One fine day, the home page of Indiblogger flashed the Test Drive of the new TATA HEXA in Hyderabad. I was excited and applied keeping my fingers crossed. To my immense happiness, I was shortlisted among 60 bloggers from all over India to experience the TATA HEXA! My joy knew no bounds!
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Delhi bloggers at the airport all set for the #HexaExperience!
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Day 1:
We all Delhi bloggers assembled at the Delhi Airport for our flight to the city of Nizams. Our flight was at half past twelve and we reached Hyderabad at around 3pm. It was my first time in Hyderabad and I loved the vibes which I got after landing at the Rajiv Gandhi International airport. We were taken to the Novotel Airport Hotel and it was just ten minutes away.
As we entered the hotel, we rushed to the Square restaurant for lunch as the buffet was going to close.
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We were greeted by this beautiful room with surprise gifts by Tata Hexa waiting for us (power bank, macaroons and cute stationary)
The lunch was super delicious and I had a generous serving of everything. I am usually not a fan of Biriyanis but since I was in Hyderabad, it was a mandate. After a heartfelt lunch, we registered ourselves and filled up the Indemnity form. Then we went to our rooms to rest and change. Our beautifully made rooms welcomed us with a gift package from Tata Hexa. Later on, the Tata people pampered us with Power Banks and a box of macaroons. Then at 6 30 we all assembled at the Ballroom for the Orientation Session.
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| Intercity bloggers getting to know each other |
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| The presentation begins: What makes us choose an SUV over a sedan? |
The real fun then began. We were introduced to the macho Tata Hexa by Richard, Ravinder Jain and Vivek Srivatsa as they unfolded fascinating features one by one about the Tata Hexa. Then we were also made acquainted with our drive trail. We were supposed to drive 85kms one way so it was 170 kms in total. I was dying to take it out for a spin.There was also a Q and A session where all are queries were solved.
Why the name HEXA?
. First it was supposed to be a six seater but then it was turned to a 6+1
. There are six airbags (front, Side and Curtain)
. There are six gears and a reverse gear.
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The first glimpse of the manly Tata Hexa at the launch party
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After the session it was time for the cocktail party. There was food and drinks galore and entertainment in the form of a stand up comedy session by Mr Biswa Kalyan Rath. He left us in splits. Then there was caricature painting which had us in splits. We slipped into our beds as it was an early day the next day.
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| Social media handle cupcakes |
Day 2:
We woke up at 5 in the morning (eyes popping as it was a Sunday) and had breakfast at 5 30. At six, we all got to see the line up of the Hexas. There were sixty bloggers who were divided into twenty teams; three in each. So there were twenty cars standing. Ten in Tungsten silver and the other ten in Arizona Blue. I particularly loved the blue colour. The fleet looked fantastic.
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| Its six in the morning; I may a bit sleepy but am all set for the long drive |
My team got the M9 car; M for manual transmission. The manual ones were blue while the automatic ones were silver. Our team’s captain started the car. As we soon as we started, I knew we were for a special ride.
The drive up (Manual Transmission)
It was a 85 km drive to the Hills and Valley Resort through the outer ring Road of Hyderabad. The car has an excellent pickup.
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| We took a wrong turn and ended up here. However the drive on this highway was mindblowing! |
Interiors: Macho black. There is a small shelf like space above the glove box on the dashboard where you can keep things and they won’t fall off. The vanity mirror has lights on its sides which I loved. There are enough cup holders in the car for your drinks.
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| The vanity mirror has lights on both sides! |
The Infotainment System:
The Hexa allows seamless smartphone integration. The vehicle boasts the new Connect Next App that features various applications such as NAVIMAPS App, Juke Car App, Tata Smart Remote App and Tata Smart manual App
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| Gorgeous interiors. I particularly love the smashing Infotainment system. Right now it is displaying the navigation map. You can connect with with your smartphone and use various Apps. The music is simply mind blowing! |
The 10 speaker JBL System ensures that you don’t have a single dull moment during your ride! We blasted our car with mind blowing music!
Sun Blinds: The rear door sunblinds kept the scorching Hyderabad sun at bay.
We took a wrong turn in the beginning and ended up driving an extra twenty kms. It was ablessing in disguise as we got to drive even more. The drive was butter smooth.
There are four drive modes:
Auto Mode: The car is optimized to adapt itself automatically to all surface conditions. It provides a reassuring drive regardless of the road conditions.
Comfort Mode: This one is for long drives. The engine provides precise power allowing constant cruising speeds on the highway.
Dynamic mode: In this mode the HEXA achieves maximum power and acceleration. It performs well during extreme handling maneuvers on curvy roads or while drifting. It ensures safety in adverse conditions.
Rough Road Mode: The best part about HEXA is that it allows you to explore…in true sense. You don’t need smooth highways for a smooth ride. You can take the road less taken (rocky, rough and slippery terrain) and still your ride is going to be smooth like butter!
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| The Hexa is awesome off road! |
There were various potholes and rough patches during our journey but we did not feel a thing! Our Hexa cruised smoothly as if the road was normal!
We reached The Hills and valley Resort and had quick refreshments while our next car got ready. Since we drove the M9, it was time for A9. I was super excited to drive the Automatic one.
The drive down ( Automatic Transmission)
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All set to take the Automatic car for a spin |
Our car was off to a super start. The pickup was even better than the manual one. It was a six km stretch from the resort to the main road and it was a bumpy route. But we never felt a jerk in the TATA HEXA .
The sun was at its scorching best but the AC was super effective. There is an AC vent on Floor console for the rear seats. There is an automatic temperature control too. There is independent fan speed controls for front and rear.
As we came to the highway, we accelerated. The maximum speed which we reached was170 km ph but still the ride was butter smooth. We stopped at various points on the way to absorb the natural beauty all around. I drove the last segment of the drive. I had never driven an SUV before leave alone automatic. But the car was so smooth and so easy to drive that even an SUV Newbie like me felt confident. I loved every second of my time behind the wheel.
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| Almost at Hyderabad |
Like all things come to an end, our drive did too. It was one hell of a drive. We reached the Novotel Hotel and had lunch. The most exciting part was still left: The Off Road Experience.
OFF ROAD EXPERIENCE:
The best part of the TATA HEXA is that it’s a lifestyle vehicle. Its for long drives, its for adventures. You can take it anywhere you want regardless of the terrain or weather or landscape. We were taken for the thrilling off road experience.
The driver was an expert who acquainted us with the car’s special features. The hill descent function is for steep descents which would switch off automatically as you come to a level road. Hill Hold Control prevents the vehicle from rolling backwards on uphill drives. There are anti skid features to drive over water and snow. (Traction Control System) ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution optimizes braking distance and enforces vehicle stability.
This video will give you a fair amount of idea what the TATA HEXA is capable of off roads!
It was one helluva of a twenty minute roller coaster ride!
So to sum up, it was an exhilarating #HexaExperience! I plan to look forward to its launch next year. Thank you Tata Motors and Indiblogger for this AHmazing opportunity!
Some more beautiful moments during the road trip:
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| Soaking in natural beauty |
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| Met fellow bloggers on the way and started goofing around |
