Tata Punch is the most affordable SUV in the carmaker’s portfolio, and it directly rivals the Maruti Suzuki Ignis and the Mahindra KUV100 NXT
Tata Motors recently launched the Punch micro SUV in India, and the carmaker has certainly managed to create a buzz in our market. The exterior and interior of the Punch had been revealed previously, and the features and equipment list was unveiled earlier this month.
Tata Punch has two close rivals in the Indian market – the Maruti Suzuki Ignis and Mahindra KUV100 NXT. Here is a specifications comparison between the three, take a look –
Dimensions
The Tata Punch measures 3827 mm in length, 1742 mm in width, stands 1615 mm tall and have a 2445 mm long wheelbase. The Maruti Suzuki Ignis has a length of 3700 mm, a width of 1690 mm, a height of 1595 mm and a 2435 mm long wheelbase. The Mahindra KUV100 NXT is 3700 mm long, 1735 mm wide, 1655 mm tall and gets a 2385 mm long wheelbase.
| Car | Tata Punch | Maruti Suzuki Ignis | Mahindra KUV100 NXT |
| Length | 3827 mm | 3700 mm | 3700 mm |
| Width | 1742 mm | 1690 mm | 1735 mm |
| Height | 1615 mm | 1595 mm | 1655 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2445 mm | 2435 mm | 2385 mm |
This means that the Tata Punch is the longest as well as widest out of the three, while the Mahindra KUV100 NXT is the tallest. The Punch also has the longest wheelbase here, and an impressive boot space of 336 litres.
Powertrains
Powering the Tata Punch is a 1.2-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated Revotron petrol engine that belts out 86 PS of max power and 113 Nm of peak torque. The transmission duties are taken care of by a 5-speed MT, as well as an optional AMT gearbox.
| Car | Tata Punch | Maruti Suzuki Ignis | Mahindra KUV100 NXT |
| Engine | 1.2-litre 3-cyl NA petrol | 1.2-litre 4-cyl NA petrol | 1.2-litre 3-cyl NA petrol |
| Power | 86 PS | 83 PS | 83 PS |
| Torque | 113 Nm | 113 Nm | 115 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT, AMT | 5-speed MT, AMT | 5-speed MT |
The Maruti Suzuki Ignis is offered with a 1.2-litre four-cylinder NA petrol engine that makes 83 PS and 113 Nm, and can also be had with a 5-speed manual transmission along with an optional AMT. The KUV100 NXT’s 1.2-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol motor generates 83 PS power and 115 Nm torque, but is available with a 5-speed manual gearbox only.
Features
The Punch’s equipment list consists of features like a free-standing touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, a semi-digital instrument cluster featuring a 7-inch colour display, push start/stop button, 90-degree opening doors, a three-spoke multi-function steering wheel with audio and cruise control switches, as well as first-in-class drive modes.
The Maruti Suzuki Ignis gets projector headlamps with LED DRLs, puddle lamps, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Maruti’s Smartplay 2.0 integration, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, automatic climate control, a multi-info display with a TFT screen, push button start/stop etc, steering mounted audio and Bluetooth controls and so on.
On the other hand, the Mahindra KUV100 NXT comes with features like door handle mood lighting, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, USB and AUX connectivity, Mahindra BLUESENSE app integration, DRLs, micro-hybrid tech, electrically adjustable ORVMs, puddle lamps, cooled glove box, follow-me-home headlamps, boot lamp and so on.
Safety
Tata Punch is equipped with safety features like dual airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, a reverse parking camera, traction modes, hill assist and hill descent control as well. The Punch is based on the same ALFA ARC platform as the Altroz, and has received a 5-star safety rating in Global NCAP’s crash tests.
The safety features on offer with the Maruti Suzuki Ignis include rear parking sensors, dual frontal airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, seat-belt pre-tensioners and a high-speed alert system. Higher variants also come with a reverse parking camera. Similarly, the Mahindra KUV100 NXT gets ABS with EBD, dual airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounts, speed-sensing auto-door lock, a reverse camera and rear parking sensors as well.
Price
Maruti Suzuki retails the Ignis at a starting price of Rs 5.10 lakh, which goes up to Rs 7.47 lakh for the top-end trim. On the other hand, the Mahindra KUV100 NXT is priced between Rs 6.08 lakh to Rs 7.74 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi).
Tata Punch is priced from Rs. 4.59 lakh to Rs. 9.09 lakh, not including the optional packs available on each trim level. The Tata micro-SUV has a lower starting price than the other two, but its higher trims are way more expensive.
Comparison Verdict
The Maruti Suzuki Ignis’ popularity has grown since its mid-life update last year, and the Japanese carmaker manages to sell the car in decent numbers. However, the Mahindra KUV100 NXT is just holding on for dear life, and barely manages to find any takers in the country.
While the companies might claim otherwise, the two cars can simply be classified as tallboy hatchbacks, while the upcoming Tata Punch also packs some soft-road cred. Tata Punch is expected to become the brand’s best-selling car in the coming times.