Tata Punch vs Renault Kiger vs Nissan Magnite comparison

If there’s a niche to be plugged out there, you may be nearly sure as of late that it is going to be crammed by some method of SUV.

Or on the very least, a automotive with SUV aspirations. We noticed means again in 2015 with the Renault Kwid that even the smallest of automobiles may ship SUV attraction simply by advantage of butch seems and a wholesome serving of floor clearance. For lengthy, there was no SUV-like car between the Kwid and the near-4m-long SUVs that we name the ‘compact SUV’ section, save for maybe the Mahindra KUV100, which did not make an impression.

Tata Motors, with the Punch, has aimed for that hole with a laser focus, delivering the seems, toughness and floor clearance of an SUV in a 3.8m-long bundle. Renault and Nissan, nonetheless, have a distinct method to delivering a extra reasonably priced SUV. Aside from the well-priced 1.0 Turbo variations we’ve examined earlier than, the Kiger and Magnite are each provided with lower-powered naturally aspirated 1.0 petrol engines, which additional widen the worth hole to the remainder of the ‘compact SUV’ section, and produce them proper on par with the Punch. And these are the variations now we have with us as we speak. So, in the event you’re searching for that SUV expertise on a tighter price range, which of those three is greatest for you?

Tall Boys

Appears to be like, as I discussed earlier, are an important a part of the attraction at this finish of the market, and personally, I feel all three look nice in their very own proper. The Punch screams out that it desires to be an SUV with the tallest peak and most upright form. The cut up headlamp therapy hyperlinks it to the Harrier and Safari – a superb transfer, certainly – and the beneficiant black cladding throughout offers it that powerful attraction. Furthermore, the refined muscularity of the bodywork, 16-inch wheels and tiny tail-lamps cleverly trick you into pondering that it’s bigger than it’s.

The Renault Kiger is on the reverse finish of the spectrum, with probably the most crossover-like design. It’s the one with probably the most sharply raked glasshouse and, notably in two-tone paint, it has an nearly coupe-like profile. Including some muscle are the large black housings for the headlamps within the entrance bumper, chunky wheel arch cladding and good 16-inch alloy wheels, whereas the 3D tail-lamps are a pleasant contact, too. In an ironic aspect impact of household resemblance, it seems all too much like the cheaper Kwid, which individuals typically mistake it for at first look.

The Nissan Magnite strikes a neat steadiness between swoopy crossover and daring SUV. Its big, chrome-bracketed grille actually offers it presence, and there are a great deal of different good particulars, just like the sharp headlamps, sporty alloy wheels and silver cladding beneath the doorways. Additionally, regardless of some sharp angles and creases, it seems visually the biggest, being a contact boxier and extra upright than its cousin, the Kiger. By the way, the Magnite is a couple of millimetres longer and wider than the Kiger, however each stretch the tape to just about 4m in size, in comparison with the Punch’s 3.8. The Tata, nonetheless, is taller than each. And floor clearance? The Punch provides an honest 180mm, however the Kiger and Magnite merely provide extra, at 205mm every. .

Spatial Supply

It’s no straightforward process delivering massive SUV area in small autos like this, and every producer has been intelligent in scooping out as a lot passenger area as potential. Unsurprisingly, given their bigger dimension, the Kiger and Magnite instantly really feel probably the most spacious to take a seat in, entrance seat or again. You instantly discover the higher cabin width, and these automobiles are higher at becoming three within the again seat than the Punch. Head and knee room listed below are higher too, however the two automobiles aren’t an identical. A consequence of its rakish exterior design, the Renault Kiger does make you’re feeling a bit of cooped up within the again seat, due to increased door sills and smaller home windows than the Magnite. You additionally sit a bit of decrease to the ground, which doesn’t assist on this regard, liberating up some head room however lowering thigh help, and the seat cushioning is noticeably firmer. The Nissan’s appears like the most effective again seat of the three, excelling not solely on area, however consolation and a sense of airiness too; the silver accents and gray denim-like upholstery on the doorways additionally add some visible aid, in comparison with the Kiger’s all-black inside.

Excessive-set Punch seat offers a superb view ahead, however area not so good as others.

