The Notorious BIG
With the Meridian, Jeep is bringing back the hype to the 7-seat SUV segment
THE MERIDIAN CONTINUES TO LOOK EVERY BIT BUTCH AND MACHO AS AN AMERICAN SUV
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT – THAT’S HOW I would describe my introduction to the Jeep Meridian. Having spotted countless test mules doing the rounds on the drive back from work in fact, Jeep certainly managed to arouse good interest in what is essentially a 7-seater derivative of the Compass. And not without reason. This is an important segment, one where the Ford Endy and Toyota Fortuner used to make a killing in terms of sales. Now? The competition has moved on, with new entrants such as the Kia Carnival and the Skoda Kodiaq aiming to capture a piece of what was earlier the big ol’ SUV pie. So how does the American-as-apple-pie Jeep Meridian stack up in comparison?
When it comes to styling, the Meridian continues to look every bit as butch and macho as an American SUV, with the iconic Jeep grille and a full width chrome strip up front. Although the Meridian looks similar to the facelifted Compass when viewed head-on with those slim LED headlamps, Ralph Giles, chief design officer for Jeep insists that apart from the windshield and the front seat frame, each panel and component on the Meridian is new. There are also hints of its larger siblings, the Wagoneer and the Grand Cherokee in the design, and I personally feel that it is a good strategy sticking to the visual DNA rather than charting a funky but unfamiliar course. And with its 158mm longer wheelbase, the Meridian will actually address one of the shortcomings of the Compass, the lack of rear seat space.
Pop inside and you get all the niceties that you expect from a luxury SUV. The cabin is upholstered in brown leather, there’s a panoramic sunroof, along with a 10.1-inch infotainment screen with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. For now, the second row of the Meridian will only be offered as a bench at the time of launch, but we know that captain seats are due to come soon. Chauffeur driven owners will also be happy to know that the Meridian also gets ‘stadium’ seating, which would promise an unhindered view of the road ahead. Safety has not been compromised either, with the Meridian getting six airbags across all
variants, ahead of the government’s mandate.
The Meridian will be powered by the same petrol and diesel engines as the Compass, though it is only the 168bhp 2-litre Multijet diesel which will be available at the time of launch, mated to either a six-speed manual or a 9-speed dual-clutch automatic. SUV enthusiasts will also be happy to know that there is 4x4 on offer, though only with the diesel-auto.
The Meridian will be locally assembled and we expect it to be priced aggressively around the `35 lakh mark. This puts it right in the crosshairs of the Kia Carnival, the MG Gloster and the Skoda Kodiaq, and the arrival of the Jeep brings back the hype which earlier belonged to the 7-seat luxury SUV segment. ⌧