In mid-2021, a 7-seater SUV from Jeep was rumoured to be announced for the Indian market. Jeep India has now officially announced the Jeep Meridian 7-seater SUV for the Indian market. The new 7-seater SUV is slated to arrive by mid-2022 and will be a premium competitor to the Tata Safari and Hyundai Alcazar and a rival to the popular Toyota Fortuner.
New exterior body
While the Jeep Meridian will be a Made-in-India product, it has already made its debut in Brazil as the Jeep Commander. The Meridian is being built on the same platform as the Jeep Compass but it has been elongated further to accommodate the extra row of seats. It can be expected that the additional wheelbase will increase the interior space, especially in the second and third row.
In terms of design, the Jeep Meridian will feature a mature style update to the Compass and is expected to feature design elements from the global Jeep Grand Cherokee. The new SUV will also feature up to 19-inch alloy wheels to add to its immense road presence.
Familiar but spacious interiors
Jeep India is likely to carry the updated Jeep Compass interiors in the Meridian. This includes a floating 10-inch touchscreen infotainment display, dual pane panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, and dual zone climate control among other features. The new regulations requiring 6 airbags in cars like the Meridian, could see Jeep equip the new SUV with 6 airbags as standard.
Where you can expect to see major changes is in the second row, where the longer wheelbase will allow for more legroom for passengers. The third row will be of particular interest as 7-seater SUVs usually compromise on the space in this area, restricting its practical use. However, the added length will provide up to 1760 litres of boot space with the third row folded down.
Powerful engines for off-roading delight
The 2.0-litre diesel engine and a 1.5-litre petrol engine seen on the Jeep Compass can be expected to feature on the Jeep Meridian as well. Reports do suggest that these engine options will receive a power tune to carry the additional weight of the SUV. The transmissions on offer will include a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 9-speed automatic transmission. A 7-speed DCT automatic can also be expected to be offered as an option.
A Jeep wouldn’t be a Jeep without a 4×4 system and the Jeep Meridian is no exception. As part of the announcement, Jeep traversed India along the 77-meridian and is shown to have gone to some particularly rough terrain. It can be expected that the new SUV will feature a 4×4 system on the higher variants, with selectable traction modes to handle off-road terrain.
Jeep Meridian Price & Rivals
With the Ford Endeavour no longer available in India, the Toyota Fortuner has had an unchallenged hold over the premium 7-seater SUV segment. The launch of the Jeep Meridian is expected to directly rival the Fortuner and will be a worthy American replacement for the Ford. The expected price of the Jeep Meridian should be around the ₹30 – 45 lakh range.
Key rivals for the Jeep Meridian will also include the Tata Safari and Hyundai Alcazar 7-seater SUVs, which will lack the same premium quality but will undercut the American SUV on price. The Toyota Innova Crysta and the Kia Carnival are also premium rivals from the MUV segment that could challenge the Meridian.
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