Jeep has unveiled its India-bound Compass SUV. The internet unveiling of the vehicle marks the start of production at the Fiat plant in Brazil but the vehicle will make its official debut at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. This SUV will also be produced here in India at FCAs Ranjangaon plant from mid-2017 onwards.
The Compass on first glance has taken many of its design cues from the large Grand Cherokee and replaces the outgoing Compass as well as Patriot SUVs in the American automaker’s official lineup.
On the face of things, the Compass gets the signature seven-slate grille, wedge shaped headlamps and a wide bonnet. To add some muscle to the face, Jeep has added a contrast coloured bash plate element.
Moving over to the side we can see the square(ish) wheel arches, rear sloping roofline, body coloured door handles and a subtle line of chrome that surrounds the entire glass area both in the front and back.
The rear gets two piece tail lamps, lift up tail gate and a small little spoiler than contains the high mounted stop lamp. The reflectors have been fitted into the contrast coloured bumpers that slope upwards.
The cabin shown in the pictures is believed to be from the mid-level Longitude variant.Standard equipment includes semi-leather upholstery, climate control, touchscreen infotainment system, steering mounted audio controls and glassy plastics.
There is space for three at the rear but headroom appears to be a bit cramped due to the sloping roofline. We can also see a central armrest, door pockets, adjustable headrests and three-point seatbelt even for the middle passenger.
Fiat has announced that the Compass will be offered with 17 different power train options depending on the market. The Brazilian market gets this car with a 2.0-litre flex-fuel petrol or a 2.0-litre diesel.
This is an important car for Fiat and Jeep in India as it will be their first locally produced model. It is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh and will take on vehicles like the Ford Endeavour and Toyota Fortuner.
