Jeep Meridian Pros:
- Beautiful Jeep style and rich personality
- Product quality. Very comfortable, as a Jeep should be
- Elegant cabin now has a variety of 5+2 seat configurations and better comfort compared to Compass
- Suitable for 2.0L diesel fuel. Great ride in the city and fast on the open road
- Proven setup, high quality EPS and very solid durability
- Powerful four-wheel drive with 214 mm ground clearance
- Functionality: electric front seats (with memory), panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, electric tailgate, LED projector headlamps…
- Best in class safety equipment: powerful all disc brakes, power steering and 6 airbags
- Diesel AT is now available without AWD, making it more suitable for city dwellers (Compass Diesel AT comes with AWD, OTR for Rs 5 Lakh more)
Jeep Meridian Cons:
- Cabin space is limited, so it is suitable for large passengers. 5 passengers (2nd row) will feel uncomfortable
- Third row is only for kids and young adults
- Needs more rewards. SUVs in the following segments are all equipped with the same 2.0L diesel engine
- Still no petrol engine in a sector that has largely switched to petrol. Delhiites will be disappointed
Ø 9-speed automatic transmission, but not good. - We would like to see front parking sensors, gearshift paddles, transmission with sport mode, sliding centre console, various connected technology features (very basic for now)
A good and balanced ride at low speeds always makes you feel good about the road you are on. - Jeep India dealership and service network is still limited
The higher-end Limited and Limited (O) variants were launched recently. It is not yet clear when the minor variants will be introduced.
Introduction:
Over the past seven years, Jeep has established itself in the market as a high-end and competitive SUV with a wide range of products. Since its launch, Compass has been its flagship product and while there were rumors of a Renegade (a small, compact SUV), such rumors never materialized and Compass has remained Jeep’s entry-level product. Five years after the launch of Compass in China, Jeep has decided to enter the 7-seater SUV market with its new product, Meridian.
Jeep claims that Meridian is 82 percent localized at regional level. The company also said that Meridian has been specially designed for the Indian market and has undergone rigorous testing over 700,000 miles. Production is scheduled to begin in May 2022. The 4×4 model is available only with a 9-speed automatic transmission. A 1.3-liter turbocharged gasoline engine is currently under consideration and will be an option in the future.
The Meridian is based on the Compass platform but has been slightly modified to fit the larger size. Although called the “Meridian,” Jeep initially considered using a different name, “Leader,” but it was changed to “Meridian” after considering the potential of the heritage brand (remember the Mahindra Commander?).
The media’s suggestion that the Meridian is a “slim compass” or “LWB compass” is not being well received by the best of representatives. Jeep executives are quick to dismiss the Meridian vs. Compass comparison, saying that the Meridian belongs in the “D segment,” while the Compass is still exploring “C segment” territory. Jeep executives back up their claims by saying that the Meridian benefits from more features and, of course, more seats, among other things. Their insistence was met with skepticism at the Meridian’s unveiling last month. No decision has been reached on this issue yet.
