Jeep Compass Unveiled In India: What Does This SUV Has To Offer

Jeep Compass, the much-awaited mid-sized SUV, finally made a touchdown on Indian soil as it was officially unveiled here on Wednesday. Originally launched in 2016, Jeep Compass is set to become the American carmaker’s most affordable offering in India and it is going to be offered in 17 powertrain options.

Unlike the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler models, Jeep Compass will be a locally manufactured vehicle and it will be developed at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ (FCA) Ranjangaon facility in Pune. For all the SUV lovers out there who crave for foreign luxury without shelling out a considerable amount of money on luxury cars like Audi Q5 and the Merc lineup, Jeep Compass is the perfect remedy for them and we expect it to be priced competitively against the likes of Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavor.

When it comes to base models, they can even be priced right next to Mahindra XUV 500 and the recently launched ‘benchmark’, Tata Hexa.

In terms of design, the Indian version of Jeep Compass remains almost similar to the global one and is largely influenced by the company’s own flagship SUV, Jeep Grand Cherokee. A wide stance and 7-slot grille are some of the signature attributes of a Jeep SUV and both are present in Jeep Compass. In terms of dimensions, the vehicle measures 4398 mm in length, 1819 mm in width and 1667 mm in height. It offers generous wheelbase of 2636 mm but the ground clearance of 178 mm left us more shocked than surprised. The Jeep Compass also offers a 17-degree approach angle as well as a 32-degree departure angle.

Compass flaunts projector headlamps and LED daytime running lights on both sides and those flared square wheel arches, a thick C-pillar, black-coloured 19-inch alloy wheels as well as an optional blackened out roof, add to its appeal.

Coming to the interiors, the cabin is smartly designed and looks every bit from a upper-segment. Premium material is used everywhere resulting in comfortable upholstery and eye pleasing interiors. The dashboard layout features a 7.0-inch touchscreen system, placed on top of the center console and safety measures such as 6 airbags, ESP, anti-lock braking system (ABS), hill-start assist, cornering fog lamps and electronic roll-over mitigation conclude the list. Comfort features include, steering mounted audio controls, phone and cruise controls, electric tailgate and a panoramic sunroof.

Under the hood, Jeep Compass features two engine options, a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol, and a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel. The petrol unit makes over 160 bhp of peak power and 260 Nm of peak torque while the diesel engine offers 170 horses and 350 Nm of peak torque. A 6-speed manual and a 7-speed automatic transmission will be offered with the petrol variant but the oil burner will only be available with a manual transmission.

Jeep Compass will be offered with both 4×2 and 4×4 setups and the All Wheel Unit will further come with Jeep’s Selec-Terrain Traction Management system featuring Auto, Snow, Sand and Mud modes.

The Compass will be the third edition to Jeep India portfolio, which consists of Wrangler that starts at around ₹ 56 lakh and the Grand Cherokee, which is priced between ₹ 93 lakh and Rs 1.1 crore.

Jeep Compass will be officially launched in India in the second half of 2017 and if it is priced anywhere between Rs 20-25 lakhs over or even close to Rs 30 lakhs, it is certainly going to be a huge hit among Indian buyers, who have been waiting for an affordable luxury SUV.

Watch this space for Jeep Compass’ launch updates and review.