2026 Tata Punch first drive review: Up the enthusiast alley?

Tata Motors really threw a curveball in the market with the Punch back in 2021. It created an entirely new segment, making competitors follow suit. Despite multiple rivals in the price segment, the Punch claimed the top spot for quite some time, and as recently as December of last year, was selling over 15,000 units monthly.

The Punch is clearly a success. But it needed a facelift. Among all the new cars making headlines with new, sharper designs and a bucketload of features, the Punch had started to look a bit old. Also, with the tech infusion in cars, a segment above, it was only a matter of time before it trickled down. Tata Motors took notice, and with that, we have finally got the facelifted Punch.

Updates include new design elements, a tech-heavy interior, a turbo-petrol engine, and even a CNG powertrain with AMT gearbox for the first time in the segment. The question isn’t whether the Punch has changed. It clearly has. The question is whether it’s changed enough.

2026 Tata Punch facelift 1.2 Turbo engine performance

Let’s begin with the most exciting update to the car – the engine. For the first time, the Punch gets a turbo-petrol, inheriting the 1.2-litre unit from the Nexon. With 118bhp and 170Nm, it’s comfortably the quickest Punch yet, doing 0-100kmph in a claimed 11.1 seconds.

In the city, it feels properly responsive with minimal turbo lag, though the first two gears can feel jerky if you’re careless with the throttle. Below 2000rpm, the turbo lag is more pronounced, but above that, it’s minimal, and quite similar to what we had noted in the Nexon. Once on the move, it genuinely comes alive. Overtakes are easy, power delivery is eager, and for the first time, the Punch feels quick rather than merely adequate. The lack of refinement, though, is apparent. Push the car hard, and the engine note turns coarse – almost strained. It’s not smooth at idle as well, with the steering and at times, even the floorboard and pedal reminding you it’s a 3-cylinder.

The clutch is light, which is good for city use, but it does take a bit of time to get the clutch control right. Gearshifts, though, play spoilsport. The gearbox sits somewhere between notchy and ‘just about okay’, neither of which adds to the Thrill of Driving. To be honest, this engine actually deserves a better shift feel, and this was something we noted on the Altroz as well.

In terms of transmission options, this 1.2 turbo can only be had with a manual for now. Yes, the Nexon gets both the AMT and the DCT paired to this engine; however, Tata hasn’t opted for either solution with the Punch. It will likely get the option of an automatic further down in its lifecycle, most likely the AMT.

If you do want an automatic with the new Punch, you will have to resort to the classic 1.2-litre NA petrol and CNG powertrains, which continue as before. The noteworthy addition is the AMT ’box and paddle shifters – a segment-first. Being able to drive a factory CNG car in traffic without manual gear changes should attract plenty of buyers, very quickly. With that engine, you also get a 5-speed manual if you choose to.

2026 Tata Punch facelift ride and handling

As for ride quality, the Punch stays true to what it was always good at. In the city, it feels absorbent. Comfort in this car is really sorted, both in terms of how it rides and how it feels inside. It’s not crashy at low speeds, and neither does it get bumpy. Even the big potholes don’t really disturb the cabin. Out on the highway, it feels planted driving at triple-digit speeds. The chassis rides well, there’s no nervousness at speed, and that gives you confidence to carry momentum. The steering wheel is properly weighted and offers a good balance of lightness in the city and heft at high speeds. Tata Motors has been spot on with chassis tuning in the recent past, and it is no different here. Despite its diminutive dimensions, it drives like a much larger car.

Push the Punch into corners, and yes, there is body roll – it’s a tall-ish car, you can’t escape that – but it’s very well controlled and completely acceptable for what this car is meant to be. It never feels unsafe or sloppy, and since most of its owners will be calmer drivers, they will only feel a negligible amount of body roll. The brakes work well too. There’s plenty of stopping power from the moment you step on it. I only wish the pedal was just a bit sharper in transferring that feel back to the feet.

What the Punch does well, and maybe why Tata Motors had set up a curated off-road section, is offer decent off-road ability. It’s not a traditional 4x4 SUV – not at all. But with a good approach and departure angles and a decent 193mm ground clearance, it only scraped the ground occasionally, and powered through everything with relative ease. Tata Motors does claim a 400mm water wading depth. May interest you, Mumbaikars, around the monsoon season.

