The upcoming Jeep seven-seater SUV based on Compass will have its styling inspired by Compass facelift with more interior space on offer
Recently Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) claimed that its subsidiary brand Jeep will be introducing four new locally manufactured SUVs in India in the coming future. This includes the recently launched Compass facelift along with a seven-seater SUV based on Compass.
Apart from this, the automaker will also be launching a subcompact UV in India to take on the likes of Maruti Vitara Brezza, Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon and Hyundai Venue. In addition to this, local production plans will also include Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. Of this, the locally made Wrangler has already been launched in India.
Jeep seven-seater SUV
Coming to the upcoming seven-seat SUV, test mules of the SUV have been spotted on multiple occasions in recent months. As reported earlier, it will be based on the same monocoque platform as its five-seater sibling. Codenamed H6, it will essentially be a stretched-out version of Compass with a longer wheelbase in order to improve space inside the cabin, especially in the middle row and also to balance out the extra length for stability.
As per a new report media in Italy, the name of this new SUV will be ‘Patriot’. Interestingly, Jeep had an SUV named Patriot on sale from 2007 to 2017. Previous gen Compass and the Patriot were manufactured alongside in the same plant in Illinois.
Expected attributes of the upcoming SUV
The seven-seater SUV, on the other hand, will be based on the Compass and will borrow some of its design elements from the latter. Although, contrary to earlier reports, it will not be named Grand Compass as it is retailed in other international markets such as Brazil but will carry its own brand name. Though details about this upcoming SUV have been kept under wraps, there have been plenty of speculations going around the corner.
For starters, it will be powered by the same 2.0-litre Multijet diesel engine that performs its duty on Compass. Although, in the elongated Compass, it will be tuned in a higher state generating a maximum power of up to 200 PS. A nine-speed automatic with an all-wheel-drive setup is expected to remain part of the lineup. No petrol engines are expected to be offered, at least initially.
It is expected to be priced around Rs 30-35 lakh (ex-showroom) and is expected to be launched sometime in 2022. Upon its launch, it will compete against other premium SUVs such as MG Gloster, Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour.
Sales Boost
According to FCA, India is a very important market for Jeep, however, sales of the brand have been dwindling in recent past due to a lack of options in its lineup, high prices and lack of updates to Compass which is its entry-level product in the country.
For the entire year in 2020, Jeep sold only 5,239 units in India which is a massive downfall of 52 percent compared to sales in 2019. However, with the makeover given to Compass, it will bring in a few more customers. With the launch of new SUVs, Jeep not only has plans to boost sales in India, but also in the regions where it exports from India.
