Tata Motors showcased its flagship SUV, the Hexa, at the Auto Expo 2016. The SUV was slated for launch soon after the the Tiago hatchback was rolled out in April. However, the ban on registration of diesel vehicles in Delhi and NCR put the launch plans on hold. Emerging reports now say that Tata Motors is likely to launch the Hexa SUV in the beginning of October.
On papers, the Hexa is not a new vehicle. It is the successor of the Aria. However, Tata Motors has copiously worked on the Hexa in its transition from Aria. The design, features and powertrain of the Hexa have been developed with inputs from Tata Motors' British subsidiary, Land Rover.
The face of the Hexa sports a honeycomb grille with chrome "Humanity Line". The SUV flaunts projector head-lamps, LED daytime running lights, integrated spoiler and roof rails. The black cladding that runs around the car adds off-road appeal. The top-spec variants of the car will come with massive 19-inch five twin spoke alloy wheels. The SUV will measure 4,764mm in length, 1,895mm in width, 1,780mm of height and have 2,850mm of ground clearance.
The interiors will be spruced up with dual-tone dashboard and leather-covered captain seats. The seats will have an integrated arm-rest. A three-spoke steering wheel, LED illumination and mood lighting will be standard additions. The top-spec variants are also expected to be packed with Harman Infotainment system and a 5.0 inch touchscreen that also acts as the reverse camera display.
The SUV will be powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder VARICOR diesel engine, which is tuned to generate 154bhp of power at 4,000rpm and 400Nm of torque at 1,700 to 2,700rpm. The engine will be mated to the choice of either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The automatic transmission is rumoured to be an AMT unit. Hexa will also feature four driving modes — Auto, Comfort, Dynamic and Rough Road.
Tata Motors is expected to price Hexa between Rs. 13 and Rs. 18 lakh, ex-showroom.
