Tata Motors has launched its smallest SUV yet, the Punch in the market bang in the middle of the lucrative festive season. With the Punch, Tata is aiming to create a brand-new segment in the country, that of Micros SUVs. According to the manufacturer, the car just doesn’t look like an SUV but also performs like one in certain situations, even though it doesn’t get an all-wheel drive option. Tata Motors design studios in India, UK, and Italy have collaborated to design this vehicle which was further engineered and developed by Tata Motors team in India. The idea was to address a growing customer need for a small in size but large in space SUV.
LOOKS
The Punch gets many SUV cues like a raised ground clearance of 187 mm, cladding on wheel arches and on doors and roof rails. Along with that it gets projector headlamps & LED daytime running lights (DRLs) and signature LED tail lamps which get the company’s famed tri-arrow pattern. The top variant also gets 16-inchdiamond cut alloy wheels and dual tone roof options in white & black. In all there are 7 colours to choose from. The car has been launched in 4 variants or ‘Personas’ called Pure, Adventure, Accomplished and Creative. In addition, buyers can further personalize these variants with the Rhythm, Dazzle and iRA customization packs depending on the trim.
INTERIORS
Inside what will catch your attention is the granite black dashboard with glacier grey inserts, premium fabric seats with signature tri- arrow pattern, leather wrapped steering wheel & gear shift knob as well as body coloured AC vents. The feature list is long specially in the top-of-the-line Creative variant. You get auto headlamps & rain sensing wipers, push button start, automatic climate control, adjustable driver seat, cooled glove box, steering mounted control, tilt steering, fast USB charger, and a rear arm rest. The 7-inchharman infotainment system is compatible with Android Auto & Apple Carplay and the car also gets Tata’s now famous iRA connected car technology with What3Words & natural voice tech. Also, on offer is a 7-inch TFT Instrument Cluster as well as cruise control. In all there are over 25 utility spaces inside the cabin and the SUV comes with a boot space of 366 litres.
ENGINE
The Punch runs on the new gen 1.2 litre Revotron petrol engine that also powers the Altroz hatchback. It is mated to 5 Speed AMT and Manual Transmission and the car also gets City & Eco drive modes. The Idle Start Stop feature automatically turns off the engine at signals and in traffic to help in achieving better fuel efficiency. The punch gets the Dyna-Pro technology which ensures more torque at lower rpms to help you get out of difficult situations. The AMT version gets an industry first ‘Traction Pro’ to give a spirited performance. For taking on the difficult terrain the car gets a 20.3°approach angle, 37.6° departure angle and 22.2° ramp over angle. It also gets a water wading capability of 370 mm.
SAFETY
The Tata Punch is built on the company’s new and modern Agile Light Flexible Advanced (ALFA) Architecture. It has become the third car from Tata motors to get the coveted Global NCAP 5-star rating for adult occupant protection. For child occupant protection it again gets an impressive 4-star safety. The car gets dual airbag sas standard along with ABS with EBD and corner stability control. It also gets a segment first feature called brake sway control which detects the tendency of instability during abrupt braking before the ABS kicks in to avoid vehicle swaying from the driving path. Safety features like child seat ISOFIX anchor points, reverse parking camera and tyre puncture repair kit also find a place in the Punch.
PRICES
The Punch has been launched starting at Rs. 5.49 Lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi) and the prices go up to Rs. 9.09 lakh for the Creative AMT. The customised packs will cost you an additional Rs. 45,000 depending upon what you choose and these prices are valid only till the end of the year after which they are likely to go up. There’s no doubt the Punch gets a stunning design, spacious interiors, attractive price, and of course absolute safety. A turbo engine probably is the only missing link which would make it a complete winner. But that is not everyone’s priority specially at this price point.
The writer is Senior Editor at carandbike.com