The long-awaited Jeep Meridian 3-row SUV is scheduled to be launched in the Indian market in the next few days. The company has announced that the pre-bookings for the Meridian SUV will commence from May 3, 2022. The production of the car will begin next month, while deliveries will start from the third week of June 2022.
The Jeep Meridian 3-row SUV is based on the Small Wide 4×4 platform that underpins the Compass. The platform has been modified to accommodate a longer wheelbase SUV. In terms of proportions, the new Meridian 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 Meridian is 364mm longer, 41mm wider and 42mm taller.
The Jeep Meridian is powered by a 2.0-litre4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that powers the Compass SUV. This engine churns out a maximum power output of 170bhp and 350Nm of torque. A six-speed manual gearbox driving the power to the front wheels will come as standard. A 9-speed torque convertor automatic gearbox will be offered in the front-wheel-drive and all-wheel drive (AWD) system.
Jeep will initially introduce the 7-seater version of the Commander, while the six-seater unit will arrive at a later stage. In terms of safety, the new Jeep Meridian gets six airbags, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), hill start and descent control, 360 degree camera and others. The SUV could also get ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistant System).
The 3-row SUV comes with features like a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto. Other features include electrically adjustable front seats, a 10.25-inch digital instrument console, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control, panoramic sunroof, a powered tailgate and a 9-speaker Alpine sourced audio system.
