Customer deliveries of the all-new Jeep Meridian are expected to begin by June 2022, following a mid-May launch.
In a recently held online event, Jeep India pulled the wraps off the production-ready Meridian three-row SUV. Short of announcing the prices, variant details, and the final performance figures, which are expected to be out by the middle of May, Jeep pretty much revealed all that there is to know about the Compass' larger sibling. So, here's a look at what we know so far.
For now, Jeep has confirmed the arrival of the Meridian only as a seven-seater, with a bench for the second row of seats. As for the six-seat version, it could be in the pipeline but is yet to be confirmed.
Furthermore, the Meridian is most likely to remain a diesel-only offering. It will go on sale with a 2.0-litre turbo diesel unit, which will be offered with two gearbox options – a nine-speed torque converter automatic and a six-speed manual. While the latter will be front-wheel-drive (FWD) only, the automatic will get both FWD and all-wheel-drive (AWD). There are rumours that the Meridian may also get the brand's 1.3-litre turbo petrol unit a few months down the line, but Jeep has refused to comment on it as of now.
In terms of features, the Meridian will be loaded with some top-of-the-shelf equipment, much like any other flagship offering. Some of the premium bits that will be offered include a powered tailgate and a nine-speaker Alpine audio system. The rest of the features will be carried over from the Compass, like the 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen infotainment system (with wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity), 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charging, power-adjustable front seats, a 360-degree parking camera, multiple drive modes (Sand, Mud, Snow & Auto), six airbags as standard across all variants, hill-start, descent control, etc.
When launched, the Meridian will compete with models like the Skoda Kodiaq, MG Gloster, and Toyota Fortuner. And given that it will be positioned above the Compass, expect the pricing to start around the ₹35 – 36 lakh mark, given that Jeep has achieved up to 82% parts localisation with the Meridian. So, it'll be interesting to see just how competitive the Meridian's pricing will be.
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