Tata Hexa

What is it? Tata's take on a premium MPV with SUV undertones. Price Rs 12.5-18 lakh (estimated, ex-showroom, Delhi) On sale January 2017 Verdict Big, comfy and feature-packed, the Hexa is a big Tata you’d want to buy.

- Nikhil Bhatia

TATA MOTORS is on a mission to draw buyers to its showrooms on the strength of new and exciting products. The journey started with the capable Zest compact sedan and Bolt hatchback. Then came the Tiago that has made its mark in the competitive small car space, and now the carmaker has its sights set on a more premium part of the market with the Hexa. In brief, the Hexa is Tata’s rival to the Mahindra XUV500. It’s not an all-new product per se and has its roots in the Aria MPV, but to call the Hexa a mere facelift would be selling it short. Every large component on the Hexa is heavily reworked, if not new altogether, and every body panel is different. The cabin has been redone and there's more comfort, technology and luxury on offer. So what makes the Hexa special and what does it offer customers?

What’s it like on the outside?

Before getting into what the Hexa looks like, it’s essential to touch upon the older Aria and its design. While attractive in its own right, the Aria’s MPV shape didn’t appeal to buyers looking for an SUV body style. Thankfully, that’s less of an issue on the Hexa. Sure, the side profile and glasshouse link the Hexa to the Aria and give it a slight MPV look, but view the new Tata head-on and you’d see it has got a lot more SUV. All the elements are there. The bonnet is nicely squared-out, the grille (detailed with hexagons) is upright and the headlamps are nice and large too. Sleek daytime-running LEDs are also part of the package, while the big air dam lower down on the front bumper and the plastic cladding only further the Hexa’s beefy look. Large 19-inch wheels and 200mm of ground clearance also give the Hexa the requisite stance. However, from some angles, the wheels look sunken in and the tyres appear thinner than they are due to the comparatively massive wheel arches.