Getting into again seat of the Punch after both of the others instantly highlights how a lot smaller a automotive it’s. You are feeling hemmed in by the width, and although you sit increased up and get a greater view ahead, it’s clear there simply isn’t as a lot knee or head room on provide right here. The seats, nonetheless, are very supportive and strike a neat steadiness between agency bolstering and luxury. One sore level, although, is the absence of rear AC vents, which you do get within the different automobiles. In conclusion, area within the Punch’s again seat feels extra akin to a high-riding hatchback, whereas the opposite two are what you’d anticipate from a compact SUV.

Kiger’s small home windows make it really feel much less spacious than it’s; you sit decrease down too.

A fast take a look at the boots exhibits the Punch’s comparatively small dimension, and although its 366 litres is bigger, on paper, than the Magnite’s 336 litres, the way in which it’s formed means you get much less usable area within the Tata. The truth is, it looks like there’s something amiss in Nissan’s measurement, as a result of its boot seems to be about the identical dimension because the Kiger’s, which is rated at 405 litres.

Kiger’s small home windows make it really feel much less spacious than it’s; you sit decrease down too.

To the bridge

One factor all these automobiles have in widespread is telltale indicators of being constructed to a worth; nonetheless, it’s how every one balances out their presentation that units them aside from each other. The Punch, instantly, seems good at first look, with a layered, properly contoured dashboard and a number of colors and textures to liven issues up. The AC vents may even be distinction colored and also you’ll just like the tall, pukka SUV driving place. Poke round a bit, although, and also you’ll discover sharp edges and tough plastics that don’t really feel pretty much as good as they appear, with less-than-desirable match and end. Furthermore, the 7.0-inch touchscreen (extra on this later) is a tad small, and the asymmetrical part-digital instrument cluster isn’t almost as nicely executed as these of the opposite automobiles’. Storage, too, isn’t nice, with small door bins, shallow cupholders and an average-sized glove field.

Punch cleverly makes use of varied colors and textures to assist disguise primary plastic high quality.

The Nissan Magnite, however, provides probably the most usable in-cabin storage. The glovebox and door bins are huge, the centre console has massive cup holders, and there’s a telephone tray and an enormous storage bay forward of the gear lever. That good denim-like end options on the entrance armrests, too, including a premium-feeling contact, and the seats really feel massive and comfy. High quality ranges are a notch above the Punch, with easy but solid-feeling plastics which are decently put collectively. It’s simply that the largely black color scheme  with little visible aid seems far too bland and gives the look of being low high quality, although it isn’t. The hexagonal AC vents are a pleasant contact, although.

Uninteresting Magnite inside is the least fascinating, however scores excessive on practicality and storage.

Each, the Nissan and the Renault have massive, vibrant 7.0-inch digital devices screens with varied selectable shows – a spotlight of their lengthy options lists. Although very clear and informative, some would possibly discover the Magnite’s graphics a bit cartoonish, whereas the Kiger’s look much more upmarket. And that’s the sense you get everywhere in the Renault cabin. Plastic high quality, match and end are the identical as within the Nissan, however the design is extra premium. It, too, is heavy on the uninteresting black plastic, however there’s a pleasant uninteresting bronze plastic strip bisecting the dashboard, and the raised centre console is completed in piano black. It’s a bit ‘kind over operate’, although – storage inside the tall, slim centre console is deep and exhausting to entry, the gear lever sits a contact too excessive and much ahead, and the seatbelt buckles are tucked in a recess that’s inconvenient to entry. And these are just some of the various ergonomic oddities you’ll discover within the Kiger.

Kiger has the most effective perceived cabin high quality, however irritating ergonomic oddities abound.

Gadget quest

You’ll be able to’t argue that the Kiger isn’t nicely outfitted, although. For a automotive at this worth, it’s astonishing that you simply get drive modes (the Punch does provide an Eco setting too), digital dials, 4 airbags, full-LED headlamps, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, entrance parking sensors, a wi-fi charger, an air air purifier and extra. Okay, a few of that’s tied to an adjunct pack (which our take a look at automotive will not be outfitted with), however even that doesn’t drive the worth up by a lot!

Kiger’s three drive modes are noticeably distinct.

Amazingly, it’s the Magnite that’s even higher outfitted, and aside from drive modes and aspect airbags, it will get all the pieces the Kiger does after which some. Tyre strain monitoring, 360-degree cameras, some related options and a JBL sound system (a few of this, too, is a part of an reasonably priced accent package) are all on provide – in a price range SUV!

Magnite dials are neat however a bit cartoonish to take a look at.

