Tata Punch

Tata Punch exterior design 

The Punch is built on Tata’s new ALFA architecture and has been conceived to be an SUV from the ground up. It gets a  split headlamp layout with the LED Daytime Running Lamps atop and projector headlamp cluster below. The Punch has a purposeful stance but view it in light of other compact SUVs, and it is much smaller in dimension. The Punch has a ground clearance of 190mm (unladen) and a water-wading capacity of 370mm. 

Tata Punch Interior 

Contrasting white panels, textured plastics and other materials not only look appealing but also feel quite upmarket. Ingress/egress is a breeze with doors which open up to 90-degree and high-set seats. The front seats are nice to be in, although the cushioning is a bit firm, and tall drivers will find thigh support to be limited. Rear seat space is comparable to the pricier Kia Sonet in terms of knee room as well as shoulder room. Two six-footers can sit one behind another with some room to spare. The car’s narrow width makes three abreast here a tight squeeze. 

Tata Punch features and safety 

The Tata Punch gets a 7-inch touchscreen which is feature-packed with Android Auto, Apple Carplay, but the touch interface and its responsiveness could have been slicker. Other equipment that the top-spec Punch packs in are a 6-speaker Harman system, automatic projector headlamps with LED DRLs, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, electric folding mirrors, climate control, cooled glovebox, rear wiper and washer, 16-inch alloys, fog lamps with cornering function and a security alarm. In terms of safety, the Tata Punch gets 2 airbags, ABS, EBD and ISOFIX mounts as standard.

Tata Punch engine, gearbox and performance

The Tata Punch uses the same three-cylinder, 1.2-litre, naturally aspirated petrol engine as the Tiago, Tigor and Altroz, but the engine has been modified and makes 86hp and 113Nm of torque. The engine sounds grainy and there is some three-cylinder thrum too, but to be fair, it only gets vocal over 4,000rpm where you’ll also hear a whine from the engine bay. What’s nice is that the engine performs its daily duties with relative ease and its short gearing (first and second) makes it quite user-friendly. Quick overtaking manoeuvres will warrant careful planning and you will need to work its gearbox to make progress. The 5-speed manual transmission is quite effort-free, but shifts aren’t butter-smooth, and the clutch is light and easy to operate. The AMT tends to upshift to the highest gear at the earliest (in the interest of fuel economy)

Tata Punch ride and handling

The Punch’s ride and handling balance are spot on. It flattens road imperfections with a sense of maturity like a much heavier car, and its stability at high speeds is excellent. The steering of the Punch is light, consistent and accurate. Its brakes feel natural and progressive, and its braking performance is very confidence-inspiring.

Tata Punch price and verdict

A hatchback with SUV pretensions isn’t unusual today, but the Tata Punch differentiates itself from the tribe with some of the attributes you’d associate with the SUV body style. it is stylish on the outside, cheerful on the inside and has a reasonable equipment list. Engine performance isn’t exciting and its AMT gearbox could have been a bit more intuitive, but these are likely to meet the requirements of a majority of buyers. Priced between Rs 5.99 lakh-9.59 lakh, the Punch is expensive for what it offers and serves as a pricier alternative to hatchbacks.