Tata Punch will be positioned against cross hatchbacks such as Mahindra KUV100, Maruti Ignis and the upcoming Hyundai Casper
Tata Motors has officially taken the covers off from its upcoming micro SUV after months of wait. The vehicle initially debuted as a pre-production concept with the name HBX at last year’s Auto Expo and has also been referred to by the same name in the company’s recent marketing campaign in the form of social media teasers.
After months of speculation and a bunch of prospective model names, the carmaker has revealed that the SUV will be officially named Punch. In the past few days, the homegrown carmaker had shared several teaser videos of the same on social media. Previously, numerous spy pics of the upcoming micro UV had gone viral on the internet.
The final production-spec model is very much like the pre-production concept with most of the latter’s styling highlights carried over to Punch. The crossover made its maiden appearance as the H2X concept that was showcased at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. It will be the second model to be based on the company’s ALFA platform after Altroz and has been designed under the tenet of Impact 2.0 philosophy.
Unveiling this much-awaited SUV, Mr. Shailesh Chandra – President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors said – “Tata PUNCH, as the name suggest is an energetic vehicle with a capability to go anywhere. Light on its feet and strong in its caliber, this is a vehicle which truly punches above its weight. With the perfect combination of stunning design, technology and driving dynamics, the PUNCH will come equipped with superlative features and an architecture that has proven its versatility in all forms. True to the SUV genes of all Tata Motors’ products and catering to needs of customers who are looking for a compact city car with pure SUV characteristics, PUNCH will be the fourth addition to our SUV family, widening the range of options for all to choose from.”
Exterior Design
Upfront, the UV mimics the much larger SUVs like Harrier and Safari from Tata’s lineup with a split lighting setup. Its muscular proportions are enhanced with the butch front bumper housing the main headlamps. The sleek LED DRLs are positioned above the headlamps connected by a gloss black grille with Tata’s trademark humanity line. The SUV-like stance is further accentuated by the prominent wheel arches with black body claddings and faux front and rear skid plates
Along the side profile, those massive wheel arches are filled by diamond-cut dual-tone alloy wheels which feel very premium. At rear, it features connected wraparound LED taillights similar to the ones seen on the HBX Concept. Other notable styling highlights include a roof-mounted spoiler, roof rails, blacked-out pillars, and ORVMs with integrated turn indicators.
Features on offer
In line with other modern Tata cars, the company has gone for a minimalist design for Punch’s interiors. Features highlights inside the cabin include a 7.0-inch free-standing infotainment screen, a semi-digital instrument console, a three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel with audio and voice controls, push-button start/stop and automatic climate control.
The infotainment system supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with a range of connected car tech features under Tata’s iRA technology. Safety features on offer comprise dual airbags, ABS with EBD and rear parking sensors as standard.
Powertrain Specs
Tata Punch will be powered by a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine which delivers an output of 85 bhp and 113 Nm of peak torque. This unit will be paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT gearbox. A 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol mill is also slated to be included in the lineup at a later stage. More details will be revealed at the time of launch.
