[gischethans]

Great detailed review, @Emvi. I like how you covered every bit of the vehicle. I own a Punch Creative DT (While + Black) that I bought in July 2023 just before the feature additions were made, again from Cauvery Tata! I concur with you regarding the dealership experience. They have good people onboard.

Mine was an upgrade from Alto 800 and I had considered -

• Brezza - ruled out due to budget
• Exter - even after I started driving my Punch, I kept wondering if I had to opt for Exter given its feature set, particularly the four-cylinder engine, hill hold assist, and TPMS but once more Exters started showing up on the road, I now feel good about my decision to go for the Punch. Exter feels much smaller.

When I expressed my disappointment about the addition of TPMS in the newer version, my SA told me that it was not worth it and your review confirms that. The armrest looked flimsy as well.

I think a Tata car's ownership journey is not complete if you don't face some niggle within the first week. Be it the ongoing Safari thread or my own experience of an engine oil leak on the second day (My Orcus White Tata Punch Creative DT | Ownership Review) and random panic mode activation later.

Apart from that my experiences are largely similar to yours -

• My car is nearing the 7k km mark and the mileage has been steadily improving. On a long drive to Hyderabad, I got a little over 17 kmpl and while on Udupi / DK district roads, I can manage 15 kmpl.
• I noticed the over-inflation part a little late. As it's stated in multiple reviews here, it may be worth it to do a tyre pressure check right out of the showroom.
• Almost everyone who looks at my car asks about that panel gap near the door sill. I got the same response from SA too.
• Yes, I indeed enjoy the speed warning alerts but I rarely get to cross 80 here.

I have a question for you - that USB-C port, is it only for charging or does it work for Android Auto as well?

Wishing you many more happy miles and please keep updating this thread.

[animat126]

Hearty congratulations! And well done on the detailed review! I own the first generation Punch. I waited 9 months for the turbo charged engine, then could not wait any longer. Happy to know that the experience is much better now.
As for the issue of having to close the boot lid hard, I found that it will get better over time.

[Emvi]

Originally Posted by gischethans

Great detailed review, @Emvi. I like how you covered every bit of the vehicle. I own a Punch Creative DT (While + Black) that I bought in July 2023 just before the feature additions were made, again from Cauvery Tata! I concur with you regarding the dealership experience. They have good people onboard.

Thank you!
I remember reading your ownership review. Yes, there are probably more happy Cauvery Tata customers than unhappy ones.

Exter - even after I started driving my Punch, I kept wondering if I had to opt for Exter given its feature set, particularly the four-cylinder engine, hill hold assist, and TPMS but once more Exters started showing up on the road, I now feel good about my decision to go for the Punch. Exter feels much smaller.

I second your opinion. The Exter looks a tad smaller in height than the Punch on the roads, even though the cars are of similar dimensions.

I think a Tata car's ownership journey is not complete if you don't face some niggle within the first week. Be it the ongoing Safari thread or my own experience of an engine oil leak on the second day (My Orcus White Tata Punch Creative DT | Ownership Review) and random panic mode activation later.

I don't think many would disagree with you on this. However, when it comes to the Punch, if you can overlook the typical Tata quality imperfections or niggles, it is a delightful little car to drive and own.

I have a question for you - that USB-C port, is it only for charging or does it work for Android Auto as well?

The USB port near the handbrake lever is the standard charging port and does not work for Android Auto.

Wishing you many more happy miles and please keep updating this thread.

Thanks again!
I will try to update the thread whenever I find something meaningful to add. I also wish you a happy ownership experience.

Originally Posted by animat126

Hearty congratulations! And well done on the detailed review! I own the first generation Punch. I waited 9 months for the turbo charged engine, then could not wait any longer. Happy to know that the experience is much better now.

Thank you!
I don't think Tata has serious plans of launching the Turbo variant. How I wish they had done so!

[gischethans]

Originally Posted by Emvi

The USB port near the handbrake lever is the standard charging port and does not work for Android Auto.

I meant the one labelled 5V 3A here. Looks like a charging-only port to me but mine does not have it. Back then I had got a new phone with a USB-C port and it was a frustrating experience finding the right USB-A to C cable. Finally, the Amazon Basics cable worked.

[Emvi]

Originally Posted by gischethans

Attachment 2574503

I meant the one labelled 5V 3A here. Looks like a charging-only port to me but mine does not have it. Back then I had got a new phone with a USB-C port and it was a frustrating experience finding the right USB-A to C cable. Finally, the Amazon Basics cable worked.

Ah, got it! I haven't used the port until now. Frankly speaking, I don't have much idea about its compatibility with Android Auto. When I inquired about this with my friend, he told me the socket/port is generally used for fast charging. As you have pointed out, it looks like charging-only port and I'm guessing that it might not work for Android Auto. I'm sorry, I don't have a definite answer.

