Jeep, which is a division of FCA US LLC (formerly known as Chrysler Group, LLC) and also a wholly owned subsidiary of the Italian-American corporation Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, is not a new name for the Indian market as the American automaker has made some headlines and garnered some success in the Indian market ever since it made its debut here.
Previously, that is in the BS-IV era, Jeep used to have three models in its product portfolio, namely the locally-manufactured Compass, the all-terrain Wrangler, and the flagship Grand Cherokee. However, since the BS-VI emission norms kicked in, Jeep decided to continue with the Compass and Wrangler, while discontinuing the Grand Cherokee, which, sadly, did not see much success in the Indian market.
The Compass, on the other hand, proved to be very successful in its earlier days as there was no direct competition to the mid-size SUV back then, but with the arrival of the MG Hector and Tata Harrier, sales numbers have dwindled for the SUV. But the good news is, Jeep is all set to introduce a facelifted model of the Compass in the Indian market along with a slew of other models – three, to be precise. Here’s all you need to know about Jeep’s upcoming cars – or shall I say SUVs? – in our marketplace.
1. Jeep Compass Facelift
Since I’ve already spoiled this one for you guys, I have no choice but to begin with this one. Just like a facelift update should be, the Compass facelift gets minor revisions and, of course, no sheet metal changes. These include an all-new front end, replete with a new bumper, new grille, and, in total, a relatively more rugged front fascia. On the side, Jeep cars might add a new set of alloy wheels to the mix, while at the rear, the bumper should see some minor revisions. Moving on to the inside, the updated Compass is set to receive some changes to the dashboard, though the overall layout and the space inside the car should be very well the same. Moreover, the SUV is also set to receive a larger touchscreen infotainment system on higher-end trims with connected car suite. On the powertrain front, it’s expected to be powered by the same 1.4-litre turbo petrol unit along with a 2.0-litre diesel engine. The company is gearing up to introduce the Compass facelift as soon as the first quarter of 2021.
2. Jeep Compass Seven-Seater
To strengthen its product portfolio further, Jeep is also gearing up to introduce a seven-seat version of its popular Compass SUV, which will, of course, be based on the facelifted version, when the seven-seat version arrives in the middle of 2021. While it is set to share most of its underpinnings with the Compass SUV, expect a lot of sheet metal changes and a different front fascia so that the SUV has its own unique identity. The company is also confident that expanding the SUV to a larger size will not compromise its off-road abilities, which is something we’ll have to wait and test when we get our hands on the car. The seven-seat Compass is also expected to carry forward the same engine options as mentioned above with the facelift – the same 1.4-litre turbo petrol unit along with a 2.0-litre diesel engine.
3. Jeep Renegade
Out of all the models Jeep is set to introduce in our marketplace, the Renegade is what excites us the most. It would be the smallest SUV from the brand and, therefore, the entry-level ticket to owning a Jeep in India. It’s a compact SUV with a rather boxy design but funky design elements, which come together to give this SUV an extremely desirable appeal. Moreover, unlike other compact SUVs in the Indian market, this one would be a significantly better off-roader since it carries Jeep’s pedigree of excelling in off-roading SUVs. Powertrain options for the Jeep Renegade are not known as of now, but in the global markets, the compact SUV comes powered by either a 1.4 litre, four-cylinder MultiAir petrol engine with 157BHP of max power and 249Nm of peak torque with a six-speed manual gearbox or a 2.4 litre, four-cylinder MultiAir petrol engine with 177BHP on tap with a nine-speed automatic gearbox. The India-spec model, of course, will be powered by smaller engines. Also, grab the latest info on the upcoming cars in India, only at autoX.
