Five things you should know about the Jeep Compass before its India launch
Just yesterday, it was announced that the Jeep Compass will be launched in India on July 31. This will be the brand's most affordable SUV and will be launched in three variants for now, with two engines on offer. We not only did a road test of the Jeep Compass recently, but also a full-blown comparison with it taking on the Hyundai Tucson and the Tata Hexa.
But before the launch, here are five things you need to know about the Jeep Compass:
1. The enginesThe Jeep Compass debuts the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel Multijet II engine in India. It produces 173PS of power at 3,750rpm and 350Nm of torque from 1,750-2,500rpm. The 1.4-litre turbo-petrol Multiair engine, which will be offered on the Jeep Compass, produces 162PS of power and 250Nm of torque.
2. Transmission and drivetrainThe diesel variant of the Jeep Compass will be sold with just a 6-speed manual transmission when it is launched, while the petrol will come with a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. According to Jeep, a diesel automatic will be on offer later in the year. Both engines will come with 4x4 and 4x2 options. The 4x4 system has four modes -- Auto, Snow, Sand and Mud. Unlike the Jeep Compass's Trailhawk variant, which isn't available in India, this one doesn't get a 4x4 low setting.
3. VariantsThe Jeep Compass will be launched in India in three variants â€" the base Sport, mid-spec Latitude and the top-end Limited. While all variants will get 4x2 as standard, only the Limited trim can be optioned with 4x4. As you would expect, the amount of features and equipment will vary between the different variants.
4. PriceThere are plenty of stories floating around about the expected price of the Jeep Compass. We think that the ideal price for the Jeep Compass should be between Rs 16-22 lakh. Anything more and it will be fighting a tough battle with cars like the Hyundai Tucson and the Volkswagen Tiguan. And this brings us to the next topic.
5. The competitionIf Jeep manages to price the Compass between the Rs 16-22 lakh mark, then there's no other vehicle like it in that price range. It will sit between the comparatively less premium seven-seater Hexa and the more luxurious Hyundai Tucson and Volkswagen Tiguan.