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 being under 3.9 metres, the Punch has plenty of rugged and muscular elements that make it look like a proper SUV. 

• The sleek LED DRLs, chunky projector headlights, the star-shaped detailing in the LED taillights and 16-inch alloys look properly modern. 
• Plenty of dual-tone shades and special edition colours give a lot of variety and choice.
• 187mm of ground clearance gives the SUV a high stance and easy clearance over bad roads or speedbreakers.

• Overall, it might have the length of a hatchback, but it is definitely packing the muscle associated with SUVs.
• 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. 

Convenience

• With its latest 2025 update, the Tata Punch is more feature loaded than ever before, and the highlights include a 10.25-inch infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, six-speaker sound system, auto AC, wireless phone charger, electric sunroof, auto ORVMs and auto headlights.

• For charging, the front passengers get a Type-A, Type-C and 12 V socket besides the wireless charging pad. Rear passengers also get a 12V socket and a USB port.

• In comparison to the segment, it misses out on a dashcam and paddle shifters for the automatic variants.

Driving position

• Getting in and out of the Tata Punch is an easy affair, thanks to doors that open really wide

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

• The central armrest further adds to the comfort.

Passenger comfort

• I found the front seats to be wide and well-contoured, which makes 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 a big glovebox that has a separate compartment to store documents. This glovebox is cooled as well!

• 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 for storing 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.

• 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.

• 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. I found using medium or small suitcases helps utilise the boot space a lot better than fitting in a large suitcase. The rear backrest folds flat in case you need to carry bigger luggage.

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

• CNG option is also available with a 5-speed MT only. It features two smaller CNG tanks instead of a large single cylinder, thereby offering usable boot space. 

City performance

• The Punch’s petrol engine is a relaxing city commuter. It doesn’t struggle to pick up pace at lower speeds and RPM, which means that gearshifts are kept to a minimum.

• I found the manual transmission easy to use and the clutch feels light as well.

• However, the AMT is my recommended choice for city usage as it feels smooth at low speeds. If you will use the Punch for heavy city driving, consider the AMT. 

Highway performance

• 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.

• The AMT doesn’t like sudden changes in inputs and takes time to downshift even when you press the accelerator fully. 

• The Punch is best driven in a relaxed manner on the highway. 

Mileage

• I managed to get around 12kmpl in the city and 16kmpl on the highway. 

• If you have really high usage, then you can opt for the CNG powertrain as well, which has a claimed mileage of 26.99 kmpl.

Suspension & Ride quality

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

• It even takes sharper bumps with ease, thanks to its high ground clearance and long-travel suspension.

• 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.

Handling & Braking

• The Punch gets disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear.

• I found the braking performance to be adequate for both city and highway use.

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

The Tata Punch is a great option for people wanting the advantages associated with an SUV, but within the footprint 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.