Tata Punch is the second model underpinned by the ALFA ARC following the Altroz and its design is influenced by the Impact Design 2.0 philosophy
Tata Motors has revealed the Punch micro SUV ahead of its launch this festive season and as expected, it will become one of the best-selling affordable cars in the domestic market. The Punch is the production version of the HBX concept showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo and it was preceded by the H2X concept the previous year.
Ever since the test mules were caught on camera, the Punch looked to have an appealing exterior for a sub-four-metre SUV and it did turn out to be the case. In the affordable car space under Rs. 8 lakh, we have seen some bold looking cars like Renault Kwid but the Tata Punch certainly tops them all off with muscular styling and sporty design elements.
The exterior of the Tata Punch is based on the Impact Design 2.0 philosophy as the Harrier mid-size SUV. The front fascia adorns a split headlamp cluster with sharp-looking LED Daytime Running Lights on top while the Tata badge is mounted on a thick black panel on the grille section with chrome surrounds. The bumper has circular fog lamps with a wide central air intake embellished in black tri-arrow patterns.
Other design highlights are clamshell-shaped bonnet, raked front windshield, blackened pillars and contrast roof giving a dual-tone appearance, pillar mounted rear door handles, squared wheel arches, tall pillars, sculpted tailgate with Tata badge in the middle, wraparound LED tail lamps, high set rear bumper with vertical reflectors and faux air vents, etc.
From the pictures, we can say that the upcoming Tata Punch does not feel out of place from any angle and even the taillights do not look to be cramped. The five-seater will lock horns with Mahindra KUV NXT, Maruti Suzuki Ignis and others, and is expected to be priced competitively – Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 8 lakh (ex-showroom).
On the inside, the Tata Punch will feature a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a semi-digital instrument console, a steering wheel with mounted controls, and a host of safety features including dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and reverse parking sensors as standard.
It will likely derive power from a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that already does duty in the Tiago, Tigor and Altroz while the turbocharged version of the same powertrain used in the Altroz iTurbo could also be made available. A five-speed manual transmission as standard could be accompanied by a five-speed AMT.