American SUV maker, Jeep has started testing the right-hand-drive version of the much-awaited Compass based 7-seater SUV. Codenamed Jeep H6, the new SUV has been caught testing in India. The report claims that the SUV will be offered in 6-and 7-seat layouts, and the spotted model is the 7-seater derivative.
The new SUV will first go on sale in Brazil, where it will be called the new Jeep Commander. However, the SUV could be introduced with a different nameplate in India. Mahindra had introduced the Commander MUV in the 1990s, and this could stop Jeep to use this name for its upcoming 3-row SUV in India. Both brands have been fighting on two different products – the Mahindra Roxor in the United States and Thar sales in Australia.
The report also claims that the Jeep H6 Commander will receive a more powerful diesel engine. Adding to it, the engine will come with a mild hybrid system. It will be powered by the twin-turbocharged version of the 2.0L Turbocharged diesel engine, which is rumoured to produce around 200bhp and over 400Nm of torque.
The diesel engine will feature 48V mild-hybrid system with a BSG Belt driven starter generator system. This mild hybrid tech will help Jeep keep its emissions and fuel economy in check. Adding to it, the new model will be compliant with the upcoming stringent CAFE II emission norms and the BS6 Phase 2 emission norms in 2022 and 2023 respectively. This will be for the first time that a 48V mild hybrid tech will be added to the FCA Stellantis 2.0L Multijet engine.
Jeep H6 India Launch & Competition
The new Jeep H6 Commander will first go on sale in Brazil in the end of 2021 or early 2022. In India, the SUV is expected to be introduced by mid-2022. Expected to be priced around Rs 28 lakh to Rs 35 lakh, the H6 SUV will rival the Skoda Kodiaq, VW Tiguan AllSpace and the Toyota Fortuner.
6-and 7-seat options
The new Jeep Commander will be offered in 6-and 7-seat options. The six-seater will come with captain seats for the second row, while the 7-seater Commander will get bench type seat for the second row. The seats will be flexible, to be folded down to create extra luggage space.
Source – AutoCarIndia
