SUVs at Rs 6 lakh: Exter set for a fight, Punch to prove its might

A few days ago, Hyundai introduced the Exter as a new star in the Indian small SUV market. Those who book will be able to get the Exter in August itself. Coming in five variants with manual, automatic and CNG models, the Exter competes directly with Tata's Punch in terms of price and features. Let's see what all challenges the Exter will pose to the Punch.

Design
Both the Exter and the Punch have unique features and similarities in design. Both the SUVs get split headlamps and daytime running lamps along the front grille. Larger wheel arches, a wide black scuff plate at the rear and roof rails are similar to both models. The Exter has the most unconventional look among Hyundai vehicles. The front end of the Exter is similar to the Ioniq 5 model. It gets an H-shaped tail lamp, silver skid plate, dual exhaust and A and B pillars.

Features
The touchscreen infotainment system in both the Punch and the Exter offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Both the models have many amenities like connected car tech, cooled glove box and climate control. But for the first time in the segment, the Exter comes with a sunroof, dash cam, shark fin antenna, footwell lighting, paddle shifters, wireless charging pod etc. The interior of the Exter is similar to the Grand i10 Nios and Aura.

Space and safety
Measuring 3,815mm in length, 1,710mm in width and 1,631mm in height, the Hyundai Exter has a wheelbase of 2,450mm. The boot space is 391 litres. The Tata Punch measures 3,827mm in length, 1,742mm in width, 1,615mm in height and 2,445mm in wheelbase. Despite being longer and wider, the Punch has only 366 liters of boot space. The Exter is equipped with six airbags starting from the base model. This is a safety feature that is unmatched by anyone else in the segment.

Engine
The Tata Punch has a 1.2-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine. The Punch can churn out 84.48bhp of power and a maximum torque of 113Nm. The engine is mated to either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed AMT gearbox unit. The Exter also has a 1.2-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine. This engine churns out 81.8bhp of power and a maximum torque of 113.8Nm. The engine is mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT unit.

Hyundai has also introduced a bi-fuel variant in the Exter. In addition to petrol, CNG can also be used as fuel in this engine. This engine can produce 67.7bhp of power and a maximum torque of 95.2Nm. This engine has a 5-speed manual transmission.

Price
The price of Tata Punch starts from Rs 5.99 lakh. The top model is priced at Rs 9.52 lakh. The prices of the various models of the Hyundai Exter range from Rs 5.99 lakh to Rs 9.99 lakh. The 1.2-litre petrol manual starts from Rs 5.99 lakh and goes up to Rs 9.31 lakh while the price for the AMT variant begins from Rs 7.96 lakh to Rs 9.99 lakh. The price of the 1.2-liter CNG model ranges from Rs 8.23 lakh to Rs 8.96 lakh.