The much awaited Tata Punch has now started reaching dealerships across the country.Launch is expected to take place in the coming days. Ahead of that, Tata Motors has officially revealed the first interior photo, revealing the dashboard as well as the AMT gear lever.

Design and Architecture

Talking about the Punch, it is based upon the H2X concept which was displayed by Tata at the 2020 Auto Expo. Over the months, there were multiple speculations regarding its final name. Until the official name reveal, it was known as the Tata HBX or Tata Hornbill.

In terms of design, the Punch looks considerably similar to the H2X concept, and that is a good thing. Usually, automakers tone-down the design of the production spec vehicle when compared to their initial concept. The Punch looks sporty and aggressive, typical of other Tata vehicles which have used the Impact 2.0 design language.

While it shares its design language with the likes of Nexon, the Punch gets an all new platform. It is the first Tata SUV which has been build on the ALFA-ARC, which stands for Agile Light Flexible Advanced Architecture.

Powertrain and Features

Tata will mostly offer the Punch with a single engine option which would be a 1.2 litre petrol motor. The same unit also does duty on the likes of Tigor, Tiago and Altroz. The 3-cylinder naturally aspirated engine can dish out 86 hp and 115 Nm of max torque. Two transmission options will be on offer, a standard 5-speed MT and an associated AMT setup.

Speculation suggests that later, Tata might introduce a more-powerful turbo variant of the engine. Possibilities of a CNG option and even an electric powertrain are open. Diesel however can be ruled out, considering the present market and policy scenario.

Like most new-gen Tata vehicles, Punch too will be a loaded product in terms of creature comfort features (for a car of its class). The top-end trims of the Punch should be getting a semi digital instrument cluster, a floating 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, flat bottom steering wheel, height adjustable driver seat, push button start/stop, climate control, cruise control and rear armrests with cupholders. Safety features would include ABS with EBD, rear parking camera and dual front airbags.

Bookings and Launch

While Tata hasn't confirmed the exact date of the launch of the Punch, it is safe to assume that it could happen sometime in October, ahead of the upcoming festive season. While official bookings haven't commenced, some dealerships have stared taking unofficial bookings of the Punch against a token amount of INR 21,000.

While the direct rivals of the Punch would include models like Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Mahindra KUV100 and the upcoming Citroen C3, the Punch will also land up competing with other vehicles which are available in a similar price range. Hence, Punch's extended competition would include models like Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS, Maruti Baleno, Renault Kiger and Nissan Magnite. Pricing is expected to start around the INR 5 lakhs mark and go all the way up to INR 8-8.5 lakhs for the top-end trim.