Upon its launch in India, Commander (Meridian) will rival the likes of Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, Ford Endeavour, MG Gloster and Toyota Fortuner
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has finally unveiled its new seven-seat SUV based on Compass. The SUV will later launch in many markets including India. Internationally, this SUV will be branded as Commander, while in India it is likely to be christened as Meridian. In India, Mahindra had previously sold an SUV called Commander and it is likely that this is the reason Jeep will not name their new SUV as Commander in India.
Exterior Design
Commander is based on the same platform as Compass and will also borrow some styling cues from its smaller 5-seater sibling. For starters, Commander flaunts a signature 7-slat grille with chrome accents flanked by rectangular full LED headlamps on both sides with integrated headlamps.
However, it has notable variations in design in comparison to Compass. For instance, design of the front bumper with large faux vents featuring LED DRLs and fog lamps is specific to Commander. Other styling differences include a chrome strip running across the fascia and a faux silver skid plate.
The seven-seat SUV also gets larger rear doors for easier ingress and egress, especially for third-row occupants. Stretched-out rear quarter glass panels and extended rear overhangs also indicate a third-row of seats.
Moving towards the rear, the SUV gets a flat tailgate along with slim LED tail lamps which are reminiscent of Jeep Grand Cherokee. Other notable exterior highlights include prominent wheel arches which house newly-designed U-shaped dual-tone alloy wheels, black ORVMs with LED turn indicators, roof rails and a muscular bonnet. Overall, Commander gets a much wider road presence than Compass.
Interior layout & Features
Interiors of Commander is in line with the facelifted Jeep Compass as it features the same dashboard layout and premium upholstery. It is expected to be offered in both five- and seven-seat layout. In terms of features it flaunts a massive 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster along with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
Boot capacity with all 3 rows up, is at 233 liters. With the 3rd row folded, boot capacity increases to 661 liters. Fuel tank capacity is at 61 liters. Ground clearance is 214 mm (unladen). It is 4769mm long, 1859mm wide, 1682mm tall and has a 2794mm wheelbase.
The top-spec Brazilian trim of Overland was packed with all bells and whistles which includes wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa support, automatic climate control, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats. Among safety features on offer, the most notable ones to be included are electronic stability program, hill launch and descent control, traction control and ADAS (advanced driver assistance system).
Powertrain, Transmission Options
Powering options for Commander are borrowed from Compass which include a 1.3-litre turbo petrol mill and a 2.0-litre Multijet diesel unit. The former is rated to deliver 185 PS and 270 Nm while the diesel delivers 170 PS and 380 Nm.
Petrol Commander variant is mated to a 6 speed automatic while the diesel Commander is mated to 9 speed automatic. There is no automatic transmission on offer in Brazil market. Once launched in India, it will rival the likes of Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour and MG Gloster.