[Emvi]

Here are a couple of pics of our Punch from my archive -

Parked alongside BHPian Thilak29's Tiago

Notice the difference in tint, even though both cars are in the same paint shade - Tropical Mist. The tint on the Punch appears slightly darker, not just in the picture but also in person. If this difference is indeed true and not just a perception, I am curious to know how Tata manages to achieve this.

Posing with my relative's Punch - Adventure AMT version

This is the car that strongly reaffirmed my belief in the appreciable improvement of the updated version of the Punch.

[Emvi]

The first highway outing

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to take the Punch for a 600+ km highway round-trip. I must confess, I haven't driven a gasoline-powered car for such a distance in the past 5-6 years. The car pleasantly surprised me with its highway performance and fuel efficiency. Although the car is not a scorcher by any stretch of the imagination, it is no slouch either. Maintaining triple-digit speeds, where roads permitted, was easy peasy. The car feels quite stable and planted at highway speeds, and the steering weighs up really well too. The brakes, however, could have been a bit sharper. With 2 people on board and a decent amount of luggage, the car returned an overall fuel efficiency figure of 17 kmpl on the MID. When calculated via tankful to tankful method, the figure came down to 15.3. If not for my heavy right foot, I'm pretty sure the number would have improved by a good margin, I'm not complaining though.

Snapshots taken during a mini detour

[Emvi]

6 months, 5000 km and second service update:

The car will turn 6-month-old tomorrow. I got the second service done today, and coincidentally, the odometer reading hit the 5000 km mark. As I've mentioned a couple of times before, I'm surprised the car has clocked 5000 kms in the first 6 months of ownership. Barring the initial few niggles, I'm happy to report that the car has been niggle-free to date. The second service was the usual affair, with nothing significant to mention except for one thing: the right rear wheel arch cladding had deep scratches on it and was replaced with a new one. I'm not sure what caused the scratches, which I noticed a couple of weeks ago. I'm assuming that some vehicle might have grazed it while the car was parked somewhere in town. I was mighty impressed on how the car's exterior cleaning was done. Missed taking the pic of the shiny car . The total damage to the wallet was ₹1796.

[Emvi]

1 year, 8000km and 3rd service update:



I haven't updated the thread for a while since I didn't have anything significant to add. No better time to update than now, with our little Tata turning one on September 15th.I completed the 3rd service on September 10th, with around 8000 km on the odometer. It was a routine service, as there was nothing specific to address. The total cost of the service was INR 4300. The car was serviced in about three hours, which is truly commendable given that the service center was jam-packed with cars. However, I was a bit disappointed with how the vehicle was cleaned. I also feel that the charges for wheel alignment, balancing, and rotation, which were about INR 1800, are on the higher side.The current odometer reading stands at 8350 km. While the first 5000 km milestone was achieved in six months, the car managed another 3000+ km in the following six-month period. Just to put things into perspective, the car it replaced, the Alto K10, had done about 27000 km in 5.5 years before it was sold.

Once the initial teething issues were resolved, the car has largely been niggle-free. The driver-side power window issue I reported earlier did crop up on a few rare occasions, however, it is working fine now. There’s an odd minor rattle I hear from inside the dashboard near the steering column, but it isn’t really bothersome. What is a bit more concerning is the rear parcel tray rattle when driving on undulating roads. Do I lose sleep over it? Not really.

The car is typically used for shorter runabouts. The FE usually hovers around 14 kmpl, which I’m pretty okay with. On rare occasions when the car hits the highways, the FE improves to 15–15.5 kmpl. A lighter right foot might have pushed the FE a bit higher, but I’m not complaining.

So, after a year of usage, my likes and dislikes of the vehicle remain pretty much the same as they were in the opening post. A few YouTube reviewers and others believe that the 1.2L motor is its Achilles' heel. While I agree that a more powerful and refined engine would be welcome, I feel that it is adequate for the car. These days, social media platforms play a huge role in the buying decisions of many people, especially non-enthusiasts. When you have a perception built around you, your views tend to be biased. I'm citing an incident to clarify my point. A few weeks ago, during a conversation with an acquaintance, he mentioned that the Punch is a well-built, strong car. However, he wasn't sure if its "1.2cc" engine is capable enough! Even if he had referred to it as 1.2L, I’m sure he wouldn’t know much about it. The conversation didn’t end there. The gentleman further asked whether his Swift diesel is 1.2 or 1.3!

What I’m trying to say is that not everyone is thorough with the numbers, and it’s not necessary to be, honestly speaking. I’m highlighting how opinions and perceptions are formed and influenced by social media and individuals with half-knowledge.

Now, having said all this, would I recommend the car to anyone? Definitely, I would. It has a few shortcomings, but the positive aspects easily outweigh them. For mainstream users, who likely make up about 80-90 percent of its total sales, the 1.2L motor does the job well. For anyone looking to buy the car, I suggest going for a test drive without preconceived notions; this way, you can evaluate it better. Do I sound fanboyish? I’m definitely not. While I appreciate the car for its strengths, I would be the first to criticize its fit and finish issues. Having a 5-star NCAP rating is great, but it’s high time Tata focused on fit and finish and quality. If you ask me, I value the latter more.

