Jeep’s re-entry into India didn’t begin on the right foot. The launch of the iconic SUV brand was put on hold for a year by parent Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), thanks to a weakening rupee which threw Jeep’s cost structure out of the window. And when Jeep finally did decide to take the plunge, it found few takers for the fully imported Grand Cherokee and Wrangler that were simply priced out of contention. But matters are very different today. There’s a massive buzz at Jeep dealerships and it’s all thanks to the Compass. The Compass may be a small SUV in Jeep’s line-up but it’s a model with big sales potential. In fact, bookings crossed the 12,000 mark in four months since its launch, making it the most successful model from FCA in India in years.
India also happens to be the mother plant for right-hand-drive Compasses and FCA has spent big (Rs 1,800 crore) to modernise its Ranjangaon facility to manufacture the SUV to the highest international standards. The benefit of local manufacture and component sourcing to you, the buyer, is keen pricing. The Compass range that comprises a petrol manual, a petrol auto, a diesel 4x2 manual and a diesel 4x4 manual starts at Rs 15.16 lakh and tops off at Rs 21.37 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
So, it’s got the right price. It’s got the right shape. But why else should the Compass interest you? A detailed road test of the petrol auto and the range-topping 4x4 diesel should give the answer.
The Compass is available in three trims and, for its part, Jeep has equipped the SUV with a fair bit of safety kit as standard. All Compasses come with electronic stability control, electronic rollover mitigation, hill start assist, dual airbags and Isofix child-seat mounts on the rear seats. Unfortunately, there’s no hill descent control and only top-spec 4x4 versions get side and curtain airbags.
As for creature comforts, the top-spec Limited trim gets most of what you’d like, just not all of it. The Compass Limited comes with leather seats, keyless go, dual-zone climate control, a rear air con vent, rear parking camera and a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Further, an Options Pack on the Compass Limited adds bi-xenon headlights and the black roof as on the model pictured here. Still, the Compass misses out on cruise control, a sunroof, auto-dimming mirror, auto headlights and rain-sensing wipers. Given that all of these features (as well as a larger 8.4-inch touchscreen system) are already onboard export-spec models made in India, it’s no biggie for Jeep to incorporate them on the India car. Perhaps Jeep is leaving the door open for the introduction of a new range-topping Compass variant in the future.
Courtesy : AUTOCAR India
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