The all-new Tata Punch has been launched in four variants - Pure, Adventure, Accomplished and Creative. With the new Punch, Tata Motors is trying to get the ball rolling in the new micro-SUV segment and other than being a slightly upmarket alternative to the Renault Kwid, Maruti Suzuki S-Presso and Maruti Suzuki WagonR 1.2, the new Tata Punch also rivals the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Swift and the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios among others. The Tata Punch is the first Tata SUV to be underpinned by the ALFA-ARC (Agile Light Flexible Advanced Architecture) platform and is based on the brand's Impact 2.0 design language.

Typical design elements like the three tri-arrow pattern on the black grille are quite apparent and it is flanked by the LED daytime time running lamps (DRLs), while the projector headlights are positioned below on the bumper. The chunky cladding continues along with the profile as well building on its SUV appeal and Tata has already confirmed that the Punch will be more than a jacked-up hatchback with some SUV features. The 16-inch dual-tone diamond-cut alloy wheels and roof rails add to its style quotient and are further accentuated by the dual-tone body colour. The rear too looks equally sharp and stylish dominated by the sculpted tailgate, further complementing the entire design language. The bumper too boasts bold cladding and the squarish LED taillights look one with the overall design.

Now getting to the interiors, the dual-tone black and off-white cabin too looks very modern and organised. The minimalist design of the dash is clutter-free and those horizontal air-con vents with blue bezels build its funky appeal. The instrument cluster is similar to what we saw in the Altroz and even the door open 90-degrees wide, which again is a carryover. It offers 366-litres of boot space but misses out on rear air-con vents and front central armrest.

The Tata Punch is well-equipped with all segment-standard creature comforts. The 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system takes centre stage and supports Harman tuned audio system which we have seen in a range on Tata cars, like the Tata Nexon and Altroz. The infotainment system is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The top-spec model gets the brand's iRA connected car tech as an optional offering and the 7-inch instrument cluster is part digital. It also gets a flat-bottom steering wheel which is first in the segment and the feature list includes an engine start-stop button, automatic climate control, powered auto-folding wing mirrors, cruise control, auto climate control, cooled glovebox, auto-sensing wipers and auto headlights among others.

The new Tata Punch is powered by the 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine, which also powers the Altroz premium hatchback. The motor is tuned to belt out 84 bhp at 6000 rpm and 113 Nm of peak torque at around 3300 rpm. The engine has been updated with Dyna pro system to optimise air pressure for better low-end torque and is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox as standard and while the five-speed AMT unit is optional on the top three variants – Adventure, Accomplished and Creative.

For the SUV features, the Punch gets segment-first stuff like traction pro mode with the AMT gearbox that helps to get it out of a sticky situation. The SUV credentials are further complemented by a 20.3-degree approach angle, 22.2-degree ramp over angle and 37.6-degree departure angle. It offers a high ground clearance of 187 mm and 365 mm water wading capacity.

The Tata Punch was recently crash-tested by Global New Car Assessment Program (Global NCAP) and scored a full 5-Star rating in adult occupant safety and 4-Star rating in child occupant safety. Its body shell has been rated stable, and the car has scored an impressive 16.45 out of a possible 17 points for Adult Occupant Safety. It also gets dual-airbags, an antilock braking system (ABS) and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) as standard.