At a recent occasion, Jeep India officially announced the arrival of the Meridian makeover and the updated Wrangler.
Positioned as a three-row variant of the Jeep Compass, the Jeep Meridian is targeted at Indian markets for vehicles such as the Skoda Kodiaq, Toyota Fortuner, and MG Gloster. Expected to receive a minor design update, the 2018 Meridian facelift will have new front and back bumpers as well as minor headlamp and taillight shape adjustments. With a few minor adjustments and fresh upholstery, the dashboard arrangement and cabin design might stay mostly the same.
The Meridian facelift will also get the newest features, such as front and rear dashcams, air purifiers, panoramic sunroofs, larger 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment, dual-zone climate control, reclinable second and third-row seats, ambient lighting and wireless chargers. As is customary these days, facelifts will get more features and creature comforts to justify the price hike.
With equipment like ESP, traction control, six airbags, TPMS, hill hold and hill descent control, electrically locking differential, etc., the Meridian’s already excellent safety factor will not decrease. Jeep exclusively provides the 2.0-liter oil-burning engine, which generates 170 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque, for the Meridian in India.
The engine can be coupled to an automated gearbox with a 9-speed torque converter or a 6-speed manual gearbox. According to rumours, the facelift may also include a still-under-development petrol engine, which will initially be tested on the Compass before being included in the Meridian facelift.
It’s interesting to note that the Meridian, known as the Commander in Brazil, is equipped with a 1.3-liter turbo-petrol engine producing 185 horsepower. This engine may make its debut on the Meridian Facelift when it launches in India in 2025. The 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline Wrangler engine, which generates 272 horsepower, will be added to the Commander facelift in Brazil, but it is quite unlikely to make it to India.
The current Jeep Meridian model is priced between Rs 33.60 lakh and Rs 39.66 lakh (ex-showroom), and this month, incentives of up to Rs 2.8 lakh are available.
