May 2024 - Tata Punch CNG Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Updated: This update of the Tata Punch variants explained includes buying recommendations of CNG variants based on the latest May 2024 prices.

Also Read: Tata Punch Petrol Variants Explained - Buy Best Variant

Hyundai Exter Petrol, CNG Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Tata Punch CNG?

The pros or advantages of Tata Punch CNG are:

• Proper SUV styling with baby-Harrier looks in a compact, city-friendly size
• A rare CNG car with a usable boot space; most CNG cars have boot spaces so poor that the manufacturers shy away from even mentioning the remaining cargo volume
• Decent ground clearance, fuel efficiency and power/torque figures
• 5-star GNCAP adult safety rating and 4-stars for children is better than Altroz, Nexon and even XUV300
• 90-degree opening front and rear doors allow easy ingress-egress for occupants, pets or objects you may store in the back seats
• Easy-reach horn is an nice safety feature, which we wish was available in all cars

The Tata Punch petrol has the following shortcomings or problems:

• No CNG bi-fuel option — Addressed by Tata with August 2023 update
• The incremental cost to buy the CNG powertrain over the petrol variant is not flat and fairly high at Rs. 1.10 lakh for some variants
• Kilometre to break even the higher upfront cost you’re paying for the CNG powertrain is 60,000km for the variants worth considering; if you factor in the lower performance and smaller boot, then you’ll have to drive the Punch CNG for 75,000km just to recover the higher upfront costs; if you don’t see yourself driving at least 1,00,000km during the ownership, then it’s better to buy the petrol variant
• Missing features — split-folding rear seatbacks, rear AC vents, auto AC, rear washer wiper, rear defogger, rear armrest, TPMS, power-folding outside mirrors and cruise control
• For a car bragging about setting standards in terms of occupant safety, it’s a shame that the Punch doesn’t offer 6 airbags in any variant while the Hyundai Exter gets it as a standard feature
• Overpriced mid variants and no true VFM variant, which we can recommend to anyone with our eyes closed; we noticed a similar pattern in the Punch petrol variants also
• If you’re willing to look past the Punch’s style and can live with a lower ground clearance, then the Altroz XZ CNG offers better value for money and a lot more features
• The ground clearance is acceptable, but considerably less than the 200mm+ figure we’ve come to expect from Tata SUVs
• Tata are known for offering a crazy number of variants that often even their sales staff can’t remember; but the lack of these options creates an imbalance and limits the choices significantly for the Punch CNG buyer as the same are available with the Punch petrol powertrains
• No CNG-AMT powertrain option; Tata have the option in their portfolio and offer it with the Tiago and Tigor
• 6-month service interval increases the number of visits to the service centre and leads to higher maintenance costs

What Is The Price Of Tata Punch CNG Variants?

The Tata Punch CNG is available in 3 main variants with a starting price of Rs. 7.23 lakh for the Pure CNG-manual. The Accomplished variant of the Punch CNG without any special pack is available for Rs. 8.95 lakh (ex-showroom). The Punch CNG Adventure and Accomplished are also available with Rhythm and Dazzle + Sunroof special variants for Rs. 8.30 lakh and Rs. 9.85 lakh, respectively.

Compared to the normal petrol engine, the CNG variants of the Punch cost Rs. 95,000 to 1.10 lakh more. For this higher price, you obviously get lower fuel costs but you also get a fairly usable boot space of 210 litres. All other CNG SUVs make you sacrifice on the boot space as the gas cylinder takes up a lot of cargo volume.

To recover the higher upfront cost you’re paying over the comparable Punch petrol variant, you’ll have to drive the Punch CNG for around 50,000 - 60,000km. If you also want to factor in the lower boot space volume and lower performance of the CNG powertrain, then the breakeven figure jumps to 65,000 - 75,000km depending on the variant you select.

Tata Punch CNG Pure - Base Model Standard Features

The base model of the Tata Punch CNG only comes with the 1.2L CNG-petrol engine and a manual transmission and costs Rs. 7.23 lakh. The Punch CNG Pure has the following notable features:

The base variant doesn’t get the following important features:

• Day/night inside mirror
• Wheel covers
• Music system
• Rear parcel tray
• Remote central locking
• Steering-mounted controls

The base model of the Punch CNG doesn’t get several must-have features we expect from a car at this price. However, the higher variant costs way too much for what it offers. Because the Adventure offers poor value for money, we’ll instead suggest you buy the base variant and add some aftermarket accessories.

Tata Punch CNG Pure vs Adventure Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The next variant in line for Punch CNG buyers is the Adventure. It costs Rs. 7.95 lakh and it’s Rs. 72,000 pricier than the base Pure CNG variant of the Punch.

