Tata Punch will compete against Mahindra KUV NXT and Maruti Suzuki Ignis; will be powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine with manual and AMT choices
A few weeks ago, Tata Motors announced the official production name of the HBX concept to be Punch and the pictures were released soon after. The homegrown manufacturer also revealed that the micro SUV will be launched this festive season and bookings for the five-seater have commenced on dealership level for a refundable deposit.
The Punch has also been teased regularly and is expected to be the first-in-class SUV to boast of drive modes and Tata uses Eco, City and Sport modes with varying performance levels in the Nexon. Speaking of which, the Punch will be positioned below the Nexon in the brand’s domestic portfolio and is expected to be priced between Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom).
The Tata Punch is based on the Impact Design 2.0 philosophy and is the first SUV underpinned by the ALFA ARC (Agile Light Flexible Advanced Architecture). As the Altroz received five stars in the Global NCAP crash tests, the Punch using the same platform may also gain a high safety rating. If it does so, it could become the safest car in a more affordable price range in the market.
Drawing heavy influence from the H2X and HBX concepts, the Tata Punch has a split headlight cluster with a single black panel front grille and sleek LED Daytime Running Lights. The Punch does not feel too cramped by being a sub-four-metre model and it has a youthful look and a well-proportioned bodywork.
It will be offered in multiple colour choices including dual-tone shades and the exterior has other key features such as squared-off wheel arches, clamshell bonnet and rear door handles mounted on the pillars. It will be powered by a 1.2-litre three-cylinder Revotron petrol engine that may as well be sold in its turbocharged guise.
A five-speed manual and a five-speed AMT are expected to be the transmission choices. The interior comes with a free-standing touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a steering wheel with mounted controls, and so on.