India-spec Jeep Meridian’s production will begin in the coming months ahead of its debut by the middle of this year
Jeep continues to test its seven-seater SUV based on the Compass on public roads in India and is expected to go on sale midway through this year. A new test prototype of the upcoming SUV was spotted in its production-ready guise as well. A few days ago what appears to be the three-row Compass has been caught on camera near the Arctic circle doing snow testing.
The American SUV maker introduced the Commander in August 2021 in South America and while deliveries have begun in Brazil, test mules are spied in North Europe. Previous test mules indicated that it could be called the Grand Compass, the latest images point the finger at a group of prototypes with different changes interestingly inside and out.
One has the presence of tail lamps borrowed from the Compass and the other has similarities with Commander. One pair has a right-hand-drive setup and the other has a left-hand-drive configuration. The Brazi-spec Commander is manufactured at the Polo Automotivo de Goiana factory in Brazil while the India-spec model will be rolled out of the Ranjangaon plant.
The Indian facility could act as a production hub for the right-hand-drive variant. The Commander has an overall length of 4,769 mm and is sold with a 1.3-litre bi-fuel engine developing a maximum power output of 185 hp and a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine kicking out 170 hp with a six-speed manual and a nine-speed automatic transmission.
In the future, the Jeep Commander could adopt a PHEV in Brazil. The India-spec Jeep Meridian will also have larger proportions compared to the Compass to accommodate the third row and in terms of styling, it does have a number of unique details. The production will commence in the coming months and the prices will likely start from Rs. 35 lakh (ex-showroom).
As for the performance, the Meridian is expected to be equipped with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine found in the Compass with more power. It could kick out around 200 hp and may feature a mild-hybrid technology. It may only be retailed with a nine-speed automatic transmission, transferring power to all four wheels.