Jeep Meridian Vs Rivals: Price Talk

We find out how the Meridian fares against its full-size SUV competitors in terms of pricing

The prices for the three-row Jeep Meridian have finally been announced. It is a diesel-only offering for the time being and is available in two trims. Only the third offering from Jeep to be manufactured in India, the Meridian has arrived with competitive introductory prices. Let’s see how it lines up against the full-size three-row SUV competition:

• The Jeep Meridian uses a 2-litre diesel engine making 170PS and 350Nm, with the choice of a 6-speed manual and a 9-speed automatic. It is the second most affordable option in the segment after the Mahindra Alturas G4, in terms of both the base trim and the top-spec 4X4 variant.

• The Alturas G4 is offered with a 2.2-litre diesel mated to a 7-speed automatic, making 180PS and 420Nm. It is available in two trims, one with a 4x2 drivetrain and the other with a 4x4 drivetrain. It is the most affordable 4x4 option by over Rs 5 lakh.

• The Toyota Fortuner is the only one here offered with both petrol and diesel engines. Its 2.7-litre petrol engine makes 166PS and 245Nm, while the 2.8-litre diesel unit puts out 204PS and 500Nm. Both are available with 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions. The 4x4 option is limited to the diesel engine only, but offered with both manual and automatic options.

• The entry-level Meridian is more affordable than the petrol variant of the Toyota Fortuner. The top-spec diesel-automatic 4x4 Fortuner is the most expensive model here. It has even pricier options in the form of the Legender and the newly introduced GR-S variant which nears the Rs 50 lakh mark.

• MG offers the Gloster with a diesel-automatic powertrain only, using a 2-litre diesel engine mated to an 8-speed AT. While the Super and Smart are offered with the base engine tuned to 163PS/375NM, the next two trims feature the twin-turbo engine producing 218PS/480Nm. 

• The Gloster is the only one here that is available with a 6-seater configuration with captain seats in the middle row.

• The Isuzu mu-X is an odd one in this segment with its dated styling and a relatively bare feature list. Offered in a single trim with a 1.9-litre diesel engine mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox making 163PS/360Nm. It does get a 4x4 variant too. It has the highest entry price and the top variant is priced similar to the competition.

• The Skoda Kodiaq is a petrol-only offering, the only one on this list. While it is officially sold out for 2022, you could still book one. It gets a 2-litre turbo-petrol with AWD, mated to a 7-speed DSG (dual-clutch automatic) and making 190PS. Its AWD system is not quite the same as the 4x4 drivetrains offered by the Meridian and Fortuner which are more capable off-road. 

• Apart from the mu-X, all SUVs listed above are somewhat evenly matched in terms of comfort. However, the Meridian and Gloster are a step ahead inside with their larger touchscreen infotainment systems, panoramic sunroofs and connected car tech.

• While the Meridian has a more premium digital instrument cluster and better off-roading capabilities, the Gloster has an advantage of ADAS like adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist.

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