What’s So Good And Not So Good About The New Tata Punch? Pros And Cons Explained!

It was 2021 when Tata Motors launched the Punch, and the car has steadily risen to become one of the carmaker’s best-selling products, even becoming the top-selling car of 2024 in the country. However, in an attempt to rectify some of its weaknesses and keep it fresher, Tata has given it a comprehensive facelift. But how good is it, and will it live up to the tall expectations? Let’s take a look:

Tata Punch Facelift: Exterior

Pros:

• While the pre-facelift Punch looked tough in its own right, the facelift builds upon it with a sleeker fascia and sharper lines, while still retaining the tough ‘SUV-like’ look. 

• It now borrows design cues from other Tata models like the new connected LED taillamp cluster (like the Altroz), or the vertically-stacked headlamps (inspired by the Punch EV and Nexon), which makes it feel fresh and modern.

Tata Punch Facelift: Interior

Pros:

• The Punch always felt more spacious than its compact footprint would suggest, and this characteristic has carried on in the facelift as well.

• It still comfortably seats 4 adults with good headroom and legroom and gets a decent amount of luggage space, making it well-suited to longer road trips.

Cons:

• Despite the generous cabin space, the layout hasn’t changed much, which could feel dated, especially if you have been in the pre-facelift version before, and the plastic quality feels average, with room for improvement compared to the more polished feel you get in rivals.

• In order to amp up the feel, Tata has now brought in a touch-based climate control panel, and while it looks more upmarket, it can be overly sensitive to inputs and requires you to take your eyes off the road to operate. Not to mention that it attracts dust and smudges on a daily basis. 

Tata Punch Facelift: Features And Safety

Pros:

• The Punch remains a very well-loaded option for the segment and now gets some useful new additions like a 360-degree camera and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. This is in addition to equipment which was already offered on the pre-facelift version, like a voice-enabled electric sunroof, auto headlamps, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

• Safety remains a strong point for Punch with the facelift achieving a 5-star safety rating from Bharat NCAP, while 6 airbags have been made standard as well. Other safety features include front and rear parking sensors, blind view monitor, hill hold assist and electronic stability control.

Tata Punch Facelift: Powertrain

Pros:

• A known weak point of the pre-facelift Punch was the lack of powertrain options, which has been fixed now with the introduction of an AMT gearbox with the CNG fuel option, significantly increasing convenience with lower running costs. You also get a new turbo-petrol engine for the enthusiasts. With such a wide range of powertrain options, it now offers a lot more versatility for buyers.

• The new turbo-petrol engine borrowed from the Nexon offers strong performance and rectifies a known weak-point of the older car. Priced from Rs 8.29 lakh (ex-showroom), it also makes the Punch one of the most affordable cars on the market with a turbo-petrol engine option.

Cons:

• No automatic gearbox is offered with the turbo-petrol motor, limiting its appeal especially for buyers who clock a lot of in-city mileage.

• Our test cars had their minimum fuel-efficiency figures locked in at 8 kmpl, which can be misleading and lacks transparency for owners.

Tata Punch Facelift: Price

Pros: 

• With prices starting from just Rs 5.59 lakh (ex-showroom), the Punch facelift remains a very tempting option with base variants offering a lot of value and kit to go along with them.

• The higher trims can get expensive for the segment; however, they do offer a lot of stuff, along with versatile engine options, which justifies the pricing to a great extent.

Tata Punch Facelift: Rivals

The Tata Punch competes with other micro SUVs such as the Hyundai Exter, Citroen C3, Maruti Ignis, Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger.

ZigSays…

Tata’s Punch has always been a compelling option in the segment with a wide appeal encompassing all kinds of buyers, and this facelift has taken the game forward. It may not be perfect, but with these new features and styling, and crucially new powertrain options, it is clear that Tata is in no mood to let go of the throne anytime soon. 

Would you pick the Punch over its rivals? Let us know in the comments below!