Jeep is planning to launch a new 7-seater SUV in the Indian market. The SUV is based on the Jeep Compass which comes with 5-seats but the vehicle will come with longer overhangs and a slightly bigger haunch to accommodate the extra row of seats.
Nomenclature
Jeep has the ‘Patriot’ moniker filed under the Indian Intellectual Property office and though the brand used to sell the Jeep Patriot in the international market, the brand has never used the moniker here in India. The wordmark application dates back to 2005 and is valid till 2025 in India. The brand sold the Patriot in the US market between 2007 and 2017. This leads us to believe that the brand could use the Patriot name for the upcoming 7-seater SUV based on the Compass.
Jeep Compass 7-Seater (Patriot)
According to the test mules spotted in Sweden earlier this month, the Jeep 7-seater SUV will not be a carbon-copy of the standard Compass. Reports suggest that the brand will be making subtle changes to the front and rear of the SUV such as a new grille and bumpers which borrow styling-cues from the Grand Cherokee. The rear bumper and lights are also likely to receive changes. The test mules spotted so far were heavily camouflaged and were running makeshift tail lamps. On the inside, the facelift model received a lot of new changes which are likely to continue on the 7-seater model and only minor changes to the trim are expected apart from the obvious addition of the third-row.
Powertrain
Powering the 7-seater model will be the same powertrain line-up that powers the Jeep Compass facelift which comes with a BS6 emission-compliant 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol motor that makes 163 Hp of power and 250 Nm of torque. The engine comes with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed automatic DCT transmission. For diesel aficionados Jeep also offers a BS6 emissions-compliant 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine producing 173 Hp of power and 350 Nm of torque. The oil burner comes with a 6-speed manual or a 9-speed torque converter automatic option. For the Patriot, Jeep is likely to offer only the top-of-the-line diesel engine option and not the petrol.
Launch Timeline & Price
The Jeep 7-seater SUV is likely to make its debut in the Indian market in the first half of 2022. The brand is likely to sell the 7-Seater SUV only in the Indian and Brazilian markets. The Jeep 7-seater is likely to come with a price tag between the INR 30 lakh to INR 35 lakh mark and compete with the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour and MG Gloster SUVs.
