Mahindra Thar vs Tata Punch EV: which should you buy?
The full picture
The Tata Punch EV starts at ₹9.69L against the Mahindra Thar's ₹10.32L ex-showroom Delhi, so it is ₹63,000 cheaper to get into.
They run together up to ₹12.59L, where the Punch EV tops out. Past that only the Thar has anything left to sell you, up to ₹18.00L.
Only one of them takes the whole party: the Punch EV seats 5, the Thar 4.
Fuel is a real difference here: the Thar comes in diesel and petrol, the Punch EV in electric.
Same money, which car?
Take ₹12.59L to both showrooms and you come out with the Thar AXT at ₹10.32L or the Punch EV Empowered Plus S at ₹12.59L, the Thar leaving ₹2.27L of that in your pocket.
Our take
- Choose the Mahindra Thar AXT if
- You would rather keep the ₹2.27L than pay for kit you will not missOnly one here withhill descent control
- Choose the Tata Punch EV Empowered Plus S if
- You carry things, and this one swallows the most at 366 litresOnly one here with6 airbags360° camerarear parking camera
Thar vs Punch EV, on paper
| Spec | Mahindra Thar | Tata Punch EV |
|---|---|---|
| Price (ex-showroom Delhi) | ₹10.32L to ₹18.00L | ₹9.69L to ₹12.59L |
| Variants | 7 | 6 |
| Body type | Off-road SUV | Micro SUV |
| Seats | 4 | 5 |
| Fuels | Diesel, Petrol | Electric |
| Cheapest automatic | ₹14.76L | ₹9.69L |
| Boot | 257 litres | 366 litres |
| Length | 3,985 mm | 3,880 mm |
| Width | 1,820 mm | 1,742 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,450 mm | 2,445 mm |
| Ground clearance | 226 mm | 190 mm |
The working behind our take
Here is everything that fed that read.
- SeatsOnly the Tata Punch EV seats 5, worth knowing if you need the space
- Boot spaceThe Punch EV swallows the most luggage at 366 litres
- Running costsThe Punch EV is electric, so it will be the cheapest of these to run
- Extra kitPunch EV Empowered Plus Ssingle-pane sunroofventilated front seatsconnected car techvehicle-to-load (V2L)
The full story
Engine or equipment, and only you can price that: the Punch EV Empowered Plus S asks ₹2.27L more for airbags (6 against 2), 360° camera and rear parking camera, but the Mahindra Thar AXT costs less and has the stronger engine, at 300 Nm against 154 Nm. The useful extras on top: 8" touchscreen and wireless CarPlay / Android Auto.
- Only the Tata Punch EV seats 5, worth knowing if you need the space
- The Punch EV swallows the most luggage at 366 litres
- The Punch EV is electric, so it will be the cheapest of these to run
- Also on the Punch EV Empowered Plus S: single-pane sunroof, ventilated front seats, connected car tech and vehicle-to-load (V2L), with more worth seeing in the table below
Whichever you pick, the variant is where the money goes
Thar vs Punch EV: the questions people ask
- Is the Mahindra Thar or the Tata Punch EV cheaper?
- The Tata Punch EV, by ₹63,000: it starts at ₹9.69L against ₹10.32L ex-showroom Delhi for the Thar. Both run well past that, so what you actually pay depends on the variant.
- Mahindra Thar vs Tata Punch EV: which gives you more for the same money?
- At ₹12.59L it is the Thar AXT against the Punch EV Empowered Plus S. Engine or equipment, and only you can price that: the Punch EV Empowered Plus S asks ₹2.27L more for airbags (6 against 2), 360° camera and rear parking camera, but the Mahindra Thar AXT costs less and has the stronger engine, at 300 Nm against 154 Nm. The useful extras on top: 8" touchscreen and wireless CarPlay / Android Auto.
- Which is more practical, the Mahindra Thar or the Tata Punch EV?
- On the figures the makers publish, the Punch EV seats 5 against the Thar's 4 and the Punch EV swallows 366 litres of luggage against 257. Everything else about living with them, from boot shape to how the back seat actually feels, is a test drive question rather than a spec sheet one.
- Which is cheaper as an automatic, the Mahindra Thar or the Tata Punch EV?
- The Punch EV: its cheapest automatic is ₹9.69L against ₹14.76L for the Thar, ex-showroom Delhi. A gearbox is usually the biggest single step on either ladder, so check what else that trim brings before you read it as the price of the automatic alone.
Prices are ex-showroom Delhi and change without notice. Specifications are compiled from public sources; always confirm with a dealer before buying.