Power struggle

Cars with exceptional engines stick out in memory, many leaving an indelible mark. I often remember every small detail. How they sound, how quickly they make power, how strong the power delivery is, and, of course, the rush of adrenaline when these engines do what they do best. Cars like the first-generation Honda City, the one with the screamer of a 1.5 V-tec engine, Ford’s super responsive 1.6 Rocam that powered the Ikon, and the Audi-engineered 1.8 TSI or EA888 first seen under the hood of Skoda’s fantastic Laura.

Equally memorable are the engines that struggled to make power; the ones that don’t hit the spot when it comes to power delivery, smooth running or refinement. Still remember driving the Daewoo Matiz for the first time... and repeatedly checking to see if the handbrake was up. The gutless performance was just galling. To get anywhere, even at a normal pace, you had to thrash the living daylights out of it. And what a shame it was, the Matiz was superbly packaged, and Giorgetto Guigario’s cute, cherubic design just hit the spot. The Santro looked almost deformed in comparison, but what an engine and gearbox it had. No wonder the hatch-buying public gravitated to it eventually.

Tata is another company that has had its fair share of less than pleasing engines. I clearly recall testing a new and ‘improved’ version of the Tata Sumo with its 63hp indirect injection diesel; it struggled to do 100kph! Acceleration was glacial; it didn’t effect the prospects of this beast of burden though, the Sumo was always more commercially oriented anyway. A sub-par diesel engine, however, did affect the long-term prospects of the Indica, which otherwise was impressive in many areas. And then there’s the Tiago that could have done so much better with a smoother, more refined and peppier diesel.

Now Tata seems to have dropped the ball again with the Punch. While the design works well, the cabin is comfortable, it is built tough, and the suspension takes bumps with great confidence, the 86hp engine, yet again, is the weakest link. In all fairness, Tata has made some changes and the engine is a bit improved, but it still is some way off the mark. It doesn’t respond energetically when you tap the accelerator, the midrange is a bit flat and unexciting, and then, there isn’t much power in the top end either. 0-100kph with the automatic takes forever; nearly 20 seconds! And that’s slow, even by last century’s standards.

Tata insiders say this isn’t an issue and that the Punch will be their bestselling car. They say car buyers at the bottom of the market aren’t sensitive to slightly unresponsive or weak engines... and they may be right. Still, can’t ignore the fact that Tata’s peppiest and best performing car, the Nexon EV, is also its most popular. Just how much better would the Punch have been with some... errr real punch? I think we all know the answer to that.