New India-bound Jeep 7-Seater SUV Will Make Global Debut On August 26

It is expected to be called the Meridian when it launches here in 2022

• The new three-row Jeep SUV will be premiered in its Brazil-spec avatar where it will be launched first.

• In South American markets, it will be called the Commander but will need a different name in India due to trademark issues.

• Various details of its exterior and interior have been officially teased that suggest many commonalities with the Compass SUV.

• It is expected to be offered with petrol and diesel engines with automatic transmissions and 4WD variants as well.

• It could be named the Meridian in India where it is expected to be priced between Rs 35-40 lakh (ex-showroom).

The upcoming Jeep three-row SUV has been teased a few times and we now have a date for its global debut. The model that will likely be known as the Meridian in India is expected to be unveiled on August 26.

It will be available in the South American market first where it will be called the Commander. Jeep has been teasing details of this new SUV in Brazil which revealed the name along with some of its exterior and interior design. It has also been spied testing in India but always under camouflage. The Commander’s front end bears a resemblance to the facelifted Compass while the rear is expected to be similar to that of the Grand Cherokee and the Grand Wagoneer.

The teaser for the cabin revealed a dashboard similar to the current Compass with a 10.25-inch digital display and 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment display. It featured plush brown upholstery and a panoramic sunroof too. The Meridian is expected to be a premium and well-equipped SUV with features like ventilated and power adjustable front seats, and advanced driver assist systems like adaptive cruise control and autonomous braking. While the teaser was for the seven-seater version, a six-seater version may be offered as well.

Related: Jeep 7-seater SUV Spied Again, Taillights Clearly Visible

The Meridian is expected to use the same engines as other Jeep models on sale in India. It could borrow the Wrangler’s 2-litre turbo-petrol engine which makes 268PS/400Nm while the diesel option could be a retuned version of the Compass’ 2-litre unit. Both will likely be available with automatic transmissions but a manual may be limited to the diesel variant only. As a Jeep model, the Meridian will be offering a 4x4 drivetrain as well though not as standard.

This new full-size premium SUV is scheduled to be launched in India in 2022 as a locally built model. It may differ from the Brazil-spec model that will be unveiled in the last week of August but not by much. The Meridian is expected to be priced between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 40 lakh (ex-showroom), and it will rival the likes of the Ford Endeavour, Toyota Fortuner, MG Gloster, Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace and Skoda Kodiaq.