Jeep took a really long time to kick off their Indian voyage
and after the launch of the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee, it seems that the
American SUV maker has unfurled all its sails. Jeep has declared that an
entirely new compact SUV would be assembled and exported from India as a part
of the ‘Make in India’ campaign. The compact SUV, codename 551, will be the
Jeep Compass and can be expected to be launched in India by the end of 2017 if
not 2018.
The Compass looks like a baby Grand Cherokee with influences
from the Jeep Renegade which is also expected to make its way to the Indian
subcontinent. It gets the typical wide slatted grille, the high mounted
headlamps and the macho front bumper with the blacked out bash plate. The side
profile gets a prominent shoulder line, squared wheel arches and a thick
D-pillar to complete the twin-cab five seater SUV look. The clear lens tail
lamps in the back look sporty complementing the decked up tailgate and large
bumper.
While the Compass is set to get about 17 powertrain options
globally, for India we will have the 170bhp 2.0-litre Multijet II engine from
Fiat to power the Jeep. It will come mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox
and will have the famed Jeep four-wheel-drive. It might have a petrol variant
as well. It will come with a host of driving aids along with airbags for
safety. As for the feature list, you can expect it to be akin to a luxury SUV.
Touted to compete with the full-size SUVs like the Fortuner
and the Endeavour, the Jeep Compass might come with a price tag of about Rs 25
lakh ex-showroom as it will be assembled at the Ranjangaon facility in
Maharashtra.
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