Maruti Suzuki Celerio v/s Tata Punch: Which one to buy?
Maruti Suzuki had launched the 2021 iteration of its Celerio hatchback in India last week. The vehicle has a sporty design, a spacious cabin loaded with features, and is fueled by a 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder, petrol engine. But is it better to buy the Celerio or the Tata Punch, which is also a solid option at around Rs. 5 lakh? Let us find out.
Why does the story matter?
Maruti Suzuki Celerio is touted to be the most fuel-efficient petrol car in its class and is built on the company's latest version of the HEARTECT platform. Its low cost and great mileage should draw in customers. Tata Punch has been awarded a 5-star safety rating by GNCAP and is already receiving excellent response from buyers in India.
The Punch looks more imposing and has larger proportions
The Tata Punch is longer, taller, and wider than the new-generation Maruti Suzuki Celerio. It flaunts a boxy stance and has sleek projector headlights, a blacked-out air vent, and 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. The Celerio has a mono-slat grille, 15-inch black-colored alloy wheels, and is available in six shades. Its wheelbase is also less than the Punch (2,435mm v/s 2,445mm).
The Punch's cabin has a more sportier appearance
Both the Maruti Suzuki Celerio and Tata Punch have a 5-seater cabin with a circular and flat-bottom steering wheel, respectively. The Celerio flaunts a simple mono-tone blacked-out appearance with silver accents on the dashboard and round AC vents. On the other hand, the Punch has a dual-tone dashboard, a large center console, and rectangular AC vents with blue accents.
From twin airbags to a touchscreen infotainment console
Both the Celerio and Punch offer key-less entry, parking sensors, fabric upholstery, twin airbags, and a height-adjustable driver's seat. They also pack a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment console with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Celerio gets an engine start-stop button and a speed alert system, while the Punch has traction control, a rear-view camera, and two driving modes.
The Punch runs on a more powerful petrol engine
Maruti Suzuki Celerio is fueled by a BS6-compliant 1.0-liter, DualJet, 3-cylinder petrol engine with idle start-stop technology. The motor makes 66hp of power and 89Nm of torque. The Tata Punch draws power from a 1.2-liter Revotron petrol mill that generates 84.4hp of power at 6,000rpm and 113Nm of torque at 3,300rpm. Transmission duties on both the cars are handled by a 5-speed manual/AMT gearbox.
Which one should you buy?
Maruti Suzuki Celerio starts at Rs. 4.99 lakh and goes up to Rs. 6.94 lakh, while Tata Punch falls in the price-range of Rs. 5.49-9.09 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom, New Delhi). Though the Celerio has a slightly lower starting price-tag, our vote goes to the Punch because of its better looks, sportier cabin, and much more powerful engine.