 

The Tata Punch trades blows with the others admirably on the options entrance, however in the end it does fall a bit of shy. It too will get some related automotive options, in addition to a great-sounding Harman audio system, plus auto headlamps and wipers, which the opposite two don’t have (see field).

 

Small, crowded touchscreen slowest in operation.

Let’s discuss concerning the touchscreens themselves although, and whereas none is as fast or easy as what you’ll discover in a Hyundai or Kia, the Punch is a transparent step under the opposite two (that are additionally bigger, at 8.0 inches apiece). Its display screen is the slowest, the graphics are small and crowded, and contact sensitivity is extremely low. Regardless of all this, although, the Punch can no less than declare to have a 5-star crash take a look at score from World NCAP; neither the Kiger nor the Magnite has but been examined.

Kiger digital dials look probably the most subtle right here.

Packing a…

What the Tata additionally has are the headline figures on engine spec. Strictly talking, that’s not saying a lot, since we’re speaking small, three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engines right here. The Punch’s 1.2-litre unit places out 86hp and 113Nm to the Magnite and Kiger’s widespread 72hp and 96Nm. Nevertheless, the powerful little Tata weighs roughly 100kg greater than both of the others, in order that’s sure to have an effect on efficiency.

And it does! The Punch is the slowest of the bunch in most areas, taking 16.14sec to get to 100kph, though the Kiger will not be far behind, at 16.12sec. The Magnite is nicely over a second faster, at 15.33sec, but it surely needs to be famous right here that our take a look at Kiger was brand-new and had not been totally run in but, so the figures might not be consultant. We anticipate it to be nearer to the Magnite. You’ll agree, nonetheless, that none of those small SUVs is near what you’d name fast, and that continues in in-gear acceleration, the place all three automobiles took over 14sec to get from 20-80kph in third gear, and over 20sec from 40-100kph in fourth. That’s disappointing, since easy efficiency is normally what you anticipate from an SUV, and that reveals these automobiles’ true positioning. Nonetheless, if it’s efficiency you search, for a higher outlay, you’ll be able to have the Nissan and Renault with turbo-petrol engines, and we hear a punchier Punch i-Turbo is within the works, too.

 

However let’s dial it again and see what they’re like whenever you aren’t chasing down efficiency figures. The Punch, with extra cubic capability and energy, does really feel the strongest general, comparatively talking, however that is removed from what you’d name a punchy engine, and there’s a catch. At decrease engine and car speeds, Tata’s Revotron motor, true to kind, stutters fairly a bit, making for an unpleasantly jerky expertise off the road, or in the event you ever let the revs drop too low whereas pottering round. One can find your self shifting gears rather a lot, so fortunately the Tata has a lightweight clutch and gearshift motion. When you get into the mid-range, this engine comes nearer to residing as much as the automotive’s title, and maintaining it between 2,000 and 4,000rpm is advisable if you wish to preserve a superb momentum. It’s even received a little bit of a prime finish, however once more, it’s removed from what you’d name thrilling, neither is it notably free revving.

The Kiger and Magnite, as they share the identical mechanicals, together with the 999cc naturally aspirated petrol engine and 5-speed handbook gearbox, are much like each other to drive.

 

They, not like the Punch, provide up a smoother expertise at low revs, with far much less stutter and a cleaner step off the road. That’s to not say they’re sprightly, however simply higher at ambling about at low revs in a better gear, and on this regard, the Kiger felt marginally extra hesitant than the Magnite. What doesn’t assist right here is that each the Renault and Nissan have long-travel clutch pedals whose chunk level is sharp and positioned proper on the finish of the journey. This makes transitioning easily between gears difficult. Furthermore, neither of the 2 has a useless pedal to relaxation your weary foot; the Punch does.

Nonetheless, the way in which they’ve been tuned, the preliminary energy supply from the Renault-Nissan B4D naturally aspirated 1.0-litre engine is respectable, but it surely very quickly plateaus as you get into the mid vary. Revving the engine out appears like a wasted train, all noise and little progress, and also you’re much better off shifting up early and shifting alongside gently. The Kiger’s drive modes – Eco, Regular and Sport – do make a distinction, maybe extra so with this naturally aspirated engine than the Turbo, because the distinction is much extra discernible. Avoid Eco as a result of it hamstrings the engine to the detriment of drivability, making issues far too jerky. Regular is nice for on a regular basis driving and Sport brings some urgency to the combo. The Punch has an Eco mode too, however we didn’t discover an excessive amount of of a distinction within the driving expertise. None of those automobiles is what you’d name a freeway star, however the Punch’s marginally stronger mid vary will stand you in higher stead for overtaking at excessive speeds.