Before I conclude, let me share a jugaad I’ve implemented. The so-called 7D floor mat covers the floor pretty well, except for the area under the clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Because of this, the floor area below it would get soiled easily, and cleaning it is quite a task. So, I went to a cushion works shop and had this piece of tarpaulin stitched (see ref. pic). It’s just a plain sheet of tarpaulin with Velcro tape at one end, which I secure to the floor carpet below the pedals. This 100-rupee job has really solved my issue.









In addition to this, I sourced a door sill protector tape from Amazon and stuck the segments onto the plastic claddings on the doorsill to prevent scratches and scuff marks. While the self-adhesive tape isn’t very strong, it still does the job reasonably well.



A few random pics of the car-

These are not bird droppings, 'Kalladka Flyover Droppings' instead. Folks driving this route who would know

In the haste of cleaning this up, I ended up leaving minute scratches on the ORVM

[gischethans]

Originally Posted by Emvi

1 year, 8000km and 3rd service update:

Before I conclude, let me share a jugaad I’ve implemented. The so-called 7D floor mat covers the floor pretty well, except for the area under the clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Because of this, the floor area below it would get soiled easily, and cleaning it is quite a task. So, I went to a cushion works shop and had this piece of tarpaulin stitched (see ref. pic). It’s just a plain sheet of tarpaulin with Velcro tape at one end, which I secure to the floor carpet below the pedals. This 100-rupee job has really solved my issue.

This is something that has been bothering me as well (same issue with 3D mats) and I have been thinking about what could be done. I have to implement this!!

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by Emvi

1 year, 8000km and 3rd service update:

The car is typically used for shorter runabouts. The FE usually hovers around 14 kmpl, which I’m pretty okay with. On rare occasions when the car hits the highways, the FE improves to 15–15.5 kmpl. A lighter right foot might have pushed the FE a bit higher, but I’m not complaining.

Congratulations on completing 1 year with the Punch

Your FE is exactly what I am getting too. Coincidentally, your usage is exactly what I am putting my Punch through, too.

This is the FE I get after 9 months and 6000 km of driving the Punch. I recently started to use XP95 experimentally. I am getting about 1 kmpl more vs regular petrol.



I have learnt to extract better efficiency oflate. It has been giving me 16-18 kmpl consistently. The trick is to be feather light on the throttle Punch has made me a very very sane driver, not exceeding 90 kmph ever. Lol.

[Emvi]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Congratulations on completing 1 year with the Punch

Thank you.

I have learnt to extract better efficiency oflate. It has been giving me 16-18 kmpl consistently. The trick is to be feather light on the throttle Punch has made me a very very sane driver, not exceeding 90 kmph ever. Lol.

That's quite a simple trick yet difficult to practice, I bet you know what I mean.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by Emvi

That's quite a simple trick yet difficult to practice, I bet you know what I mean.

Absolutely. Simple yet difficult!

Specially when driving Altroz diesel, celerio 1.0 and storme Varicor 400 every week. Punch has the most sensitive FE wrt driving style.

[100Kmphormore]

A few YouTube reviewers and others believe that the 1.2L motor is its Achilles' heel. While I agree that a more powerful and refined engine would be welcome, I feel that it is adequate for the car. These days, social media platforms play a huge role in the buying decisions of many people, especially non-enthusiasts. When you have a perception built around you, your views tend to be biased. I'm citing an incident to clarify my point. A few weeks ago, during a conversation with an acquaintance, he mentioned that the Punch is a well-built, strong car. However, he wasn't sure if its "1.2cc" engine is capable enough! Even if he had referred to it as 1.2L, I’m sure he wouldn’t know much about it. The conversation didn’t end there. The gentleman further asked if the Swift diesel is 1.2 or 1.3!

I echo absolutely the same views. MotorInc gets it close to what it actually is in terms of the reality, repeatedly suggesting its not about numbers, but about the performance. Its like a 250 ADV vs 390 ADV comparison. The sentiment being, its not a stonker of an engine, but adequate for the class, since Tata anyway has no competent turbo engine even with the recent Hyperion like the Maruti Boosterjet or the Hyundai 1.0 GDi. Experienced both the engines, and pleasantly surprised to note the NA was much, much better than the turbo, even being a sedate highway cruiser, it should have had a 6th gear.

[Chisels121]

Originally Posted by gischethans

This is something that has been bothering me as well (same issue with 3D mats) and I have been thinking about what could be done. I have to implement this!!

This is because there were cases where the accelerator pedal got stuck temporarily in the mat while the car moving. Trust me, that is something you won't want in any scenario.