Note – Jeep Meridian officially revealed in India
The long-awaited Jeep Meridian 3-row SUV will finally make its India debut today. The new model will be launched in May 2022. Jeep dealers have unofficially started accepting pre-bookings for the SUV at a token amount of Rs 50,000. Dealers claim that the deliveries will commence by late May 2022.
It is essentially a long wheelbase version of the Compass SUV; however, Jeep has made significant changes to keep things fresh. It is already on sale in South American markets where it’s called the Jeep Commander. The Jeep Meridian SUV will be manufactured at FCA’s Ranjangaon facility, which will also serve as a production hub for the right-hand-drive model. It will be exported to all the right-hand-drive markets from India.
The new 7-seater SUV will rival the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu MU-X, Skoda Kodiaq and the upcoming Hyundai Tucson. We expect the new Jeep Meridian to price around Rs 35 lakh to Rs 40 lakh. It is built on the Small Wide 4×4 platform that underpins the Compass & the Renegade. However, Jeep engineers have modified the platform to accommodate a longer wheelbase. Moreover, Jeep has used high strength steel to make the platform stronger.
The new model will measure similar to the Commander. Dimensionally, it is 4,769mm long, 1,859mm wide and 1,682mm tall, and has a wheelbase of 2,794mm. The wheelbase has been increased by 158mm to accommodate a longer body. Compared to the Compass, the new Jeep Meridian is around 364mm longer, 41mm wider and 42mm taller.
The Jeep Meridian 3-row SUV will be powered by the 2.0L MultiJet II diesel engine that powers the Compass. With Compass, this engine produces 173bhp and 350Nm of torque. It is expected that the engine will be calibrated to produce extra power, close to 200bhp. Transmission options could include a 6-speed manual and a 9-speed automatic. While the manual version will get 4×2 drivetrain system, the automatic SUV will come with both 4×2 and 4×4 setup.
The Jeep Meridian is likely to receive a petrol engine at a later date. It is expected to be powered by a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine that powers the Commander in Brazil. This engine churns out 187bhp and 270Nm of torque.
