Jeep Commander (Meridian) Officially Debuts In Brazil, Coming To India In 2022

The three-row Jeep SUV’s feature list is similar to the Compass, but it has a more premium cabin experience

• Jeep’s new seven-seater SUV has been launched in Brazil as the Commander.

• It will likely be called Meridian in India, and it could get a six-seater variant too.

• The Commander gets 1.3-litre turbo-petrol and 2-litre diesel engines paired with 6-speed and 9-speed automatic transmissions.

• The 4X4 option is limited to the diesel variants.

• It has been launched in two trims: Limited and Overland.

• The interior is a step above the Compass but offers the same tech, including digital driver display and a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

• Jeep will launch the new three-row SUV in India in 2022, and it will be manufactured locally.

Jeep has unveiled the Commander in Brazil. The new three-row SUV is available in two trims: Limited and Overland.

The exterior design has already been revealed earlier. The Commander’s front end is somewhat similar to the Compass, but it has a slightly different grille and sleeker LED headlamps. The front bumper has two designs, both featuring slim LED fog light bars connected by a chrome strip. While the Limited trim has a more rugged look with a front skid plate, the other looks sportier with a larger air dam and a small chin spoiler.

At the back, the Commander does not look as sharp. Its LED taillamps look similar to those seen on the Grand Wagoneer, and they sit just below the rear windscreen. There is a thick strip of chrome between the taillights, even extending beneath them. In the ‘Limited’ trim, the body cladding runs all around the SUV for a more rugged look. The Overland trim gets a body-colour rear bumper and no visible cladding. The rear skid plate is visible in both, lending the Jeep SUV its rugged appeal. The upward rise of the rear bumper gives the Commander a good departure angle, making it capable for off-roading.

Even though its roof line is quite tall, the three-row SUV still gets a roof-integrated spoiler. It also features the trapezoidal wheel arches (signature styling of Jeep SUVs) along with a ground clearance of 214mm (in the Overland 4x4 trim). The ‘Limited’ seems to have the same 18-inch alloy wheel design as the Compass, but the ‘Overland’ gets new 19-inch alloy wheels. 

Here’s how the Commander sizes up against the five-seater Compass:

The three-row SUV is bigger in every aspect. The change in overall length is double that of the change in wheelbase length while the difference in height and width is relatively small.

This Brazil-spec Commander is offered with two powertrain options: a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine and a 2-litre diesel engine. The petrol unit makes 185PS and 270Nm, and is available with a 6-speed automatic only. It is also a flex-fuel engine, meaning it can run on alternative fuels like petrol blended with bio-ethanol. Meanwhile, the diesel engine produces 170PS and 380Nm (+30Nm over the Compass), and it’s paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. The 4WD system with the Jeep Terrain modes (Sand/Mud, Snow and Auto) is limited to the diesel engine. 

In Brazil, the Commander has been introduced as a seven-seater offering only. It gets the same dashboard as the Compass with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Commander’s cabin is a step above the Compass, with suede and leather upholstery offered in multiple colours -- all-black, all-brown, dual-tone black and brown, and dual-tone black and cream. A common detail across trims and upholstery is ‘Jeep 1941’ engraved on the front seat and armrest. 

The Commander is well-equipped, featuring wireless charging, a powered tailgate, power-adjustable front seats, and a panoramic sunroof. It also gets Alexa in-vehicle functions for the infotainment system and a premium 450W Harman Kardon sound system with 10 speakers. Securing passenger safety are seven airbags as standard and multiple ADAS features like automatic braking, blind spot and cross traffic detection, adaptive cruise control, and park assist.

The middle-row bench seat can split-fold 60:40, and there’s a headrest and a three-point seatbelt for the middle seat as well.The third row can be split-folded 50:50, and it also has a reclining function. The Commander has a 233-litre boot with all seven seats in use, 661 litres of luggage space with the third row folded down, and 1760 litres with only the front seats in use.

Jeep has also stated that there are a total of nine easter eggs in and around the Commander, like the one’s seen here:

This Jeep three-row SUV will likely be launched in India in 2022 as the Meridian and it will be similar to the Brazil-spec Commander. However, the India-spec model will likely offer a six-seater layout as well, with captain seats in the middle row. It is also expected to get a manual transmission option and a different turbo-petrol engine too. More importantly, the upcoming SUV will be locally manufactured in India. 

In Brazil, the Commander is currently priced from Rs 28.23 lakh to Rs 39.52 lakh (R$ 199,990 to R$ 279,990). The Meridian here will take on the likes of the Ford Endeavour, Toyota Fortuner, MG Gloster and the facelifted Skoda Kodiaq.