Hyundai Exter Facelift vs Tata Punch Facelift: How Do They Compare?
The Tata Punch has a clear dominance in the micro-SUV segment. Its closest rival is the Hyundai Exter, which got a mid-life refresh today (March 20th). The Punch had got a comprehensive facelift in January this year. In this article, we will compare these facelifts and see which one has an edge over the other.
Let’s start with the dimensions. The Exter is 3830mm long, 1723mm wide and 1643mm tall. It has a wheelbase of 2450mm. The boot capacity in this case, is 391 litres.
The facelifted Punch measures 3876mm in length, 1742mm in width, and 1615 in height. The wheelbase here is 2445 mm. Boot space here is 366 litres- slightly lower than the Exter's. It also has a slightly lower wheelbase. In terms of overall length and width, however, the Tata SUV takes the lead.
The Punch and Exter have both seen significant design revisions on their respective facelifts. Choosing between is up to the buyer.
The new Punch gets a fresh design for its front fascia. Key highlights include slimmer LED DRLs, LED headlamps, LED fog lamps, a new front bumper, a boxy silhouette, 16-inch alloy wheels, connected LED tail lamps, and more. The new Punch looks more like its EV counterpart now. Six dual-tone colours are available on the facelift: Pristine White, Daytona Grey, Bengal Rouge, Cyantific Blue, Coorg Clouds, and Caramel.
On the Exter facelift, you’ll find more changes on the exterior, especially to the soft plastic parts. The bumper now has a new design, the grille has been restyled, ‘EXTER’ is now written on the trim connecting the DRLs, and not on the bonnet. The lights remain more or less the same- the headlamps continue to be regular Halogen units.
The Exter rides on 15-inch alloy wheels and even has a new split spoiler at the rear, along with a new rear bumper and a different finish for the trim connecting the tail lamps. The design seems to have evolved into something more mature with the facelift. It comes in 8 colours including a dual-tone and two new shades- Golden Bronze and Titanium black matte.
Inside, the Exter facelift gets a new dual-tone navy blue and grey colour scheme. The seats get semi-fabric beige upholstery. Several other premium trims and touches can be found inside. It also gets a new flat-bottomed steering wheel.
The feature list consists of 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 8.0-inch digital driver’s display, cruise control, metal pedals, height adjustment for the driver’s seat, wireless charging bay, sunroof, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via a portable adapter, automatic AC, integrated dash camera, rear parking camera, automatic headlamps and more. Notably, the front seats do not get adjustable headrests. Even the facelift misses out on a 360-degree camera.
The Punch facelift has a more modern cabin and a longer list of features. It gets a large 10.2-inch central touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay (you don’t need a dongle here!), a 7-inch driver’s display, touch-based HVAC controls, single-pane sunroof, rear AC vents, ambient lighting, wireless phone charger, connected car tech, an auto-dimming IRVM, cruise control, and more. Both cars get front armrests.
The Punch has a clear edge even on the powertrain front. It comes in both internal combustion engine (ICE) and EV avatars. The ICE version offers the choice of three engines- a 1.2L, naturally aspirated three-cylinder petrol, a new 1.2L turbocharged petrol engine, and CNG.
The new turbo-petrol is aimed at buyers seeking performance- a proposition that the Exter completely misses out on. The Hyundai is only available with a 1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol and a CNG powertrain. Neither of these is too rewarding when it comes to performance. They feel relaxed, smooth and good to drive.
Talking of output figures, the naturally aspirated petrol engine on the Punch makes 88hp and 115Nm. The CNG version has 73.5hp and 103Nm on offer and the turbo-petrol is capable of producing 118hp and 170Nm. The first two engines can be had with both manual and AMT automatic transmissions while the turbo-petrol only comes with a six-speed manual transmission.
The Exter’s 1.2L petrol engine makes 83hp and 114Nm and can be had with a manual and an AMT gearboxes. The CNG version produces 69hp and 95Nm and only comes with a manual box. CNG versions in both cases feature dual-cylinder technology in which the fuel is packaged in interconnected cylinders.
And finally, the Exter doesn’t have an electric version. At least, not yet. The Punch.EV on the other hand, is very popular among EV buyers, and comes with two battery pack options- 30kWh and 40 kWh.
The Punch facelift is priced in the range of Rs 5.59 lakh to Rs 9.29 lakh. The new Exter starts at Rs 5.80 lakh and goes up to Rs 9.42 lakh for the range-topping variant. It is the Punch that has a massive price advantage here given the fact that it offers a turbo charged engine at a price lower than that of the Exter, which only gets a naturally aspirated engine.