Jeep Compass Finally Launched in India Amidst High Expectations

jeep compass

jeep compass

FCA India Automobiles Private Limited has just announced the arrival of the much-awaited Jeep Compass in India, with the official launch slated for the third quarter this year.

Jeep Compass follows its larger siblings Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler to India, but is going to be the first SUV from the Jeep family to be manufactured at the company’s Ranjangaon facility in Maharashtra.

Fiat Chrysler has invested US$250 million in the plant and has high hopes riding on the success of the Jeep Compass, in India and overseas markets.

The company has decided to make India the hub for manufacturing, and exporting the ‘Right-hand’ SUV, to countries like the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia, among others that have right-hand driven vehicles on road.

While the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler cater to the high-end of the SUV segment with lower volumes, Jeep Compass is positioned as a world-class affordable SUV ready to take on existing competition from Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson and Mahindra XUV500 in India.

The feature-rich Compass will debut with a 1.4 litre Tigershark petrol and a 2.0 litre turbocharged diesel version.

Jeep Compass is expected to be priced between Rs 20-to-25 lakh in India. This will mark the company’s entry into an entirely new price segment in India given the Grand Cherokee’s premium pricing between Rs 94 lakh and Rs 1.1 crore, and the Wrangler which starts around Rs 56 lakh.

Its price, and the fact that the Jeep brand comes with a rich 75-year heritage and world-class features, should make the Compass SUV a model to contend with in India. Something FCA is also banking heavily on for increasing its market presence here. India will also benefit from growing overseas demand for right-hand SUVs.

Design Heritage

Jeep brand is to SUV what Xerox has been for copiers. For 75 years, Jeep has been the flag bearer for rugged off-roaders for military and civilian markets, the world over.

The Compass draws its lineage from the Renegade but follows the Cherokee design philosophy more closely, ensuring off-roading remains a safe and comfortable riding experience to the adventure enthusiast.

Its 4×4 architecture resting on a smaller frame ensures the wheel grips all terrains with the same agility and security which has been the hallmark of its older siblings.

Jeep Compass Specifications

Petrol Version

  • Displacement: 1.4 litre – Tigershark engine
  • Transmission: 6-speed Manual Transmission; 7-speed Automatic Transmission
  • Max Power: 160+ bhp
  • Max Torque: 260 Nm ; Dynamic Steering Torque
  • Lights: LED Daytime running lamps and LED Tail lights
  • Drive: Right Hand
  • Wheel Drive: 4×4
  • Driving Modes: Snow, Sand and Rock options
  • Airbags: 6 dual-stage passenger airbags
  • Brake: Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS); Electric Parking Brake (EPB)

Diesel Version

  • Displacement: 2.0 litre – Turbocharged engine
  • Transmission: 6-speed Manual Transmission; 7-speed Automatic Transmission
  • Max Power: 170+ bhp
  • Max Torque: 350 Nm; Dynamic Steering Torque
  • Lights: LED Daytime running lamps and LED Tail lights
  • Drive: Right Hand
  • Wheel Drive: 4×4
  • Driving Modes: Snow, Sand and Rock options
  • Airbags: 6 dual-stage passenger airbags
  • Brake: Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS); Electric Parking Brake (EPB)

Both petrol and diesel versions will come in several variants and also offer Black Roof options to the discerning enthusiast. Both versions will be Bharat-IV compliant and will also be ready to upgrade to Bharat-VI by 2020 or before.

So, if you happen to be a Jeep fan, follow the launch date coming up later this year and be among the early ones to get your hands on this beauty.