The all three row SUV will be made in India and will look a lot like the more premium Grand Cherokee
The seven-seater segment in India has become active in the recent past few years. With the arrival of the XUV700, Hector, Safari, Alcazar in the lower segments, MG came up with the Gloster to take on the Toyota Fortuner. Now, Jeep is ramming its way into the full-size SUV segment to take on the iconic Fortuner.
Jeep will bring the all-new Meridian to the Indian market next month. It is sold as Commander in the international market. Jeep will export the Meridian to the RHD countries from India and the bookings will open in May.
How is Jeep Meridian different from the Compass?
The Jeep Meridian shares a lot of design elements with the Compass. However, take a step back and the overall silhouette of the car is very similar to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. There is a seven-slat grille at the front flanked by sleek all-LED headlamps and DRLs.
The Meridian looks truly Jeep and gets flared wheel arches, side-cladding, 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and roof rails. The rear-end looks upmarket with the split LED tail lamps and a chrome strip.
Gets seven seats
This is a three-row Jeep and it can seat up to seven people. The Meridian gets a Black and Emperador Brown cabin theme and upholstery. There is a 10.25-inch TFT instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control system, wireless charging, connected infotainment system, dual-zone climate control with an auxiliary ac system in the rear and more.
And claims to get segment-first features in the third-row seats as well
The Meridian offers as many as six airbags, active yaw control, engine drag control, hydraulic brake assist, brake fade support, TCS, electronic roll mitigation programme, electronic parking brake, reverse parking camera, a 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitoring system and more.
The Meridian will take on the Toyota Fortuner
The seats can fold almost flat and the rear doors open 80 degrees to provide a wide entrance to the occupants. The second and third-row seats can be reclined as per the need.
Jeep Meridian engine
The Jeep Meridian gets the same 2.0-litre diesel engine that powers the Compass. However, several changes have been made including a different clutch system. The engine is paired with a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Meridian will offer an optional AWD system and the nine-speed transmission with the FWD will be the world’s first such configuration.
What do you think about the Jeep Meridian? Do let us know in the comments below.
Keyword: The Jeep Meridian Is So Much More Than An Elongated Compass; To Reach Indian Shores Next Month