[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/44771206392/[/flickr]

The captain seats have excellent comfort and the sunshades are a nice touch

The Tata Hexa is a comfortable 7-seater but not the easiest to access the third row of seats as tumbling the second row isn’t that easy. Yes, the captain seats in the second row are very comfortable and also offer a sense of luxury (no one dare to put a third passenger in the second row so you can keep your stuff between the seats).

[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/44820982891/[/flickr]

In this age of monocoques, the Hexa gets a ladder-frame platform

The Hexa is very heavy but it is also quite tough & rugged for our bad roads

In times where weight reduction seems to be the primary agenda for both automakers and individuals alike, Tata Motors has used a body-on-frame platform which supposedly is more rugged but also heavier. There is no getting away from the fact that the Hexa is a heavy car and it feels that way too when you get behind the wheel. You do get the traditional SUV feel with the body roll but it also takes a toll on the efficiency, we have been managing 8.9 km/l, ours is the automatic.

[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/43009761790/[/flickr]

The 2.2-litre diesel engine is shared with the Safari Storme

The Tata Hexa’s 2.2-litre Varicor diesel engine outputs an impressive 400 Nm of torque, that’s more twisting force than foreign SUVs. Power delivery is splendid and there is some lag lower down but post 2000 RPM, the motor pulls cleanly. What is the most rewarding in the powertrain package is the gearbox, it’s just super slick with shifts and offers very fast downshifts too. The ride too is excellent and the car remains planted at high speeds.