Tata Punch

The Tata Punch is not just Tata’s bestseller, but also managed to be the most sold car in India in 2024. The balance of comfort, practicality, features and safety at that price point seems to hold a lot of promise. But what exactly makes this small SUV so appealing to the masses, and is there any room for improvement? We find all the answers.

• Despite the compact size, the Punch’s styling looks like a proper mini SUV with its high 187mm ground clearance and rugged-looking cladding.

• The 16-inch alloys look modern, but it's limited to the top-spec Creative variants. Lower variants get 15-inch steel wheels with covers, no option of an alloy.

• Looks properly modern with its LED DRLs, chunky projector headlights, the arrow-shaped detailing in the LED taillights.

• The rear door handle has been neatly hidden away near the window, giving the Punch a clean side look. 

• The 2025 Punch is offered in multiple colours: Orcus White, Daytona Grey, Tropical Mist, Calypso Red, Meteor Bronze, and Tornado Blue.

• Tata Motors also offers a ‘Camo’ addition of the Punch which gets a unique ‘Seaweed Green’ paint shade along with black alloy wheels.

• While Tata introduced the Punch EV with a new front design, the petrol model did not get any updates. A design update is expected in 2025.

Design and Quality

• The Punch’s cabin design is simple, modern and classy. 

• It is finished primarily in black, with a large white contrasting element splitting the cabin.

• The Camo edition features an all-black interior theme with a different pattern on the seat covers.

• Plastic quality is above average for the price point, no big issues with fit and finish either.

• I appreciate the presence of physical buttons for the AC controls which makes it easy to use on the move.

Driving Position

• Getting in and out of the Tata Punch is an easy affair, thanks to doors that open a full 90 degrees. This will be appreciated by elders in the family.

• Finding a preferred driving position is easy too, courtesy of the long range of adjustment for the seat height and steering tilt function.

• The centre armrest is positioned quite low. This is likely to be an issue for you if you’re 5’10” or above.

Passenger comfort

• I found the front seats to be wide and well-contoured, which make them comfortable even for long journeys. 

• The rear seats are surprisingly spacious. There’s plenty of knee room, headroom and footroom to stretch your legs out even for taller passengers.

• Underthigh support of the rear seats is ample and the backrest angle is comfortable too. Only the cushioning here is a little on the softer side, which could result in a bit of discomfort over long road trips.

• Seating three people at the rear seats will be manageable only for short city runabouts. A central headrest will be missed on longer commutes.  

• I feel the Punch is best used as a four-seater.  

• Rear seat amenities include rear AC vents, an armrest, a USB and a 12V socket.

Storage options

• The Punch offers great practicality for the front passengers with ample storage spaces for your phone, wallet, cups and keys.

• It gets a large glovebox that has a separate compartment to store documents. It also has a cooling function.

• All four door pockets are small, but can still accommodate 1-litre bottles. For your cups, there are two holders in the central compartment.

• I found the small cubby hole on the right of the steering column to be rather useful to store your receipts or spare change.

• The rear seat storage options could’ve been better with cup holders in the central armrest. Although, you do get seat back pockets and a small opening beneath the rear AC vents to store your phone.

Features

• The 10.25-inch touchscreen offers great resolution, fast responses and glitches rarely. Wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay are easy to connect.

• The six speaker sound system offers acceptable audio quality and maintains crispness at higher volumes.

• I liked the picture quality of the rear view camera. Its dynamic turn indicators help make parking easier.

• The electric sunroof lets more light in the cabin and makes it feel more spacious. I like that it can be operated by voice commands too.

• Other feature highlights on the 2025 Punch include keyless entry, push-button start/stop, cruise control, automatic climate control and automatic headlamps and wipers.

• The Punch gets dual front airbags, electronic stability program, ISOFIX mounts, rear parking sensors as standard.

• Higher variants also get a rear wiper and washer, rear parking camera, rear defogger, rain sensing wipers and tyre pressure warning system.

• It had received a full five star safety rating from Global NCAP back in 2021. Child safety rating stands at four stars.

• Compared to rivals, the Punch misses out on six airbags, which are absent even in the top variants.

• The Punch’s 360-litre boot is deep and can take up a weekend's worth of luggage with ease if you use it smartly.

• We recommend using medium or small-sized suitcases to make the best use of the available boot space.

• The rear backrest folds flat in case you need to carry bigger luggage. However, there is no 60:40 split functionality.

• The Tata Punch gets a single 1.2-litre three-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine paired with either a 5-speed manual transmission or 5-speed AMT (automated manual transmission).

• Tata Punch CNG is available with a 5-speed manual only. It features two smaller CNG tanks instead of a large single cylinder, thereby offering usable bootspace. 

• The Punch’s engine is a relaxing city commuter, with a light clutch and gear action. 

• It doesn’t struggle to pick up pace at lower speeds provided you are in the right gear.

• Cruising at highway speeds of 80-100kmph is easy, but it takes its time to get there, especially with load in the car.  

• Overtakes at higher speeds will require planning as you will feel the lack of power.

• I would recommend the automated manual transmission (AMT) for heavy city use. It isn’t particularly quick, but is smooth and makes drives stress-free.  

• I managed to get around 12kmpl in the city and 16kmpl on the highway. You can also opt for the CNG powertrain if you have a high running.

• The Punch’s ride quality impressed me with its comfort over all sorts of roads, be it potholes and sharper bumpers in the city or undulations on the highway.

• Some side-to-side movement creeps in on really rough roads, but I found speeding up helps it settle much nicer, which in turn improves comfort.

• Taking a fast turn in the Tata Punch feels safe and predictable. It’s not sporty like a sedan or a hatchback, but it remains stable.

• With disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear, the braking performance is adequate for both city and highway use.

Which variant of Tata Punch is value for money?

• Those on a tight budget can consider the Adventure variants. It gets all the basic features required and also has a touchscreen and rear AC vents.

• Accomplished +  variant feels best value for money overall, with a good balance of functional and convenience features. It gets features such as the new 10.25-inch touchscreen, push-button start and cruise control. 

• The sunroof variant can be considered at an extra cost in the Accomplished+ and Creative+ models.  

The Tata Punch is a great option for people wanting the advantages of comfort, space and ride quality associated with an SUV, but within the size of a hatchback. It offers all the must-have features along with a few feel-good ones, while offering you a solid safety package as well.

Other cars to consider instead of the Tata Punch

Hyundai Exter

Reasons to consider

• Gets six airbags as standard.

• Offers dual dashcam, proper tyre pressure monitoring system and hill hold assist in the higher variants.

• Offers paddle shifters with the automatic transmission.

Reasons to ignore

• Smaller infotainment system with wired phone projection only.

• No crash test rating from any NCAP agency.

• Misses out on front and rear central armrest.

Citroen C3

Reasons to consider

• Better ride comfort over really bad road surfaces.

• Option of a more powerful turbo-petrol engine.

Reasons to ignore

• Misses out on a few-feel good features like a sunroof.

• No CNG option.

• No automatic transmission with the naturally aspirated petrol engine.