Fiat Chrysler Automobiles India will finally unveil the made-in-India Compass on April 12, 2017. It will be the most affordable offering from Jeep in the Indian market. Although Jeep introduced the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee models in the country last year, they are quite expensive thanks to being directly imported as CBUs (Completely Built Units).
The Jeep Compass, however, will be different. It will be manufactured at Fiat's (Jeep's parent company) Ranjangaon facility. The dedicated assembly line for the Compass will also be used to manufacture the compact-SUV for right-hand drive export markets.
Considering Jeep has promised heavy localisation of parts for the Compass, we expect it to be priced in the Rs 16-20 lakh bracket. While it will straddle a niche segment with no direct competition, some variants of the Tata Hexa, Mahindra XUV500, Toyota Innova Crysta and Hyundai Tucson are also available in this price range.
For now, details on the Compass for India are scarce. However, what we know for sure is that the design takes inspiration from the Cherokee, inside out. Highlights at the front include signature LED-DRLs, the iconic 7-slat Jeep grille, projector headlamps (dual-reflector units on base variants), large blacked-out bumper cladding etc. On the side, the squared-off wheels arches, compact glasshouse, roof rails and a range of alloy-wheel designs (from 16-inch to 19-inch) catch the eye. At the rear, the Compass gets LED guidelights in the taillamp, a short hatch-door and a large bumper with cladding.
On the inside, the Compass gets dual-tone leather upholstery, a touchscreen infotainment system (with screen sizes ranging from 5.0-inches to 8.4-inches) with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, analogue-digital instrument cluster with a 7-inch MID, optional dual-panel sunroof, dual-zone climate control with rear A/C vents, 6-12 speaker system etc. It is a 5-seater, the rear seats can be split-folded or fully-folded forward for maximum convenience. The luggage compartment is also incredibly adjustable, a lid can be adjusted to create a flat loading space when the rear seats are folded forward, or kept low to maximise vertical load space.
Engine options for the Compass internationally include petrol (1.4-litre turbocharged, 2.0-litre turbocharged and 2.4-litre turbocharged) and diesel (1.6-litre turbocharged and 2.0-litre turbocharged) units. The transmission options offered with the Compass include a 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic, 7-speed dual-clutch automatic and 9-speed automatic. On the other hand, trim levels include the base Sport, mid-level Latitude, top-spec Limited and off-road specific Trailhawk. For India, Jeep is expected to offer the 2.0-litre petrol and diesel powertrains in the Compass.
Models in the US are equipped with seven airbags as standard and are offered with many radar-based assistance systems. While most of the safety systems will make their way to the India-spec model, the radar-based systems are likely to be given a miss due to their cost and the interference with restricted radio-frequencies in the country. In crash tests conducted by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) in the US, the Compass scored an average score of 3 stars out of 5.
Source: ZigWheels.com