2026 Tata Punch facelift styling

The Punch has received updates in the exterior as well, making it stand out from the outgoing model, but it doesn’t change the identity that much. It’s still upright, squared-off and SUV-ish in a way sub-compact SUVs are. But the updates have made it modern. Up front, the facelift introduces new DRLs, a redesigned, slimmer grille, and a new lower bumper giving it more of an angular and muscular look, with vertically stacked headlamp housings like the Nexon. It gets LED lighting all around and LED fog lamps that double up as cornering lamps too. There’s a radar-sensor-like module in the lower grille, too, but this car doesn’t get ADAS yet. When asked, the folks from the brand said it might arrive if customer demand increases.

From the side, Tata has wisely left things as they are. Squared wheel arches, chunky black cladding and that distinctive C-pillar continue to define the Punch’s identity. The wheels remain 16-inchers, now with a new design. Length has grown by roughly 49mm, but the wheelbase stays the same at 2445mm. And yes, the 90-degree opening doors are still here.

The rear gets refreshed as well. The spoiler and the lower bumper continue, with the addition of connected LED tail-lamps with a smoked finish, giving the Punch a more premium look.

2026 Tata Punch facelift interior and features

Step inside, and the transformation is immediate. The basic layout is familiar, but nearly every touchpoint has been upgraded. The dual-tone dashboard remains, but gets new textures. The new steering wheel with the illuminated Tata logo – borrowed from larger models – sits in front of a new 7-inch digital cluster paired with an analogue tachometer. It’s functionally fine, but doesn’t feel as upmarket as the rest of the interior.

Dominating the dashboard is a 10.25-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The UI runs the latest iRA system but suffers from the occasional lag. Apart from that, it’s a pretty good unit, and I like the music system as well, which elevates the interior experience. It also gets a 360-degree camera system with blind-view monitoring that pops up when you indicate. The update has also brought in Tata’s infamous touch-sensitive climate control panel. It works the same as on other cars, and I don’t like the fact that I have to look down when I want to adjust something. Other features include ambient lighting, wireless charging, auto climate control, auto-dimming IRVM, and only Type-C ports throughout, one of which is even capable of 65W charging. The centre console is similar too, featuring an armrest with storage underneath, and two cupholders. The seats deserve special mention. They are fabric, dual-tone, well-contoured, and with a subtle bump under the thigh that improves support. The entire driving position, for that matter, is comfortable. Even after hours on the driving seat, I wasn’t feeling too tired.

The rear seats are comfortable too. The Punch has always punched above its weight in the back seat, and the facelift doesn’t mess with that formula. Knee room and headroom are good, and you can notice how Tata has added more room by scooping the rear of the front seats and the roof. They also get the same clever design tweak to aid under-thigh support like the front seats. The highlight would be the backrest, which, by not being too upright, makes for comfortable seating even in longer travels. One complaint from our six-foot-tall videographer was that the headrests push your head in front, and thus, make the seating uncomfortable. Rear passengers get AC vents, a Type-C charging port, seat-back pockets and an armrest.

The Punch continues with a 5-star BNCAP rating. Six airbags, ESP, and TPMS come standard as well. In the higher variants, you get hill descent control, which works well, as we got to test it on the curated off-road section.

2026 Tata Punch facelift pricing and verdict

Prices remain aggressive with a starting price of ₹5.6 lakh and topping out at ₹9.54 lakh for the nat-asp AMT combo, ₹10.54 lakh for the CNG AMT combo, and ₹9.8 lakh for the turbo-petrol with the 6-speed MT. Tata Motors has done a commendable job offering a newer design, more features, convenience and even a fun engine, while maintaining its core positives of a comfortable ride and high safety score.

The 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine will be the highlight for enthusiasts, and the way it has been executed is admirable. It changes the character of the car from a straightforward daily to a car that could pack in the occasional thrill. The chassis setup only adds to that feeling. Inside, too, the Punch has made improvements. The big screen and added features will please a lot of new-age owners, while the comfort and in-cabin experience will keep older folks happy, too.

In a world moving towards SUVs, the Punch, with its tall, chunky styling and high ground clearance, could be the car that gives them that package while being affordable. For the price you pay, this offers tremendous value. And I’m sure this will continue the high sales figures of the older Punch.