Tata Punch is based on the same ALFA ARC platform as the Global NCAP five-star rated Altroz premium hatchback
Tata Motors has commenced official bookings for the Punch already across authorised dealerships and online. The highly anticipated micro SUV will go on sale on October 20, 2021, and is expected to cost between Rs. 5.5 lakh and Rs. 8 lakh (ex-showroom). The Punch is underpinned by the ALFA (Agile Light Flexible Advanced) platform found in the Altroz premium hatchback.
The Altroz is the safest car money can buy at the affordable price bracket and it has a Global NCAP safety rating of five stars, and since the Punch is also based on the same architecture, it has already been expected to have a high safety rating. While the official details have not been revealed, a leaked image indicates that the Punch has indeed gained five stars from GNCAP.
We will have to wait till the official announcement though for legitimacy but the official configurator had “Uncompromised safety with GNCAP 5 Star Rated Product, Dual Airbags, ABS with EBD” mentioned allegedly. If it turns out to be the case, the Tata Punch will become the most affordable GNCAP five-star rated car on sale in the domestic market.
The Tata Punch competes against Mahindra KUV NXT and Maruti Suzuki Ignis along with entry-level compact SUVs like Nissan Magnite and Renault Kwid. The micro SUV has a class-leading bootspace of 366 litres and it measures a length of 3,827 mm, a width of 1,742 mm and stands 1,615 mm tall with a wheelbase length of 2,445 mm and the ground clearance is rated at 190 mm.
The SUV derives power from a 1.2-litre three-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine that is good enough to develop a maximum power output of 86 PS and 113 Nm of peak torque. The powertrain is linked with a five-speed manual or a five-speed AMT transmission driving only the front wheels but the Traction Pro mode helps a long way in mild off-roading conditions.
As for the equipment, the Tata Punch gets a seven-inch TFT instrument cluster, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, iRA connect, flat-bottom steering wheel with mounted controls, cruise control, push-button start/stop, rear central armrest and so on.