Jeep Meridian Local Production Commences; Bookings open

Jeep has commenced local production of the new Meridian SUV along with officially opening bookings. Some dealers had started accepting bookings as early as March for the upcoming three-row Jeep SUV against a down payment of Rs 50,000. The official booking amount too is set at the same. Jeep says that the Meridian display and test drive cars will start reaching dealerships by mid-May with customer deliveries planned to begin from June. The SUV's prices are also expected to be announced next month.

Speaking at the start of production of the Jeep Meridian, Roland Bouchara, CEO and Managing Director, Stellantis India said, “The Jeep Meridian is the third new model manufactured in India since 2021 as part of Jeep's product offensive. A demonstration of the company's commitment to the domestic market, the Jeep Meridian will feature up to 82% localisation and has been specially designed, engineered, and tuned for Indian road conditions keeping in mind the refinement expected by customers in the segment.”

Jeep says Meridian features up to 82 percent localised components

The Meridian will be available in two variants – Limited and Limited Option – though unlike the Compass, with which it shares its platform, it will be a diesel-only SUV. Power comes from the familiar 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel engine developing 168 bhp and 350 Nm of torque with gearbox options including a 6-speed manual and a 9-speed torque converter automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard with both gearboxes with the automatic to also be available with four-wheel drive. Read about how the Meridian performs in our review.

Speaking on the SUV, Nipun J Mahajan, Head of Jeep Brand India, "The Jeep Meridian is an ideal mix of adventure and sophistication that will be evidenced via many segment-first features and its refined abilities both on and off road. The Meridian has been subjected to rigorous testing of over 10,00,000 KMs, to ensure its durability and consistent performance.”

Also read: Jeep Compass Night Eagle Edition Launched In India; Prices Start At ₹ 21.95 Lakh

On the equipment front, the Meridian will pack in a 10.1-inch touchscreen, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, connected car tech with an embedded SIM, a panoramic sunroof, wireless smartphone connectivity, wireless phone charging, powered front seats with ventilation, a powered tailgate and more. Safety kit meanwhile includes six airbags, a 360-degree camera and tyre pressure monitoring.

The Meridian is expected to be priced above the Compass line-up with prices in the same range as the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and MG Gloster. Following the launch of the Meridian, Jeep's next new SUV for India will be the new Grand Cherokee which is set to launch later this year.