Here, we have a specifications comparison of the upcoming Tata Punch with Maruti Wagon-R, to see how the two potentially square up against each other
Tata Motors has officially unveiled the production-spec version of the HBX concept, under the name of ‘Punch’. Due to the rising popularity of SUVs and crossovers in the Indian market, the Tata Punch has been designed as a micro-SUV. Although it has not been fully revealed, spy pictures and speculations have given us a fair idea of what this vehicle has in store.
This here is an on-paper comparison of the upcoming Tata Punch micro-SUV with Maruti Suzuki’s extremely popular Wagon-R hatchback, in terms of design, features, specs, etc.
Tata Punch vs Maruti Wagon-R – Exterior styling and dimensions
The exterior styling of Tata Punch maintains familiarity with the HBX concept, but with plenty of changes. It gets Harrier-inspired split headlamps, along with a vertically split front grille. The vehicle gets a large front bumper, with a wide airdam that gets foglamps at the sides. The rear section has not been officially revealed, but spy shots have revealed wraparound LED taillights.
As for the Wagon-R, it gets a bulbous pair of headlamps at the front, flanking a rectangular grille. The front bumper gets a large air dam, with a black faux bash plate at the bottom. The side profile is boxy, and at the rear, we see a flat tailgate. The C-pillar-mounted taillights are tall, and at the rear bumper also gets a fake black bash plate.
| Dimension | Tata Punch* | Maruti Wagon-R |
| Length | 3,840 mm | 3,655 mm |
| Width | 1,822 mm | 1,620 mm |
| Height | 1,635 mm | 1,675 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,450 mm | 2,435 mm |
*dimensions of HBX concept
The Punch is significantly longer and wider than the Wagon-R, although the latter has a slightly longer wheelbase and a taller height. Still, it is the handsome Tata micro-SUV that takes the cake in terms of exterior styling between these two.
Tata Punch vs Maruti Wagon-R – Interior design and features
Tata has not yet officially revealed the interior of the Punch, but spy pictures have given us a fair idea. The dashboard, steering wheel, and (semi-digital) instrument cluster are the same as the HBX concept, but without the extravagant gold highlights. It also gets a free-standing touchscreen infotainment. The doors will likely open 90-degrees, for easy ingress/egress.
The equipment list will likely include power windows (front & rear), power-operated ORVMs, automatic climate control, cruise control, cooled glove box, smart keyless entry, push-button start/stop, rear parking camera, etc. The vehicle could offer iRA connected car tech as well. We expect the interior space to be impressive in the front as well as rear seats.
Maruti Wagon-R has a simple interior design, with a dual-tone black & beige interior theme. The dashboard gets a floating 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the centre, with vertical AC vents on both sides and HVAC controls below. The side AC vents are circular in shape, and there are no rear AC vents on offer.
The Maruti gets manual AC, power-adjustable ORVMs, all power windows, keyless entry, driver front airbag (dual front airbags on higher trims), child safety locks, rear parking sensors, ABS with EBD, etc. The equipment list of the Wagon-R is a little thin, owing to its affordable price tag.
Tata Punch vs Maruti Wagon-R – Powertrains
Tata Punch will likely be available with the brand’s 1.2-litre NA petrol motor, which develops 86 PS and 113 Nm on tap. The higher variants might get a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine option (110 PS and 140 Nm), which would do the name some justice. A 5-speed manual gearbox will be available as standard, and automatic transmission options will also be offered.
| Tata Punch specifications (expected) | ||
| Engine size | 1.2 litre | 1.2 litre |
| Engine type | Naturally aspirated, inline-3, petrol | Turbocharged, inline-3, petrol |
| Max. power | 86 PS | 110 PS |
| Max. torque | 113 Nm | 140 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT/5-speed AMT | 5-speed MT |
The Wagon-R is available with two engine options – a 1.0-litre petrol (69 PS/90 Nm) and a 1.2-litre petrol (83 PS/113 Nm). Both can be had with either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed AMT. The 1.0L MT version gets a CNG option as well, rated at 59 PS and 78 Nm of peak power and torque, respectively.
| Maruti Wagon-R specifications (expected) | ||
| Engine size | 1.0 litre | 1.2 litre |
| Engine type | Naturally aspirated, inline-3, petrol | Naturally aspirated, inline-4, petrol |
| Max. power | 69 PS (59 PS on CNG) | 83 PS |
| Max. torque | 90 Nm (78 Nm on CNG) | 113 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT/5-speed AMT | 5-speed MT/5-speed AMT |
Tata Punch vs Maruti Wagon-R – Price
The price of the Tata Punch will be revealed upon launch, which is set to happen near the Diwali festive season. The vehicle will be positioned below the Nexon in the carmaker’s lineup, and the starting price is expected to be around Rs. 5 lakh.
As for Maruti Wagon-R, it is currently priced from Rs. 4.80 lakh to Rs. 6.33 lakh in the Indian market, which is extremely competitive. However, the trade-off is the frugal equipment list, which is sure to be disappointing for a lot of tech-savvy new buyers.
Prices mentioned are ex-showroom, New Delhi