Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles on Tuesday launched an updated version of its Punch sub-compact SUV.
In the last few years, Tata Motors has become a dominant player in the passenger vehicle market, aided by a plethora of SUV launches; in the October-December quarter, it was the second largest in terms of volumes as per Vahan data. The Punch is one product that has been consistently pulling in customers for the company, having clocked close to 7 lakh units in a little over 4 years since its introduction.
A major target audience for the Punch has been the entry-level, or first-time buyers, and also those who may be looking for a more compact SUV with features comparable to larger and more expensive SUVs. In Punch, buyers get SUV design and features, but at prices competing with premium hatchbacks.
"The Punch was designed as a true SUV from the ground up in a compact footprint that worked for versatile buyers and for multi-car households alike," pointed out Shailesh Chandra, the company's MD and CEO.
Given it's been a big seller, Tata Motors has heavily refreshed the Punch, with changes inside and out. On the exterior, it gets a reworked design with new bumpers, connected light cluster and a new design for its 16-inch alloy wheels, among other things. Inside, too, it's packed with features to attract new, especially first-time buyers. It gets a new dashboard, including a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, connected car tech, voice-assisted sunroof, a 360-degree surround view system, and extended thigh support for rear passengers, among many other updates.
Notably, the Punch also now gets a 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine, apart from the 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine. Also, for the first time, it will offer an automatic manual transmission (AMT) on a CNG-powered Punch, a segment first. Company officials hope this will be a big draw for customers.
The Punch, like the earlier model, continues to get many safety features and has again scored five stars in BNCAP ratings.
"The Punch has always been a reflection of India’s evolving ambitions, democratising the SUV experience with a feature-rich package that earned it a place among India’s best-selling SUVs. With the new Punch, we have redefined what an SUV in this segment can be—shaped by customer insights and engineered with new age technology at its core," said Chandra.
Prices for the new Punch start at Rs 5.59 lakh ex-showroom for the base petrol model, going up to Rs 10.54 lakh for the CNG AMT model.
The launch follows the recent introduction of the Sierra SUV by Tata Motors, which also got a strong response.
Automakers are seeing strong tailwinds in the last few months, after the GST (Goods and Services Tax) was slashed to 18 per cent from 28 per cent for sub-four-metre passenger vehicles.
In the October-December quarter, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles sold 1.71 lakh units, including electric vehicles, up 22 per cent from a year ago.
According to the Society of Indian Auto Manufacturers, domestic passenger vehicle wholesales in the third quarter rose 20.6 per cent to 12.76 lakh units from 10.6 lakh units.
"The industry expects the positive momentum to continue well into 2026, supported by stable macro-economic conditions, improving affordability and continued policy support," said Chandra, who is also the president of SIAM.