Jeep Compass to be launched in India in 2017

Jeep has huge plans for India going forward. While they currently have their CBU range on offer, they will soon be making their products in India. The Compass will be the first product to be made in India and according to a report by Overdrive, the vehicle is expected to start as low as Rs. 16 lakhs, which means it is going to take the fight to the XUV500 and the top end variants of Creta.

When is the expected launch?



The vehicle is expected to be launched in India in August 2017 and will have an introductory price of Rs 16 lakhs ex-showroom, which is way below the 20-25 lakh expectation that most people had. The Compass will be the first Jeep to be built in Fiat’s Ranjangaon facility near Pune. The Compass will also be exported from India to other markets.

Possible positioning:
The Compass is a compact SUV that seats 5. It is based on the Renegade platform, which means it is a small SUV about 4.4 meters long and 1.9 meters wide. It borrows design cues from its elder sibling, the Grand Cherokee. It has the similarly designed front grill and headlamps that give it an aggressive yet macho look. At the back, it will get LED tail lamps. The vehicle is pretty stylish to look at and will surely bring in a lot of customers if the pricing is done right.



On the inside, the car will get a U-Connect infotainment system with Apple carplay and Android auto. The touch screen system will either be a 7″ or a 8.5″ one based on the variant chosen. Safety features will include 6 airbags, ABS, ESP, hill hold assist and reverse parking camera with sensors. Jeep has confirmed that all their products launched will come with the option of 4wd, which means we can expect both the 2wd and the 4wd version to be on offer. The 4wd model will feature a Terrain-select dial to choose between the various terrains.

Power:



Fiat will offer the 2.0 liter Multijet engine with the Compass. This will churn out 160 Bhp and 350 Nm and will be mated to both a 6-speed manual or a 9-speed automatic gearbox. There is no clarity on what petrol engine will make it to the Compass, if any.

Variants:
The Compass will be offered in a total of three trim levels, Sport, Longitude and Limited. Details on the loadings that each trim will possess are still not available and will be known closer to the date of the launch.

Competition:
Given the 16 lakh introductory price tag, the Compass will surely take buyers away from the Creta and the XUV500. This Compass will take on the Tucson and the Yeti though, in terms of positioning. Yes, the XUV, Hexa and the Crysta all have a third row, something which the Compass doesn’t. However that third row is barely used. What you loose there, you make up for in terms of brand value. Also the Jeep will be more capable than its competition, given that we will be getting the 4wd variant as well.

Source: Overdrive