Weeks after revealing the Punch’s design and interior, Tata has now announced that the micro-SUV will be revealed in full on October 4. The company will reveal more details on its latest mass market offering, including engine and gearbox options, on the same day and is also likely to officially commence accepting bookings.
- Tata Punch expected to launch by mid-October
- To be powered by a naturally aspirated petrol engine initially
- AMT gearbox option and turbo-petrol engine expect at later dates
Tata Punch: What’s new?
To start with, the Punch doesn’t stray far from last year’s HBX concept with a large part of the design carried over albeit toned down for the production model. The family SUV design up front is apparent with the split headlamp set-up and Humanity line grille linking it with its larger siblings, the Harrier and Safari.
The cabin too is in-line with the HBX concept with the free-standing touchscreen atop the centre console and squarish air-con vents. A notable change though is the use of white inserts on the dashboard and doors along with differnet colour inserts on the air-con vents. Some parts such as the part-digital instrument cluster and steering wheel are shared with its platform mate, the larger Altroz hatchback.
Engine details, are yet to be confirmed, though the micro-SUV is expected to be initially powered solely by a 83hp 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The option of an AMT gearbox and a more powerful turbo-petrol are expected to be offered at later dates.
Tata Punch: Bookings and launch
Tata has yet to officially commence accepting bookings for the Punch. Reports and social media posts, however, suggest that some dealers across the country are already accepting bookings for the micro-SUV, so an official announcement could be expected on the date. Expect a price announcement to take place sometime in mid-October.
Tata Punch: Rivals in India
At launch, the Punch will not have any direct rivals but will take on high-riding hatchbacks such as the Maruti Suzuki Ignis along with seeing some competition from compact SUVs such as the Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger.