Mumbai/Bhubaneswar: American carmaker Jeep launched its most affordable product till date, the Compass, in India on Monday at a competitive price starting from Rs.14.95 lakh and going all the way up to Rs.20.65 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
Jeep, the name synonymous with open rugged off roaders, is actually an SUV-maker owned by the Fiat-Chrysler group. It is already selling the luxurious Wrangler and Grand Cherokee in India via CBU (complete built-up) route.
The Compass bags the title of being the first product from the American carmaker that has been made in India at the Fiat factory in Ranjangaon, Maharashtra. From here, it will be exported to all the right-hand drive markets across the globe.
The Jeep Compass has been launched with a 2.0 litre diesel engine, which churns out 172 bhp of power. It has a six-speed manual gearbox. A 1.4 litre turbo-petrol engine from Fiat and a nine-speed diesel automatic variant are expected to be launched in due course. Both 2WD and 4WD configurations are available.
Apart from six airbags, the company claims that this SUV with stunning looks comes with more than 50 safety and security features such as ESP, ABS, dynamic steering torque, pre-tensioners etc. This is a big welcome as safety is often overlooked by most manufacturers in India, and can be deal maker for many. Gizmos such as a 7-inch U-Connect infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available in higher variants.
The SUV will be competing against Hyundai Tucson, Ford Endeavour, Toyota Fortuner and Volkswagen Tiguan.
Before the launch of the Compass, Jeep’s first showroom in Odisha was recently opened near Pahala on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.