Among India's smallest SUVs are the Tata Punch and Hyundai Exter. These two high-riding crossovers are natural rivals and compete in the lower part of the compact SUV segment. Both are also powered by 1.2-litre petrol engines that come with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. We find out which delivers more real-world mileage.
Tata Punch vs Hyundai Exter specifications
Exter has a 1Nm and 36kg advantage over Punch
| Tata Punch vs Hyundai Exter specifications and price | ||
|---|---|---|
| Punch | Exter | |
| Engine | 3-cyl, petrol | 4-cyl, petrol |
| Displacement | 1199cc | 1197cc |
| Power | 86hp | 83hp |
| Torque | 113Nm | 114Nm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed MT | 5-speed MT |
| Kerb weight | 1035kg | 999kg |
| Power-to-weight | 83.09hp/tonne | 83.08hp/tonne |
| Torque-to-weight | 109.18Nm/tonne | 114.11Nm/tonne |
| Price range* | Rs 6.20 lakh-9.72 lakh | Rs 6.00 lakh-9.94 lakh |
Pre-GST 2.0 prices
On paper, the Exter MT seems to just edge ahead of the Punch MT. While the Tata’s 1.2-litre engine produces 3hp more power, the Hyundai’s engine makes 1Nm more. The Exter also weighs 36kg less. It should be noted that while the Exter prices start lower than the Punch’s, its top-spec variant is more expensive than the equivalent Punch.
Tata Punch vs Hyundai Exter real world efficiency test results
Punch MT delivers more real world mileage than Exter MT
| Tata Punch vs Hyundai Exter real world mileage | ||
|---|---|---|
| Punch MT | Exter MT | |
| ARAI mileage | 20.10kpl | 19.40kpl |
| Tested city mileage | 10.30kpl | 9.21kpl |
| Tested highway mileage | 16.10kpl | 14.77kpl |
| Tested average mileage | 13.20kpl | 11.99kpl |
| Fuel tank | 37 litres | 37 litres |
| Range | 488.40km | 443.63km |
Based on ARAI’s fuel-efficiency tests, the Punch MT has a 0.7kpl advantage as it is rated at 20.1kpl, while the Exter MT has a 19.4kpl rating. In our real-world tests, the Punch retains its lead, posting city and highway figures that are 1.09kpl and 1.33kpl higher than the Exter; its average tested mileage was 1.21kpl higher than the Hyundai’s. As both have 37-litre fuel tanks, the Punch can go 44.77km further on a single tank of petrol.
Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing
Before our real-world fuel efficiency tests, we fill our test cars’ tanks to the brim and maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. These cars are driven in fixed city and highway loops in and around Navi Mumbai, and we maintain certain average speeds. Throughout the tests, there is only one person in each car, running the aircon and other electricals, such as the audio system, indicators and wipers, when required, just like a regular user would. Periodic driver swaps further neutralise variations in driver patterns. At the end of each cycle, we calculate efficiency by filling the tanks to full again.
