Sitting just below the India-bound Renegade, the upcoming SUV will be the most affordable from Jeep and is likely to be based on next-gen Panda’s platform
Jeep drives growth for FCA not just in India but across the globe and the American SUV specialist has its future plan lined out for the domestic market. The company’s CEO Mike Manley has confirmed the introduction of a sub-four metre SUV rivalling against the big guns like Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon and Honda WR-V.
It is a strategic move from the brand considering that it’s relative very new compared to the established players in the segment. Sitting just below the India-bound Renegade, whose new version will be out later this year, the upcoming product will be the most affordable from Jeep.
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The confirmation has been made at FCA’s mid-term five-year plan, which held all the significance for the future of the global conglomerate. As we reported earlier, the sub-4m SUV is more likely to be based on the new platform of the next-gen Fiat Panda as FCA focusses on cost-cutting and more even component sharing.
As we can expect from Jeep, the SUV is expected to adorn the authentic rugged styling of its siblings and will have in-car connectivity as well as packed features list. We suspect that the variant range will be large to cater for the demands of buyers prioritising customisation and signature off-road ability from the company.
Also Read: India-Bound 2019 Jeep Renegade To Make Global Debut This September
The smallest Jeep SUV will mainly target emerging markets and it will endure localisation to the highest level for being firmly priced against its competitors in the bunched up popular segment. It will be followed by a midsize utility vehicle with three-row seat arrangement for India in the near future.
Just as predicted, Jeep will introduce four new electrified vehicles and 10 other PHEVs by 2022. The largely sought after pickup truck based on Wrangler is also on the cards, along with the returning Wagoneer. Moreover, Jeep will be increasing its production capacity at Ranjangaon plant from 1,60,000 units to 2,40,000 units. For pronounced growth, Jeep will be expanding its footprint in India by doubling its dealership network. Jeep will be banking on high volumes with the small SUV and is expected to enter the market by the end of this decade in Rs. 6-11 lakh (ex-showroom) price bracket.