2021 Tata Punch Base Model Road Test Review – The Handsome Micro SUV!

We have been waiting for Tata Punch since a long time and finally, Tata has launched this outstanding micro SUV. It is here with its great ground clearance, attractive styling, practically styled cabin, handling balance and more, thus creating a lot of interest in our minds. It was thought to have the concepts of H2X and HBX. We thought it will be named either Rhino or Hornbill. Finally in 2021 Tata Punch has been launched, having its position between Nexon and Tiago. It will be a rival to Maruti Ignis and Mahindra KUV100 and also it will target the customers of hatchbacks like Swift! Let us discuss about the style, features, specifications and price of 2021 Tata Punch in this review!

Tata punch base model road test review
Tata Punch Design and Style – Exterior

The Punch is front wheel drive with perfect ground clearance. As it is based on the Altroz’s ALFARC platform, it is wide on its side. The ram air intake system increases low-end torque and the AMT version with electronics helps you at slippery roads.

The Tata Punch is shorter than the Nexon. The front part has resemblance of Harrier’s fascia and colour options are from the Harrier and Safari.

There are projector headlamps with LED DRLs and halogen fog lamps. There are also LED brake lights with halogen reverse and turn lights. The vehicle looks a bit rounded from the rear and boxy from the front view! The plastic cladding and Tata’s tri-arrow motifs give an appealing look to the Tata Punch. The rear door handles give the Punch a 3-door look. The Punch comes with appropriately sized wheels at 195/60/16 with high bonnet line. The bumpers are blackened out to avoid scratches.

Tata Punch Interior Features

The Tata Punch has a pretty great interior design with a dual-tone colour theme. The cabin has high quality materials and consistent finish except for the usage of plastic covers for the 12V charging sockets. The layout for the buttons and controls is really a good aspect.

The Punch has the steering wheel, instrument cluster and floating touchscreen similar to that of the Altroz. In fact, the instrument cluster has a better-looking unit than the Tiagon. The 7-inch touchscreen hails from Harman. There are 4 speakers and 2 tweeters set up on the A-pillars. The doors can fit 1 tweeter each. There is extremely good quality of sound.

The Punch has sufficient space in the cabin with fabric upholstery at all places. The front seats are large sized and comfortable. You can have a good view of the path ahead and also the bonnet from the driver’s seat. The ORVMs are same as that of Nexon with comfortable seating position of the driver. There is no front centre armrest. Each door has a 1-litre bottle holder with some small storage areas. The centre area has 2 cup holders, one USB port and two 12V charging sockets.

The rear seat also is comfortable to sit with knee room exactly sufficient for 2 tall passengers with enough headroom. If 3 people would sit in the rear seat, they would be packed tightly. Headrest for the middle passenger is missing. As the floor is flat at the rear, there is a little legroom for the middle passenger. You can find two adjustable headrests at the rear and there is also a centre armrest. There are no rear AC vents. The boot capacity is 366-litres. The Punch has front and rear 90-degree opening doors.

Tata Punch Performance

The Tata Punch has a 1.2-litre, 3-cyl, NA petrol engine that makes 86 PS of power and 113 Nm of torque. You can get a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT with this engine. Refinement levels are fine. It sounds a bit noisy from the outside but there is less noise in the cabin. There is some sound from the engine at higher RPMs. There are some vibrations but they are not bothersome.

The engine is good at outright power delivery. The vehicle moves with ease on part throttle. The low-end is good but the car feels flat at mid-range and takes more time to move up the RPM band. This does not support fast driving but it is fine for daily city usage. With claims of 0-100 km/hr time of 16.50 seconds from Tata, you could expect at least 17.09 seconds with MT and 19.13 seconds with AMT.

The 5-speed AMT is smooth but slow to shift cogs. Manual mode helps with overtakes. The 5-speed MT drivability is good with a light clutch. You can expect Punch to render about 12-13 km/l in the city and 14-15 km/l on highways. The MT has an idle start-stop feature which helps you to save fuel.

Tata Punch Driving Experience

The Tata Punch does not give a feeling of driving a small car but is has advanced features that gives you confidence to drive on both city and open roads. The suspension setup and ride quality are great. The steering is light at low speeds which gives good feedback and also it weighs more at high speeds. Even though the steering is not precise, the Punch is confident at sudden lane changes and some tough cornering.

The off-road driving is fine at inclines, gradients, and even bed of rocks. If one of the front wheels gets stuck without traction, you can see a prompt on the infotainment screen asking permission to activate Traction Pro mode. After activating, with the brake pedal pressed, you have to accelerate the car. The other wheel having traction starts moving and finally takes the vehicle out. If you are using this mode too much, the vehicle would ask you to wait for 2 minutes to prevent over-heating.

Safety

The safety features of Tata Punch are dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat mounts and Brake Sway Control.

Tata Puch Verdict

The handsome design, feature-loaded cabin, comfortable interior and excellent drive quality are the special features of Tata Punch! The features and functions are exceedingly well with very little to complain about. It has the correct combo of design, cabin layout and features. The only lower side is that the engine is a bit slow. People considering to buy Ignis, Swift or lower variants of the Nissan Magnite might like the Punch.

Tata Puch Specifications

Engine: 1199cc, 3-Cyl, Petrol
Power: 86 PS @ 6000 RPM
Torque: 113 Nm @ 3300 RPM
Transmission: 5-Speed MT / AMT
Fuel Consumption: 13-15 km/l
Fuel Type: Petrol
Tyre Size: 195/60/16 (Front & Rear)
Suspension: McPherson Strut (Front), Twist Beam (Rear)
Brakes: Disc (Front), Drum (Rear)
Safety: 2 Airbags, ABS with EBD, RPAS, Brake Sway Control, Traction Pro (AMT)

Tata Puch Dimensions

Overall length x width x height: 3827 mm X 1742 mm X 1615 mm
Wheelbase: 2445 mm
Boot Space: 366-litres
Ground Clearance: 187 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity: 37-litres

Price(Expected)

4.5 to 7.5 Lakhs(Ex-showroom)

Do you like the Tata Punch? Book it now and enjoy your travels!

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