Over the base Pure variant, it adds the following notable features:

While the Adventure variant covers the basics quite well, you may still miss the following features in this variant:

• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Touchscreen
• Rear camera
• Rear defogger
• Rear washer wiper

Though the Adventure variant gets several must-have features, on the value front, it’s not a good option. So, we’ll suggest you instead go for the lower Pure trim or spend some more for the Accomplished variant.

Tata Punch CNG Adventure vs Adventure Rhythm Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Tata Punch CNG Adventure Rhythm special variant costs Rs. 8.30 lakh. The Adventure Rhythm CNG is Rs. 35,000 more expensive than the Punch Adventure CNG.

It adds the following notable features over the Adventure variant:

In this variant, you may miss features like:

• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Rear defogger
• Rear washer wiper
• Front side thorax and curtain airbags

The Adventure Rhythm offers better value than the lower Adventure variant but it doesn’t offset the price gap created by the lower trim. For better value, you should stick with the base model and get some aftermarket accessories. Else, consider stretching your budget for a higher trim.

Tata Punch CNG Adventure Rhythm vs Accomplished Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Tata Punch Accomplished CNG variant costs Rs. 8.95 lakh. It’s Rs. 65,000 more expensive than the Adventure Rhythm CNG trim.

The Punch Accomplished CNG gets the following notable additional features over Adventure Rhythm:

Even in the well-loaded Accomplished trim, you may miss features like:

• Auto AC
• LED DRLs
• Projector or LED headlamps
• Rear washer wiper
• Rear defogger
• Power folding outside mirrors
• Rear AC vents
• Split-folding rear seatbacks
• Tyre pressure sensors (TPMS)
• Front side thorax and curtain airbags

The Accomplished variant also doesn't offer a decent value for money. We can’t recommend this variant. Consider stretching for the Punch CNG top model (Accomplished Sunroof + Dazzle).

Tata Punch CNG Accomplished vs Accomplished Sunroof + Dazzle Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Tata Punch Accomplished CNG variant costs Rs. 9.85 lakh. It’s Rs. 90,000 more expensive than the Adventure Rhythm CNG trim.

The Punch Accomplished CNG gets the following notable additional features over Adventure Rhythm:

Even in the well-loaded Punch Accomplished Dazzle + Sunroof trim, you may miss features like:

• Rear washer wiper
• Rear defogger
• Rear armrest
• Rear AC vents
• Split-folding rear seatbacks
• Auto AC
• Power folding outside mirrors
• Tyre pressure sensors (TPMS)
• Front side thorax and curtain airbags

From a value standpoint, the Accomplished variant offers better value for money than the mid variants but doesn’t completely justify the jump from the Punch CNG base model. It also adds several features, which are not must-have in our books. This is the only variant worth considering if you’re okay with compromising a bit on the value-for-money front.

Which Variant Of The Tata Punch CNG Should You Buy?

From a value standpoint, the base variant is the best choice and worth buying for budget buyers. The Adventure and Accomplished variants offer terrible value for money and are not recommended despite adding several must-have features. Unfortunately, you will have to buy the Accomplished Sunroof + Dazzle variant just to get a decent value for money. And it justifies most of that cost with good-to-have features. Even then, the Punch CNG top model doesn’t come close to justifying the incremental cost over the Punch CNG base model.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The Tata Punch CNG?

Just like its competitors, the Punch also has a normal petrol engine. With 73.5PS power and 103Nm torque output, the figures are slightly better than the Exter CNG. In terms of fuel efficiency, the Punch CNG and Exter CNG are on par and offer around 27kmpkg mileage.

What Are The Dimensions Of The Tata Punch CNG?

The Punch and Exter are similar in dimensions. One area where the difference is visible is the tyre size. While the Exter has 14-inch and 15-inch wheel options for the CNG variants, the Punch only offers 15-inch wheels. Another area where the Punch CNG shines exceptionally well is with the boot space. With its split 2 gas cylinders, the Punch CNG offers a usable 210-litre cargo volume while the Exter barely offers any boot space at all.

What Are The Colour Options Of The Tata Punch CNG?

The Punch CNG is available in the following 5 monotone exterior colour options:

• Orange
• Light blue
• White
• Grey
• Brown

To find out the variant-wise colour option availability of the Punch CNG, you can visit the following link:

Tata Punch – All Exterior Colour Options (Variant-wise)

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we are classifying cars based on their size.

You can read more about vehicle segmentation at the following link:

Car Segments Explained - With Body Styles And Examples