Tata Punch Beats Maruti Suzuki WagonR to Become the Best-selling Car in India From January-July 2024

After launching the Nexon a few years ago, Tata Motors dominated the market, and now that they have the Punch, they are leading the way in Indian auto sales. With 1.26 lakh units sold in the first half of this year (January to July), the Tata Punch compact SUV has surpassed all other models to emerge as the best-selling car in India. The homegrown carmaker sold 16,121 units of the Punch in July 2024; in June and May, the company sold 18,238 units and 18,949 units, respectively. The popularity of the Tata model can be attributed to its wide range of powertrain options – EV, petrol, and CNG. The Punch outsold the Maruti Suzuki WagonR, which recorded sales of 1.16 lakh units from January to July 2024. The Hyundai Creta, with sales of approximately 1.09 lakh units, is in the third spot behind the Punch and WagonR. 

Also Read: Tata Motors YoY Sales Declines 11% in July at 71,996 Units, PVs Register 6% Dip

Tata Punch: Power and Torque Figures

The Tata Punch houses a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine which can also be fitted with a CNG kit. When running on petrol, the mill puts out 84bhp of maximum power and 113Nm of peak torque. But in CNG mode, it generates 72bhp of peak power and 103Nm of torque. While the CNG variant only comes with a manual gearbox, the petrol version of the car includes both an AMT unit and a five-speed manual gearbox.

The Tata Punch EV offers two powertrain options: medium range (MR) and long range (LR). The former features a 25kWh battery with a range of 315km (MIDC), and the latter has a larger 35kWh battery with a MIDC range of 421km on a single charge. Both battery packs are fitted with permanent magnet synchronous motors, but the MR variants produce less power (81bhp) than the LR variants (120bhp). With 81bhp and 114Nm of torque, the Punch EV MR can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 13.5 seconds, while the LR can do the same in 9.5 seconds with 120bhp and 190Nm.

Tata Punch: Features List

Features-wise, the standard Punch SUV is equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen display with connected car technologies, cruise control, automatic air conditioning, ans a 7-inch semi-digital instrument display. It includes rear defoggers, dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and ISOFIX anchors for safety.

The EV version boasts two 10.25-inch screens, one for infotainment and the other for instrumentation. It also has an electric sunroof (optional), a jewelled rotary drive selector (only available on LR models), ventilated front seats, connected car technology, automatic climate control, cruise control, a wireless charger, and an air purifier. Additional safety features come in the form of a 360-degree camera, a blind spot monitor, three-point seatbelts for all seats, and an electronic parking brake (EPB) with auto-hold capabilities.

Also Read: Top 5 Best-selling Car Brands in July 2024: Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors

Tata Punch: Price Range

The price of the Punch ICE in India starts at Rs 6.13 lakh and goes up to Rs 10.20 lakh. Meanwhile, the Punch EV is priced between Rs 10.99 lakh and Rs 15.49 lakh and is the brand's first electric vehicle to be built on the new Gen 2 EV architecture known as 'acti.ev'.