2026 Tata Punch facelift review - more for everyone
The Tata Punch has been a massive hit for the homegrown brand. It truly made the micro-SUV segment a viable space for carmakers to enter and has consistently sold well, becoming the largest selling car in India in 2024. But change seems to be the only constant in the Indian automotive industry, so four years into its life cycle, the time seems to be ripe for an update to the Punch to keep it competitive. We spent time with the new turbo-petrol and CNG AMT versions to see what's changed.
2026 Tata Punch facelift styling. Boot space
Like most facelifts, there are no sheet metal changes to the Punch. But the new face now brings it in line with the modern Tata family face. It has become 49mm longer as a result, largely due to the tougher new bumpers.
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You now get full LED lighting which is a good upgrade over the older car's halogen setup. In profile, things remain largely similar but ground clearance has increased by 6mm to a good 193mm. The 16-inch alloys get a smart look too. But we did notice some misaligned panels around the B-pillar. (remind to send clip for this)
At the rear, you now have a full-width light setup that looks much more substantial along with the new bumpers. The new colours are quite bright and add to the fresh look.
The boot space remains unchanged. So you get a good 366 litres with the petrol. Yes, the lip is a touch high and the boot floor a bit low, so lifting heavy bags is a bit of effort, but there is enough space here for at least a couple of strollers and smaller bags. Enough for you to road trip with your family.
In some ways, it's easier to access the 210l boot in the CNG version, given the flat lip. With the twin-cylinder technology that you have also seen in the Nexon and Altroz, there's still enough space for a large suitcase here. You also do not have to forgo a spare wheel.
2026 Tata Punch facelift interiors, screens, practicality
Tata Motors says they have worked on improving fit and finish on the inside, and if you look closely you do realise that the panels are more consistent and there aren't those rough edges in the plastic trim from the pre-facelift car.
The overall dash layout remains the same, which is no bad thing. The Punch has got this boxy, rugged look with its chunky horizontal panels and squarish vents that's quite unique. As before, there is a good mix of textures and colours in the plastic. The new speckled white panels look quite premium and do a good job of giving you a pricey look. But you wish for more soft surfaces, especially on the door armrest, which can feel uncomfortable if you rest your arm there a lot while driving.
The new bits added are the new two-spoke Tata steering wheel and the capacitive climate control panel. These give the Punch a smarter, more modern look on the inside, but aren't as easy or practical to use on the move as the chunky buttons in the earlier car. This is most noticeable with the CNG mode switch in the panel and the horn on the steering wheel.
You also get a thinner bezel on the 10.25-inch touchscreen which goes with the modern theme. You also get a new 7-inch driver's display now. The earlier LCD display was not that easy to read and also not very accurate. This new one shows you a lot more information, is easier to toggle through on the move and despite the small fonts, easy to read with its brighter colours. The CNG versions get some differentiated data that's useful but no range readout.
The touchscreen works as well as in other Tata cars, so the wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay fires up especially quickly and the menus are logical and the system quite responsive.
The Alfa architecture was always quite practical, so you get wide 90-degree opening doors, the door bins are quite large and the centre console has been redesigned slightly but it could still do with more space for items. There is now Type-C charging all around too, while the seat cushion has been reworked to offer more thigh support.
With these new seats, you get better cushioning in the second row but things remain similar otherwise. So this car is good enough for adults at the back, as long as you are of average height. The headlining has been scooped out to improve headroom and you have good space to tuck your feet under the front seats. The nearly flat floor also carves out good knee room. The seats don't tire you over long distances and you still have an open feel on the inside.
You don't get a third headrest or cup holders but there are AC vents and Type-C charging at the rear.
2026 Tata Punch facelift features and safety
Notable features include LED lighting, auto headlamps and wipers, ambient lighting, auto dimming mirrors, wireless charging, connected features and a single-pane sunroof. The CNG variant loses out on cruise control.
As before, the Punch is a safe car with a 5 star BNCAP rating but you now get six airbags as standard as well as a 360-degree camera with a blind view monitor. This is especially useful during parking or in traffic with its high resolution, bright feed and many angles. The lack of load sensors in the rear seatbelt reminders is quite annoying though.
2026 Tata Punch facelift driving impressions turbo-petrol
The Punch continues to give you that SUV feel from behind the wheel, despite its compact dimensions. So you sit fairly high up and you have a good view of the edges of the car, so placing the car in tight spaces is not difficult. There is still a bit of a blind spot with the thick A-pillar and large mirrors but the 360-degree camera does ease the pain to an extent.
One of the big changes with this update is that you now get a turbo petrol engine with the Punch and this was something that this car always needed. The smaller engine was enough for the average city commuter but you were left wanting in situations like highways and hilly terrain. The new engine makes 120PS and 170 Nm and is the same 1.2-litre motor you see in the Nexon, paired here with a 6-speed manual.
