are also standard. However, a sunroof and push button start, features you now expect, are missing.

The seats are, in a word, brilliant. Well-shaped, richly finished and very supportive, they are one of the highlights on the Hexa. Their multi-density foam offers just the right amount of cushioning which means you can spend hours in them and emerge feeling fresh. Foldable armrests and adjustable lumbar support just add to the comfort quotient. If there’s anything to criticise, it’s that the seats are overly generous! The base is too long for shorter occupants and digs into their legs behind the knees.

The Hexa’s high driving position gives a commanding view out but the thick A-pillar does hamper visibility especially at crossroads. Drivers will like the sight of the full colour 3.5-inch multi-info display between the speedo and tacho and will also take readily to the quality of touch points like the steering wheel, window buttons and switchgear.

As for the middle row, there’s lots of space on offer but if you want front seat-like comfort in the back, it’s the captain chair option you should go for. Pull-out sun blinds for the large windows and air-con vents on the B-pillar and centre tunnel ensure a good level of pampering. The middle row bench on the seven-seat version is comfy too and the relatively flat contours allow for a third person to fit in comfortably. You can adjust both arrangements of middle seats for backrest angle and move them fore and aft to free up space for the third row. However, access to the last row of seat is not the best – the captain chairs don’t fold fully while the 60:40 split bench requires effort to tumble.

If you’re of average height, the space in the last row is totally useable. The seating position is surprisingly nice as third rows go and there is reasonable room too. Just that it’s not a space for tall people.

With all seats up, the Hexa’s luggage area can only accommodate a few soft bags but you can fold the third-row backrests (they split 50:50 but don’t fold entirely flat) to free up a lot of room. The Hexa does largely well in terms of in-cabin storage too. There are large door pockets, a handy central storage between the front seats, twin gloveboxes and enough cupholders for the second and third rows. Unfortunately, there’s only a single cupholder right up front and also no dedicated space to keep your mobile phone near the centre console.