KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Tata Punch becomes the best-selling car of 2024
- Ends Maruti Suzuki's 40 year streak of holding the top spot
- Clocked 2.02 lakh in overall sales
Tata Punch, yes, this compact offering has broken the 40-year-long spell of Maruti Suzuki by clocking the highest sales in 2024 with over 2.02 lakh units sold. This is the first time in 40 years that the best-selling car in a year is not a Maruti, but how did this shift take its shape? In this section, we will cover the reasons why the Tata Punch is now the new favourite of Indian buyers, but before that, make sure you are a part of our 91Wheels Whatsapp Channel, specifically curated for all the avid petrolheads to never miss out on any automotive updates.
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5 Star Safety That Doesn't Break The Bank
Tata has always placed a strong emphasis on vehicle safety and now the buyers are also placing safety as one of the top priorities. Regardless of its price, the Tata Punch has earned a full 5-star rating in the NCAP crash tests, thanks to its solid build quality and impressive range of features. These include TPMS, automatic headlamps, ESP, a rear parking camera, a rear defogger, and more, ensuring both safety and convenience for its occupants. Considering that you get a 5-star rated compact SUV at a starting price of Rs. 6.13 lakhs ex-showroom is one of the major reasons contributing to its massive success.
Petrol & CNG Option With Good Mileage Numbers
The Tata Punch features a naturally aspirated 1.2-liter Revotron engine producing 87.8 PS and 115 Nm of torque. Transmission options include a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT. Fuel efficiency is a strong point, with figures ranging from 19 to 20 km/l under typical driving conditions. The CNG variant, utilizing twin-cylinder technology, offers even greater economy, averaging approximately 26.99 km/kg, making it particularly appealing to budget-conscious buyers. However, the 3-pot engine could have offered a bit more refinement, but it's something that isn't a dealbreaker looking at everything else that it offers.
Features Punching Above It's Weight
The Tata Punch offers a rich set of features, with a fully digital instrument cluster, offering improved aesthetics and enhanced usability compared to the previous analog setup. Further enhancing convenience and comfort are additions such as a wireless charging pad integrated into the front center console, USB-C fast charging ports, rear AC vents, rain-sensing wipers, electric sunroof, 4 speakers and 2 tweeter set-up, automatic climate control, auto-fold ORVMs, rear wiper and washer, cooled glovebox, auto headlamps, and much more.
Worthy Upgrade Over Hatchbacks
Introduced in 2021, the Tata Punch carved out a new niche for itself in the sub-4 meter SUV segment. Its SUV-inspired design, upright stance, generous 187mm ground clearance, and elevated driving position, all packaged within a compact footprint, resonated strongly with buyers. This segment has emerged as a compelling alternative for those considering hatchbacks such as the Maruti Swift, offering a similar footprint but with enhanced SUV characteristics. These attributes quickly made the Punch an obvious progression from the hatchbacks that trailed this micro SUV in some of the key areas.
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Sweet Spot Of Pricing
Notably, unlike some other manufacturers who have already announced price increases for 2025, Tata has yet to do so for the Punch. Current pricing remains unchanged, starting at Rs. 6.13 lakh for the base Pure trim and extending to Rs. 10.14 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-spec variant. However, it's reasonable to anticipate potential price adjustments at some point in the future, but this entry-level pricing that matches up to some popular hatchbacks has worked wonders for the Punch in amassing such large numbers in sales to dethrone Maruti Suzuki after a long 40-year streak.
Verdict
You can have any argument for anything, but when it comes down to the stats, sales never lie, and the same stands in favour of this compact Tata SUV. With all the reaons listed above for its success, it leaves no doubt why it performed so well in the Indian market. It's nearest comeptition, the Hyundai Exter is also a pretty solid offering as a standalone model, but comparing the sales, it is far behing the Tata Punch.