Like in the Nexon, this is not the most refined or the most energetic of its kind, but it does the job it's meant for. You notice that it's quite good at picking up speeds, so overtaking and cruising at highway speeds is much simpler. It even sounds quite nice from the inside at higher revs and elevates the driving experience in a manner.
Another great trait of this engine is its drivability. The turbo isn't fully spooled below 2,000 rpm but you find that it is okay to potter along at low revs without running out of steam. It does get noisy and you do feel vibrations but in traffic, you can crawl along in second gear very easily and even if you forget to downshift from third to second, it doesn't really stall on you all that often at all. So driving this, especially if you are someone new to driving cars, is going to be quite easy.
The engine is most potent between 2,000 and 5,000 rpm. It gives you a good surge of torque here. You find yourself making rapid progress and you should get quite close to the claimed 0 to 100 kmph time of 11s in the real world. Although, it is best to shift up much before the redline given that the motor runs out of poke here quite quickly.
A small but useful change is that Tata Motors has reduced the length of the gear lever, which makes the throws feel a touch more direct than earlier, and also makes the gearbox easier to use. But this gearbox is quite a functional one. You won't get those crisp, precise shifts and clutch travel is quite long. This doesn't encourage enthusiastic driving, and the clutch also releases quite sharply, which you get used to over time.
Tata Motors has reworked the suspension tune for this turbo petrol engine for the Punch, but broadly, that tough characteristic that the Punch always had continues. While there is firmness at low speeds, this small SUV feels like it can take a good beating. You can carry good speed over uneven, broken roads, the car doesn't lose composure and keeps you isolated from sharp impacts a bit better than earlier. At high speeds, this turns into a confident and stable composure that lets you hold speed longer. It doesn't feel like the many hatchbacks it competes with on price in this situation.
With this new turbo engine, you can carry quite a bit more speed around corners and we know this Alpha architecture is quite good with how it manages itself around bends. The Punch leans progressively and is predictable in its movements. The steering could be a bit more direct. It's nicely weighted, so you don't find it too cumbersome in traffic or too light or distant on the highway, but you do wish it was a bit more direct. You have to add more steering input than usual before the car reacts, which removes a layer of precision from the experience.
2026 Tata Punch facelift driving impressions CNG AMT
The Punch now gets an AMT gearbox option with its CNG variant. This is a first for an SUV in India and seems to work fairly convincingly given the practical audience it is aimed at. You get a 1.2-litre motor that makes 73PS and 103 Nm with the 5-speed box. It's easy to switch between the CNG and petrol modes on the fly and while the outputs aren't exciting, this combination feels more refined at low speeds than the turbo-manual.
You have enough go to keep up with traffic but overtakes do take a fair bit of planning. But this engine too feels drivable so you always have some performance at your disposal which lets you build momentum. Switching to petrol mode gives you a bit more to work with but the change is quite marginal.
The AMT works as expected. This tech has improved from a few years ago, so in traffic at low revs, the head nod is reasonably contained. This does change when you rev out the engine and the delays do become quite noticeable but for the kind of sedate driving this variant is aimed at, it provides good convenience. Oddly, in stop-go traffic, this drivetrain starts to feel quite jerky but this seems fixable with some software tweaks. You get paddle shifters that reduce this effect to an extent but these don't seem necessary and don't seem to reduce shift times.
2026 Tata Punch facelift off-roading
We also drove the Punch on a prepared off-road course that included a steep near 90-degree drop, 45-degree inclines, steps, a water wading test, axle twisters and rock pits. This looked great and was fun to do but was not especially challenging. It did highlight the Punch's good approach and departure angles, its 400mm wading depth and its good chassis rigidity.
2026 Tata Punch facelift price, verdict
Priced at Rs 9.79 lakh for the turbo and Rs 10.54 lakh for the top CNG AMT, the Punch facelift now seems to cover much more ground. The turbo adds a much needed performance boost and the CNG AMT is convenient but the former needs an auto option and the latter could be better refined in some situations. But the great SUV looks, the solid ride and good value in terms of equipment mean that the Tata Punch has a lot to offer for buyers on a tight budget.
2026 Tata Punch facelift specs
L x W x H 3,876 x 1,742 x 1,615
Wheelbase 2,445 mm
Type 1,199 cc inline three turbo petrol/ 1,199 cc inline three petrol-CNG bi-fuel
Gearbox: Six-speed MT/5-speed AMT
Max power 120 PS at 5,500 rpm/73 PS at 6,000 rpm
Max torque 170 Nm at 1,750 to 4,000 rpm/ 103 Nm at 3,500 rpm
Price Rs 9.79 lakh/ Rs 10.54 lakh
Wheelbase 2,445 mm
Type 1,199 cc inline three turbo petrol/ 1,199 cc inline three petrol-CNG bi-fuel
Gearbox: Six-speed MT/5-speed AMT
Max power 120 PS at 5,500 rpm/73 PS at 6,000 rpm
Max torque 170 Nm at 1,750 to 4,000 rpm/ 103 Nm at 3,500 rpm
Price Rs 9.79 lakh/ Rs 10.54 lakh
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