Tata Punch 2-Year Recap: Take A Look At The Journey So Far

The prices of the Tata Punch have gone up by up to Rs 50,000 since launch

On 18 October 2021, the Tata Punch was launched in India as the country’s first micro-SUV, making the appeal of the SUV form factor more accessible in hatchback proportions. The Punch made a strong initial impression too with a 5-star safety rating in Global NCAP’s old crash tests, a first for a car that small. Celebrating its second birthday, let’s recap all that has happened with the Tata Punch in the past year.

Price Increments

At launch, the Punch was priced between Rs 5.49 lakh and Rs 9.39 lakh (ex-showroom). Over the years, the micro-SUV went through 4 price hikes, the maximum of which was up to Rs 50,000. 

Tata also added a few new variants of the Punch in this time frame, contributing to the change in its prices. 

Powertrain Upgrades - Now With CNG!

At launch, the Tata Punch only came with a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine which made 86PS and 115Nm. This engine came paired with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed AMT.

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It still gets the same engine but there’s been a bump in performance since the implementation of the BS6.2 emission norms, now rated at 88PS and 115Nm. The claimed fuel efficiency has improved a little as well.

Following its pre-production showcase at the Auto Expo in February 2023, the Tata Punch is now available in a CNG version as well. It arrived in August priced from Rs 7.10 lakh (ex-showroom), featuring a twin cylinder technology that allowed it to retain a usable amount of boot space unlike most CNG variants in the market.

Also Read: Tata Harrier And Tata Safari Become The Safest Made-In-India Cars On Sale

This CNG powertrain comes with the same 1.2-litre petrol engine, has a lower output of 73.5PS and 103Nm, and is mated only to the 5-speed manual transmission. Tata claims a fuel efficiency of 26.99km/kg. The Punch CNG is offered in 3 broad variants - Pure, Adventure and Accomplished, priced from Rs 7.10 lakh to 9.68 lakh (ex-showroom).

Feature Rejig

The Punch got a few feature upgrades in its first year since launch, and it has got a few more in the last 12 months. Perhaps the most popular addition is the voice enabled sunroof, while a Type-C charging port and front armrest are also available now.

Tata offered the Punch with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 7-inch semi-digital driver’s display, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic climate control, cruise control, dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors and ISOFIX child seat anchors.

A New Foe Appears

Since its launch to this year in July, the Tata Punch had no direct rival. But then, Hyundai launched the Exter, as the second offering in the micro-SUV space. Both SUVs have similar prices, sizes and boxy design languages, but are different in many ways. The Hyundai Exter, being a new offering, has a more modern appeal to it, and offers more premium features. However, the Punch still remains the one with a 5-star Global NCAP safety rating. 

Sales Milestone!

After completing its 1 lakh units milestone in its first year of sale, the Tata Punch, before the completion of its 2 years, reached the production milestone of 2 lakh units. The Punch became one of the highest-selling cars in India, due to its SUV appeal and affordable price.

• Upcoming Cars In India

Even today, the Punch marks its place every month in the list of highest-selling cars in India, with 6-month average sales of 12,000 units.

Any Updates Coming?

Tata is currently working on the development of the Punch EV, which will sit between the Tigor EV and the Nexon EV. The electric version of the Punch has been spied multiple times and will likely offer two battery packs with a claimed range of up to 350km. It will come with EV-specific design changes similar to the ones seen on the electric version of the Tiago or Tigor. The Punch EV is due to arrive sometime in 2024 or sooner.

• Tata Punch Colour Options

Tata can also update the Punch with a facelift which could offer a similar modern design language as the new Nexon facelift, but details about the updated micro-SUV are slim. However, with the popularity of this small SUV, we could see big updates in due time.

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