Curveball

So, comparatively talking, the Punch has the extra keen engine right here, and that’s complemented properly by its chassis set-up. Tata’s Alfa platform proved its experience and dealing with chops within the Altroz, and there’s extra of the identical on this higher-riding car. Although it’s the smallest of the three automobiles right here on paper, there’s a big-car really feel within the robustness with which it tackles bumps. It cushions passengers significantly better and might do that, unfazed, at velocity too, whereas the Kiger and Magnite get unsettled all too simply.

The Punch is probably the most agile in corners and steady at velocity too.

Although the opposite two solid a wider footprint on the highway, it’s the Punch that feels extra steady at velocity as nicely. That has rather a lot to do with its weightier and extra confidence-inspiring steering, which by the way makes it nice enjoyable within the bends too. Physique management, particularly for a tall automotive, may be very spectacular, and the little Tata corners gamely. The Kiger and Magnite have been given very gentle, but additionally very gradual steering racks, requiring far too many turns lock to lock. Although this makes steering straightforward, it robs these automobiles of any agility, which is a disgrace as a result of their suspension set-ups – a contact on the agency aspect – do have loads of potential for good dealing with. The Magnite rides a bit of firmer than the Kiger, although each provide an affordable quantity of passenger consolation on our roads.

None of them are freeway stars, however the Punch’s stronger mid-range helps in high-speed overtaking.

 

The opposite upside of Tata’s Alfa platform is sound insulation, which feels far superior to the Renault-Nissan CMF-A+. Tata’s petrol engine isn’t probably the most refined, however the in-cabin expertise remains to be quieter, and also you get much less highway and wind noise too. Each the Kiger and Magnite let in far an excessive amount of noise, be it from beneath the bonnet or the wheels, and general, on the dynamics and refinement fronts, really feel like they’ve been derived from price range hatchbacks, whereas the Punch feels prefer it’s born of one thing extra premium.

Mini May

Take the powerful job of the compact SUV and crunch it right down to a section under and the duty at hand turns into even more durable. The fee constraints are far higher, however purchaser expectations are nonetheless fairly excessive. There are two distinct approaches right here, so which one works greatest? Effectively, it’s shut.

The Tata Punch, the smallest of the bunch, delivers that big-car really feel from behind the wheel. It has a mature experience and dealing with bundle, an SUV-like driving place, and, for no matter its value, a comparatively stronger engine. However let’s face it, with their small-capacity naturally aspirated three-cylinder engines, efficiency isn’t a consideration right here; no, what clients will likely be after is worth. And on this firm, the Punch merely can’t compete on that entrance. It lacks the cabin and boot area the others provide and misses a couple of options too, however most of all, it’s the formidable pricing, which is the very best of the lot and dangerously near the Nexon, that retains it from profitable this take a look at.

Regardless of being probably the most reasonably priced, the Magnite additionally offers you probably the most, making it the worth champ of this lot.

So it’s right down to the second method taken by the Renault-Nissan Alliance, the place each automobiles ship massive area and a great deal of options at aggressive costs. If appearances are vital, the Renault Kiger delivers a powerful first blow. Exterior and in, it seems very upmarket, and that’s helped alongside by a beneficiant gear checklist that delivers the feel-good issue. What lets the Kiger down are the myriad ergonomic quirks within the cabin, a again seat that’s not probably the most comfy, and a tall, heavy clutch pedal that makes low-speed driving difficult.

That final one is one thing that plagues the Magnite too, sadly, but it surely’s not as pronounced as within the Kiger. The Japanese model has labored exhausting to make the cabin surroundings rather a lot simpler to dwell with, with extra storage areas, friendlier ergonomics, higher consolation and a higher sense of area. And if these weren’t sufficient to edge it forward of the opposite two, it’s the knockout worth proposition that clinches it for the Magnite – it merely delivers probably the most by way of helpful and feel-good options, and does so on the lowest sticker worth. So, in the event you’re after the ‘SUV’ that offers you the very most on a good price range, the Nissan Magnite is the one for you.