Is This Adventure Edition Concept SUV, The Tata Punch We Deserve?

If you’re a future Punch owner, this might be your inspiration for an overlanding project

When Tata showcased the HBX concept at Auto Expo 2020, we knew its cutesy aesthetic would be toned down for mass production. We were wrong -- the Tata Punch retains most of the design cues of the concept. Barring, of course, the HBX’s all-terrain tyres, wide stance and roof rack. But our friend at the Instagram channel Alpha Renders has put all those elements back into the Punch’s design, and he calls his new concept ‘Adventure Edition,’ not to be confused with the mid-spec ‘Adventure’ trim level that Tata offers. Scroll through the photos and check it out. 

It looks vastly different from the production car, but there aren’t any sheet metal changes in the Punch Adventure Edition. The plastic cladding and bumpers are the same, too. On the front and rear bumpers, you’ll notice orange Y-shaped arrow elements -- they’re black in the stock SUV. To help the driver see better while off-roading in the dark, this Punch has a lighting kit from KC -- twin auxiliary rally headlamps on the bumper, and a set of four roof lights. Note that it’s illegal to use these lights when driving on the road, so they can only be used in the wilderness. Similar to the HBX, this Punch has a roof rack. 

Check out the Toyo all-terrain tyres and 6-spoke Fuel Shok rims. They lend this micro SUV a better, wider stance than Tata’s own 16-inch rims and 195-section tyres that are offered on the top-spec Creative trim level. From the factory, all lower trim levels come with 185-section tyres on 15-inch alloys or steel wheels. The ground clearance is rated at 190mm, but it might be different for the Adventure Edition concept due to the new wheels and tyres. 

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The chrome ‘Punch’ nameplate and Tata logo are now black, and that’s it -- everything else on this Adventure Edition is just as Tata intended. But are these changes enough to turn this Punch into an overland vehicle? Not so quickly, because it doesn’t come with an all-wheel-drive system. Besides, the sole 1.2-litre petrol engine makes only 83PS of power and 113Nm of torque, sent to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual or AMT automatic gearbox. 

But not all is lost -- Tata does give you ‘Traction Pro’ mode (only in AMT-equipped SUVs) which uses the traction control system to help you keep moving on low-traction surfaces. Besides, this SUV comes with its own wading depth rating -- 370mm! Our first drive test on an off-roading circuit revealed better soft-road prowess than the Punch’s rivals, the Maruti Suzuki Ignis and the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios. In other countries, the Ignis comes with Suzuki’s AllGrip part-time all-wheel-drive system and has similarly equipped hatchback rivals. But in India, Tata offers these capabilities despite the lack of significant competition. 

Small off-roading utility cars such as the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy are long gone, and the Tata Punch is built to cater to today’s SUV buyer who favours safety and practicality. What do you think of this Adventure Edition concept?

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