Q. Earlier Tata cars have allegedly been notorious for having noisy and unreliable engines, not to smooth gearshift and costly maintenance. Poor service and non-availability of spares made the matters worse. I would like to know if there has been any improvements in these areas as I am waiting for the launch of Punch. Should I wait or choose something from Suzuki or Hyundai? No doubt Tata cars have best safety ratings but costly and poor service is the daily hassle.?

Tata has addressed to the issues previously plaguing the models. The Punch’s naturally aspirated 1.2 litre three-cylinder petrol engine looked set to be the chink in this Tata’s armour, because when we sampled in the Tata Altroz the engine’s lack of refinement and inconsistent power delivery made it rather disappointing. In terms of numbers, the 86Ps of power and 113Nm of torque is unchanged from the Altroz, but driving the Punch turned out to be very different. Smooth feeling and reasonably responsive too, and that’s with only updates to the software. Airflow to the engine has been improved as the higher good height allows for the air intake to be positioned higher and closer to the engine, which along with shorter gearing improves responsiveness. Keep in mind, the Punch weighs about the same as the Altroz. Moreover, the aftersales service would depend on the availability of the service centers in your locality. Moreover, we would suggest you to take a test drive before making the final decision. Follow the link and select your desired city for dealership details.