Tata Punch, the brand’s micro SUV has been in the market for a while now and it has clocked sales of more than 2 lakhs. First unveiled in the Geneva Auto Expo 2019 as a prototype H2X, it grabbed the attention of everyone as it was going to open a new segment in the market. The concept car was attractive as it borrowed design cues with the elder sibling, Tata Harrier. Later in 2020, a close-to-production version was unveiled in the Auto Expo 2020, called the HBX. However, after the launch of HBX or rather the Punch, people appreciated the SUV for the value-for-money proposition it offered and it can be seen from the impressive sales figures. So let’s take a look at the journey of Tata Punch from prototype to production model.
Tata H2X
Four years back from now in 2019, Tata showcased the concept H2X. It was a micro SUV and no one thought it would do such wonders. H2X was showcased alongside the Buzzard Sport (Harrier) and the Buzzard (Safari). However, it was the H2X for which everyone was excited. When showcased as H2X, the Punch was in its early stage and managed to draw everyone’s attention.
The front of the SUV was inspired from the Harrier with split headlamp design and overall it had a typical upright and boxy SUV design. Inside the story was completely different and something new for Tata Motors. The interiors gave us an idea about how the overall dashboard would look like. The centre stage, however, were the twin screens which were supposed to be the infotainment screen and digital instrument cluster. It was even equipped with a uniquely designed steering wheel. Also, the interiors were having blue accents, done neatly!
Tata HBX
Fast forward to 2020, Tata Motors showcased the production ready version of the Punch. Named as HBX, the SUV was in its final avatar and that thing looked rugged. Firstly, it came with a very chunky front bumper to give it a masculine look. The headlamp setup was similar to the Harrier with DRL on the top and main headlight unit at the bottom.
The side profile was boxy, just like an SUV should be. The wheels on the HBX were massive with fat tyre profiles. The HBX was overall equipped with an off-road pack, including a carrier on the roof which accommodated jerry cans and a spare tyre. The rear too packed an attractive and clean design language. It got a sporty rear spoiler and rugged bumpers. Also, the tail lamps were completely LED that extended towards the side of the car.
When stepped inside, the HBX really surprised us. It looked compact from the outside but packed an impressive space inside. The rear passengers had decent knee room and legroom with a good amount of headroom. It had an armrest at the back but was missing on the rear AC vents.
The dashboard layout of the HBX was pretty similar to the H2X with similar design for the AC vents. However, the twin screens we saw on the H2X were replaced by a smaller touchscreen and a semi digital instrument cluster. Even the steering was completely different from what was showcased with the H2X. Overall the interiors felt premium with good quality of materials and fit and finish.
Tata Punch
A year later in 2021, Tata finally launched the production version of the HBX, the Tata Punch. It attracted many potential buyers as it was priced from Rs 6.74 lakh (on-road, Mumbai) for the base model going all the way up to Rs 10.93 lakh (on-road, Mumbai). It was launched in four broad variants and were offered with various packages to choose from.
The transition from HBX to Punch did not bring a lot of changes. The chunky skid plates on the front and rear bumpers were replaced by more clean elements. The body claddings which were carried over to the production version were not as radical as showcased on the HBX.
The interiors, on the other hand, remained unchanged with the colour combination being the only visible change. Also, the Punch was packed with features. The list included- projector headlamps, LED DRLs, 16-inch Diamond cut alloy wheels, 7-inch TFT instrument cluster, 7-inch infotainment screen by Harman with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, auto headlamps, rain sensing wipers, automatic climate control, leatherette upholstery, and many more.
Soon, Tata Motors introduced the Kaziranga Edition to its SUV line-up which also included the Punch. The Punch Kaziranga Edition was launched at Rs 10.09 lakh (on-road, Mumbai). The Kaziranga Edition came with an exclusive Grassland Beige body shade and black roof. The interiors also got a different dual tone colour scheme. The edition included some exclusive features like- interior scuff plate, 3D mats for cabin and trunk, premium document folder, key covers & rhino shaped multi-tool, back seat organiser, sunshades, umbrella, travel flask, and tailgate scuff plate.
The talking point of the Punch was its safety. Being Tata it was expected to do better and the Punch did not disappoint us. In the Global NCAP crash test the Punch successfully scored 5-star rating, assuring the safety to the passengers.
Powering the Punch is a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. The engine is capable of producing 87bhp 103Nm of torque and comes mated to a 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT transmission.
Tata Punch iCNG
Tata Motors were kind to resolve the biggest issue of lack of boot space faced by the CNG owners. They introduced the iCNG technology with the Altroz wherein they swapped a big CNG tank with 2 separate small tanks, holding the same capacity and improving the boot space drastically. The technology was soon introduced to other Tata cars like Tiago and Tigor, with the Punch being the latest to get this technology. The Punch iCNG was launched at Rs 8.07 lakh (on-road, Mumbai) going all the way upto Rs 10.97 lakh (on-road, Mumbai).
Powering the iCNG variant of Punch is the 1.2-litre naturally aspirated engine that produces 72bhp and 103Nm of torque. The engine comes mated to a sole 5-speed manual transmission. The Punch iCNG comes with ARAI-claimed mileage of 26.99km/kg.
With iCNG, Tata added the badging of i-CNG on the exterior and introduced several features as well. It gets features like voice-assisted sunroof, centre armrest, iTPMS, Xpress cool, one touch-up driver window, and USB type-C charging point, which were later introduced to petrol variants as well. It also gets some CNG-specific features like a micro-switch, advanced single ECU, direct start in CNG mode, and thermal incident protection.
Tata Punch.ev in Works!
Tata Motors seems to be very aggressive with the Punch for the obvious reason of Punch being their hot selling SUV. To make the sales even better, Tata is planning to introduce the electric version of the Punch, the Punch.ev.
Now it’s been a while that we are able to spot several test mules of the Punch.ev which revealed some of the key details. Talking about the changes on the Punch.ev, we can expect connected DRLs (as seen on Nexon.ev), all LED headlamps, LED fog lamps, and a different set of alloy wheels. Other than that, the Punch.ev could be almost identical to the regular Punch.
The same could be said for the interiors as well. The Punch.ev will not have many changes from the regular variant, except for some subtle changes. The Punch.ev could get the 10.25-inch touchscreen system, connected car tech, 6-Airbags, 360-degree camera, 45W Type C charger, and all 4 disc brakes.
Powering the Punch.ev would be the same LFP battery pack that is offered on Tata’s current EV line up. It could get a single battery pack of about 26-30kWh and should have a claimed range of 330-350km.
We are expecting the Punch EV to be launched in the next few months and we can expect it to be priced from Rs 13.5 lakh (on-road, Mumbai) to Rs 17 lakh (on-road, Mumbai). Once launched, it would be a great option over the Tiago.ev or the MG Comet EV.
Tata Punch Summary
Overall, Tata Punch has been a strong product of the brand. It sells well with the sales figure crossing the 2 lakh mark in just 19 months. It sells with an average of 10,000 units per month and has kept the dealers busy! The demand for the Punch has gained a waiting period of 12 months for the CNG variant and about a month for the petrol variant. It’s a well packaged car that offers excellent ride quality, excellent fit and finish, and a long list of features. It comes with petrol and Tata’s twin cylinder iCNG technology and will soon be launched in EV avatar.
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Journey of Tata Punch – From H2X to HBX to India’s favourite Micro SUV! read on MotorOctane.