Ever since its launch in 2021, the Punch has been a strong seller for Tata Motors, and in 2024, it became India’s largest-selling car and, incidentally, the first non-Maruti car in over 40 years to sit at the top of the sales chart. Last year, however, it slid to the number 10 position.
Tata Motors MD and CEO Shailesh Chandra, however, isn’t perturbed. “I don’t see this as a drop, mainly because of two large factors,” he told Autocar India at the launch of the new Punch. “One, there was a significant pressure on the entry segment, and the Punch was also thus affected.” Indeed, with a slowing economy, entry-level cars faced demand pressure. “And the second factor was that for almost six months last year, there was the rumour of the facelift coming,” said Chandra. “But, as you saw with the GST rate cut, these factors were significantly offset, and despite these factors, we still retailed about 1,85,000 units, so with the new Punch, I am very confident sales will start hitting the next peak.”
- Tata Punch CNG sales are mostly of lower-spec variants
- CNG contribution to Punch sales to rise from 35 percent with AMT option
2026 Tata Punch facelift sales drivers
Punch turbo-petrol and CNG-AMT to drive sales.
Besides the facelift and new tech, Chandra believes that incremental sales will come with the expansion of the powertrain line-up; the new Punch now has a turbo-petrol engine, while the regular naturally aspirated CNG unit now comes with an AMT option too.
“The naturally aspirated Punch will be the primary seller, but the turbo Punch will add to our customer base, bringing in those who want a small SUV and are looking for a sprightlier car,” said Chandra. It’s a similar case with CNG, with Chandra conceding that while sales of the CNG variants are mostly of lower-spec models, higher-end variants and automatics will account for a ‘sizeable portion’ and bring in further incremental sales.
These incremental sales can be appreciable, with CNG proving to be a winner for Tata Motors. Last year, 28 percent of the brand’s overall sales came from CNG models, while in the case of the Punch, CNG accounted for 35 percent of its total.
