Hyundai Punch rival to get diesel engine option?

Tata played a big gamble by launching the Punch in India. The Punch brought SUV characteristics to customers in a very compact size. Seeing the success of Punch, other manufacturers are also looking to enter this segment soon. Hyundai is one such manufacturer that is already working on a Punch rival. What could make the Hyundai Punch rival unique is the availability of a diesel option which Tata currently lacks. So, will Hyundai’s Punch rival get a diesel engine? In today’s article, let’s find out. 

Is this the Tata Punch rival from Maruti?

Hyundai’s plan with the Punch rival

Hyundai already has a micro-SUV in the form of Casper. But Casper will not be coming to India due to its even compact dimensions. Instead, Hyundai is working on a new car specifically to take on the Tata Punch. Internally it has been codenamed the Ai3 for now. Read on for more details.

Will it get a diesel engine?

The car is still in its early stages of development. So it is hard to speculate what engine options it will get. But Hyundai’s Punch rival is expected to share its engine options with the Grand i10 Nios. The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios comes with three engine options – a 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated unit, a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol unit and a 1.2-litre diesel unit. Reportedly, Hyundai is discontinuing the diesel enigne on the Grand i10 Nios, which could mean that Hyundai’s Punch rival will also miss out on it. Still if Hyundai gives its mirco-SUV a diesel engine, it will give it direct advantage over the the Tata Punch since many people prefer diesel engine for its list of benefits.

Who should buy the Tata Punch?

What else to expect?

The Hyundai Ai3 will be based on the Grand i10 Nios platform. In terms of dimensions, it will be similar to the i10 Nios but with a more tall-boy design. Hyundai will load the Ai3 with features to take on the Tata Punch. So what features can it get? We expect it to get a big infotainment system, premium sound system, connected car technology, front dual airbags, etc. 

Hyundai Punch rival- Launch timeline

So now, coming to the big question, when is it coming? There is no official confirmation from Hyundai, but we can expect it to hit the market by the end of 2023 or early 2024. It is expected to start from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh mark (ex-showroom).

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