Jeep recently unveiled its latest SUV, Meridian, in India. The Meridian’s name draws inspiration from the meridian 77-degree, which connect India’s most beautiful cultures and states. The new 7-seater SUV is entirely ‘Made in India’, showing a strong market relevance.
On the other hand, is the Meridian’s sibling model – Compass. The Compass is Jeep’s first model to arrive in India. The Meridian is basically an updated 7-seater version of the Compass. We pin both the Jeep SUVs in this specification comparison to help you make an informed decision.
The Jeep Compass is currently available in five variants – Sport, Longitude (O), Limited (O), Model S (O) and Trailhawk. The Trailhawk variant of the Compass is more off-road focused and comes with additional features for better off-roading capabilities. The model comes with a diesel and a petrol engine with either a manual or automatic gearbox. In addition to this, the Compass also has a choice of 4×2 or 4×4 drivetrain. However, only the diesel engine with an automatic gearbox is available with 4×4. The price range starts with INR 18.04 lakh ex-showroom for the Sport 1.4 MultiAir MT. At the same time, the top-end Trailhawk variant comes with a sticker price of INR 30.97 lakh ex-showroom.
The Jeep Meridian, on the other hand, is available only in two variants – Limited and Limited (O). The sole engine option for the Meridian, for now, is a 2-litre diesel, which it shares with the Compass. However, unlike the Compass, the Meridian is also available with a 4×2 drivetrain with an automatic gearbox. The 4×4 drivetrain in the Meridian is only available with the Limited (O) variant and an automatic gearbox. Jeep India will soon reveal the prices of the Meridian.
The Jeep Compass currently has two engine options – the 2.0-litre MultiJet II diesel and the 1.4-litre MultiAir petrol. Transmission options for the petrol include a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission. The petrol engine comes only with the 4×2 drivetrain. Transmission options for the diesel engine include a 6-speed manual and a 9-speed torque converter automatic. The diesel engine gets 4×2 and 4×4, but the latter is only available with the automatic gearbox. The 2.0-litre engine produces 170 HP and 350 Nm of torque. The petrol-powered 1.4-litre engine, on the hand, produces 163 HP and 250 Nm of torque.
On the other hand, the Jeep Meridian uses the same 2.0-litre MultiJet II diesel engine as the Compass. The peak power and torque figures for both are the same. Like the Compass, the Meridian comes with two transmission options – a 6-speed manual and a 9-speed torque converter automatic. The Jeep Meridian gets 4×2 and 4×4 drivetrain options. The 4×4 is only available with the automatic gearbox. However, unlike the Compass, the 4×2 is also available with the 9-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
The Jeep Compass measures 4405 mm in length, 1818 mm in width and has a height of 1640 mm. However, the Compass Trailhawk is 5 mm shorter at 4400 mm and 17 mm taller, at 1657 mm, than the standard model. The standard and the Trailhawk Compass share an identical wheelbase of 2636 mm.
While the 7-seater Jeep Meridian is much bigger than the Compass. The Jeep Meridian measures 4769 mm in length, 1859 mm in width, and 1698 mm tall. The longer 2782 mm wheelbase in the Meridian also frees up additional interior space.
Also Read: Jeep India launches Compass Night Eagle variant