Maruti Dzire CNG vs Tata Punch CNG: Should You Pick The New-Gen Sedan Or The Popular Micro-SUV?

The newly launched Maruti Dzire, though belonging to a different segment than the Tata Punch, shares a similar price range. In fact both cars offer an optional factory-fitted CNG kit in their powertrains which is why we believe they are worth comparing. If you are not a fan of a particular body style, and open to exploring alternatives, we’re here to help you choose the right CNG-powered car among the popular Maruti sub-4m sedan and Tata micro-SUV, in this story.

Let’s find out.

Maruti Dzire CNG vs Tata Punch CNG: Price And Variants

Both the cars put in this rivalry are offered in a total of four variants each. The Maruti Dzire in Lxi, Vxi, Zxi and Zxi+ and the Tata Punch in Pure, Adventure, Accomplished and Creative. The Punch does get some cosmetic special editions but we’ll keep those out of this list.

The Maruti Dzire skips the CNG option from its base Lxi and the top Zxi+ variants. On the other hand, the Tata Punch only excludes the CNG option in its top-spec Creative variant. Having it available from the base variant, the Punch is more affordable with this powertrain choice. The one-below-top variant of the Punch undercuts the Dzire’s equivalent trim by Rs 6,000. At the entry level, the Punch CNG is dearer than the Dzire by about Rs 1.5 lakh.

Maruti Dzire CNG vs Tata Punch CNG: Dimensions

While it may not be entirely fair to compare their sizes, it's worth noting how each car stands out individually. The Dzire has a slightly longer wheelbase compared to the Punch SUV. 

The Dzire is the longer car between the two, but the Punch is wider and taller. Like its family siblings, the Tigor and Tiago, the Punch SUV also features dual cylinders which translates into a bigger boot space of 210 litre. The Dzire however has to compromise on this aspect – the figure not known yet.

Maruti Dzire CNG vs Tata Punch CNG: Features

When comparing the one-below-top trims of both cars, up to which the CNG option is limited to, we notice several similarities in their features. The Dzire takes the lead in certain areas, such as offering LED headlights (while the Punch has halogen ones), alloy wheels, a rear seat armrest, 6 airbags as standard and hill start assist – which the Punch lacks.

On the other hand, the Punch offers a sunroof, a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment and rain-sensing wipers, all of which are not available in the Dzire. The Dzire did debut the sunroof in its segment but that’s limited to its top-spec petrol-only variant. So the Dzire seems to pack more functional features, while the Punch CNG offers more feel-good features.

Maruti Dzire CNG vs Tata Punch CNG: Powertrain

The new Dzire and the Punch share a similar powertrain configuration with 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engines with an optional factory fitted CNG kit.

However, the Punch delivers a slightly higher output compared to the Dzire, while the Maruti sedan claims to offer better mileage in CNG, than the Tata SUV.

Maruti Dzire CNG vs Tata Punch CNG: Verdict

As mentioned earlier, which car stands out between the two is ultimately subject to your personal preferences. If you're open to exploring options from different segments, both the Dzire and the Punch present strong cases for themselves. If you're on a tight budget and looking for a CNG option, the Punch will save you some cash in its base-spec avatar. You can also consider it if you want a small SUV, which offers usable boot space even in its CNG trims. 

However, if you're really pedantic about your running costs and safety, the Dzire, with its better mileage and 5-star safety rating, can be the better choice for you. It also poses the ‘newer’ option in the market, so if you just want something fresh, the Dzire won’t disappoint. Either way, you won’t go wrong with both the cars.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this comparison. If you had to choose between these popular best-selling options, which one would you go for?