Jeep continues to dominate the SUV market with its three-row model.
Although Jeep is no doubt lagging behind other SUV manufacturers in the three-row segment of the market, that’s not the case anymore. The Chinese launched the Grand Commander in 2018. In 2021, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will follow, as well as the Grand Cherokee L for America. To replace the Compass, a Latin America Commander with seven seats was launched last year.
Now, Jeep is teasing the Meridian in 2022. It’s basically an Indian version the Commander. The same Compass bone is used with a longer rear-overhang and a stretched wheelbase. To make it easier to access the rearmost seats, the longer distance between the axles is accompanied by a larger greenhouse and wider rear doors.
The new Jeep Meridian is still fully camouflaged, but we get the impression that it will not look much different from its Brazilian counterpart. The headlights look different because the LED daytime running lamps are integrated into the main cluster, rather than being an individual light bar in the bumper.
The taillights at the high end appear to be the same shape as the body panels. We can also speak about the side mirror caps and side panels. Although it’s not clear at this time how Jeep intends to locate the Meridian for the second-most populous nation in the world, more details will be available over the coming months.
The name of the SUV is derived from the meridian (77 th East of Greenwich) and was selected from 70 options. Wikipedia says it is the most populous meridian, with upwards of 140 million people. The longitude line runs from the North Pole to the South Pole, through the Arctic Ocean, Asia and the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean and Antarctica. Jeep prototypes were tested on the long journey from Kashmir, Kanyakumari (about 2,200 miles) during the development phase.
Indian reports claim that the Jeep Meridian will come with a turbodiesel 2.0 liter engine capable of producing 200 horsepower. The extra power will be sent to all four wheels via the nine-speed automatic transmission. This is to make up for the Compass’s heavier weight. A mild-hybrid configuration is also being considered.
As Jeep India is said to be considering both 6- and 7-seat configurations, the three-row configuration will likely come in two versions. The high-end models will have ventilated front and driver seats. There will also be a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a touchscreen. The list also includes a panoramic sunroof, wireless charger for smartphones, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The Toyota Fortuner competitor to Jeep will be built in India. It is expected to go on sale mid-2022.