Is Tata Punch an Urban King in Compact SUV Segment? See through its Price, Specifications and Features.

The Tata Punch is easily defeating cars like the Maruti Swift and the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios. A task that Ford, Mahindra, and Chevrolet attempted on numerous occasions but failed to complete. To beat these two stalwarts, you need a car with a different approach, one with skill sets that go far beyond what they have, and Tata Punch is right for it.

Design 

In terms of appearance, the Punch is fascinating. It looks imposing up front with its high bonnet and puffed-up panels. The Harrier-like LED daytime running lamps and projector headlamp positioning are reminiscent of the Tata, and the tri-arrow pattern Tata added to the grille and lower half of the bumper gives it a stylish touch. Due to the height and the upright A-pillar, it clearly looks like an SUV from the side.

The Punch's interior appears much more understated, sophisticated, and modern than its ostentatious and confrontational exterior. The white panel gives the dash a nice flow and makes the cabin appear wider than it is. The centre console has few physical buttons, which contributes to the clean, minimalistic look of the design. Because it is high on the dashboard and slightly below eye level, the floating 7-inch display is easy to use even when you are moving. 

Specifications

Engine and Gearbox

A 1.2-liter petrol engine producing 88 horsepower and 115 torque, mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT, powers the Tata Punch. The CNG versions produce 73.5 PS and 103 Nm (in CNG mode) using the same engine mated only to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Performance

The moment you turn on the engine, you can already feel the improvement. The motor idles more silently and smoothly, and you feel fewer vibrations. Naturally, the motor becomes quite noisy when it is revved above 4000 rpm, but it is never overly bothersome. The manual takes 16.4 seconds to go from 0 to 100 mph, while the automatic takes 18.3 seconds.

Features

Features of the Tata Punch include a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with input from Harman, a digital-analogue instrument cluster, a flat-bottom steering wheel covered in leather, cruise control, automatic climate control, controls mounted on the steering wheel, rectangular air conditioning vents with accents in contrast colours, two drive modes (City and Eco), iRA technology, and a driver seat that can be adjusted in height.

Safety

From the beginning, the Punch has the same set of safety features as the base model. In addition to dual airbags, the car has ISOFIX child seat anchorage points for the back seat and ABS with EBD. Tata could have improved the safety package even more by including more airbags in the higher variant or even adding ESP. In the Global NCAP crash test, the Punch also received a 5-star safety rating.

Variants

The Punch comes in four variants: Pure, Adventure, Accomplished, and Creative. The Camo edition is available on the Adventure and Accomplished trim levels. The Punch is available in eight different colours: Tornado Blue, Calypso Red, Meteor Bronze, Atomic Orange, Tropical Mist, Daytona Grey, Orcus White, and Foliage Green are some of the colours available.

Pros

• Striking appearance and superior cabin. 
• Excellent comfort and interior space. 
• Comfortable riding on rough terrain. 
• Moderate ability to go off-road. 
• 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP. 

Cons

• Engine feels underpowered when travelling on the highway.
• Outdated infotainment touchscreen. 
• No cupholders or charging ports for passengers in the backseat. 

Price

Tata Punch prices range from Rs. 6 Lakh to Rs. 10.10 Lakh for the top model. Punch is available in 33 different models, with the Pure base model and the Tata Punch Creative Flagship AMT DT top model being the two most popular.