For years, the Toyota Fortuner has ruled its segment but it looks like it will soon face some fresh competition from a 7-seater Jeep SUV
The Jeep Compass has been the bread and butter for Fiat Chrysler Automobile (FCA) for many years now but it looks like the carmaker is finally close to launching its second vehicle in the mainstream Indian car market. Abroad, this SUV is called the ‘Commander’ but in India, in all likelihood, it will be called the Meridian. The upcoming 7-seater Jeep SUV was spotted recently and a glance at the new model parked close to a Jeep Compass reveals that it would have a street presence similar to that of the Toyota Fortuner.
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Based on the Jeep Compass, the upcoming 7-seater Jeep SUV has been on test for more than a year now. The test mules that have been seen so far are under thick camouflage but it’s pretty easy to see that the new model is a lot bigger than the vehicle it’s based on. In the latest sighting, the Meridian can be seen parked with a Compass and a good look of the above multimedia should give you a fair idea of how big it’s going to be. The international-spec model measures 4,769mm in length, 1,859mm in width and 1,682mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,794mm and an unladen ground clearance of 214mm. In comparison, the Toyota Fortuner measures 4,795mm in length, 1,855mm in width and 1,835mm in height. It has a ground clearance of 225mm.
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Apart from the large dimensions, even the bold design and styling package of the upcoming SUV will help it with a daunting look. Upfront, it will carry the signature 7-slat grille that will be flanked by rectangular full-LED headlamps on both sides with integrated LED DRLs. The bumper features circular LED fog lamps along with a bash plate. Highlights of the side profile include squarish wheel arches with black plastic cladding for a rugged look. At the rear, the SUV will have a pretty flat tailgate and sleek LED taillamps that seem to be inspired by the Grand Cherokee. The SUV will ride on 18-inch blacked-out alloy wheels.
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Inside, the Jeep Meridian will look a fair bit like the Compass as it will share the dashboard from the smaller sibling. It will even have all the features of the donor sibling in addition to a few more bits. The car will feature a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment unit that will be compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, electric adjustments for the front seats, wireless smartphone charger, gesture-controlled tailgate and dual-zone climate control. In India, the upcoming 7-seater Jeep SUV is expected to be sold with a 2.0-litre Multijet diesel engine that be offered with two transmission options – 6-speed manual and 9-speed torque-converter automatic.
