Micro SUVs the next big thing? From Tata Punch to Hyundai Casper, here’s what’s in store for buyers
Tata Motors has revealed the Tata Punch and Hyundai recently revealed the Hyundai Casper in South Korea
PremiumWhen you think SUVs, you think big muscular cars with beefy tyres, squared-off wheel arches and a massive road presence. The Indian market, like many others across the globe, is witnessing a surge in demand for SUVs. Automobile manufacturers are also redefining the word SUV by launching completely new offerings, one such segment that is expected to take off soon is micro SUV.
Mahindra KUV100 was one of the first micro SUVs to hit the Indian market but the product did not work as well as Mahindra expected. Now, other manufacturers are also gearing up to enter the segment with their unique offerings. Tata Motors has revealed the Tata Punch and Hyundai recently revealed the Hyundai Casper in South Korea, which is also expected to launch in India by early next year. Other players in the segment will be the KUV100 Nxt and Maruti Suzuki Ignis.
Tata Punch
Tata Motors had first showcased the micro SUV Punch as a concept HBX. The company revealed the production-ready unit last month. The car is expected to be announced during the festive season in September or October.
In terms of design, the Tata Punch keeps a lot of the elements intact from the concept vehicle. The car gets a front fascia that has an obvious inspiration from its much bigger siblings, Tata Harrier and Tata Safari. The car will be built on the same platform as the premium hatchback Altroz. Punch is also expected to introduce some segment-first features such as terrain specific driving modes, hill-hold and hill descent control which could further justify its micro SUV status.
Hyundai Casper
Hyundai came up with the Casper micro SUV in South Korea and the car will go on sale in the country very soon. The Casper micro SUV comes with a silhouette that looks similar to the Maruti Suzuki Ignis. In order to help substantiate its claim as a micro SUV, Casper gets squared off wheel arches, strong shoulder lined and a high stance.
In terms of dimensions, the car will be similar to many premium hatchbacks in the sub-4m segment. The micro SUV that has been launched in South Korea comes with a naturally aspirated 1.0 MPI engine or a 1.0 T-GDI turbo motor.
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