India-bound Jeep Commander (Meridian) Exterior Revealed Ahead Of Time

The new three-row SUV has similarities to other Jeep SUVs while still featuring its own design identity

• Jeep will debut its new three-row SUV in Brazil as the Commander and it will later come to India under a different name.

• Its exterior design has been revealed following a series of teaser trailers.

• Front end is shaped like the Compass, grille inspired by the Grand Cherokee, and tail lamps like the Grand Wagoneer.

• The overall design doesn’t look as sharp as other new Jeeps, in fact, it’s more bloated. 

• It will get a similar interior as the Compass with more premium upholstery.

• It could be called the Meridian in India and is likely to be priced from Rs 35 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Jeep Commander’s exterior has finally been unveiled in its top-spec for the Brazilian market following a series of teaser trailers. This is the same three-row SUV that will be made and sold in India as well, albeit with a different name, feature set, and possibly region-specific engine options.

While the front end of the Commander is similar to that of the Compass, all the details are clearly different, including the LED headlamps, grille, and front bumper. The pattern on the grille is like the one seen on the Grand Cherokee. Its bumper is fairly chunky with LED DRLs as fog lamps.

Around the back, the Commander looks rather plain and bloated. It has similar sleek tail lamps as the Grand Wagoneer but it’s more rounded than geometrical. This is also the most visually distinguishing angle of the new Jeep SUV compared to existing models. From the badge, we know this variant is called Overland and it features a 4x4 drivetrain.

The only shot of the interior was of the dashboard, which has already been teased. It gets more premium upholstery but the same feature set as the Compass including a digital instrument cluster and 10.1-inch central display for the touchscreen infotainment system. The previous teasers only showcased a 7-seater layout but a 6-seater configuration with captain seats in the middle row is also expected. It is likely to offer a premium set of cabin comforts such as ventilated and power-adjustable front seats, a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree camera, and some advanced driver assist systems too.

Jeep is expected to name the Commander the ‘Meridian’ in the Indian market. It will likely feature the same 2-litre turbo-petrol (268PS/400Nm) as the Wrangler and an uprated version of the Compass’ 2-litre diesel which currently makes 172PS/350Nm. The petrol may be limited to an 8-speed automatic but the diesel could get the choice of a 6-speed manual or a 9-speed automatic.

The Jeep three-row SUV is slated to launch in India in 2022. It is expected to be revealed in its entirety on the Commander’s original unveiling date, August 28. The Meridian will take on the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, MG Gloster, and upcoming full-size SUVs such as the Skoda Kodiaq.