Jeep Compass started 2019 with 40 per cent sales drop as 1,267 units were retailed against 2,106 units in the corresponding month in 2018
Jeep Compass endured another month of sales de-growth as 1,267 units were sold in January 2019 against 2,106 units during the same month last year. With a massive 40 per cent sales decline, the only big contributor for FCA’s volumes in India has continued the downward trend. However, compared to the previous month of December 2018, there is a consolation to take as 10 per cent growth was registered.
When pitted against one of its main rivals, the Mahindra XUV500, its woes get exacerbated. The XUV500 had been the flagship product from the largest SUV maker in the country for more than seven years until the Alturas G4 based on the SsangYong Rexton G4 took over.
It managed to sweep 2,659 units in January 2019 at a YoY sales surge of 26 per cent. When compared to December 2018, it recorded a huge 133 per cent volume increase. The XUV500 managed to secure more than twice as much the Compass had. The annual sales statistics of 2018 signify that the XUV500 was well ahead of Jeep Compass by more than 7,000 units.
The American SUV manufacturer is expected to launch the Trailhawk variant of the Compass very soon and it has already been spied several times in India. The range-topping model could help resurrect the fortunes of Compass in a considerable manner and it will come with greater off-roading characteristics as well as a nine-speed automatic transmission in diesel version.
As for the Mahindra XUV500, a brand new generation is currently in the works. The first monocoque SUV from Mahindra will get a new avatar towards the end of 2020 and is expected to be based on a new platform with design developed from the ground up. It will have bigger proportions to compete firmly against Tata H7X, next-gen Hyundai Tucson, MG Hector and others.
The all-new XUV500 will reportedly get a more powerful 2.0-litre diesel engine ditching the current 2.2-litre mill with BSVI compliance, and is said to develop around 180 hp. The interior may also be redesigned with inclusion of more driver assistance and safety features complementing the more stiffened body.