After Jeep Compass, FCA to launch Renegade compact SUV priced under Rs 10 lakh

Jeep India and its parent firm Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) India is inching closer to the launch of the Compass SUV. The first made in India Jeep vehicle is expected to disrupt the segment with a rumoured starting price of Rs 15 lakh.

Also read: 2017 Jeep Compass to be priced at Rs 15 lakh in India; SUV starts reaching dealerships

FCA and Jeep are confident that the Compass will be a volume driver for them. To keep the momentum, Jeep is reportedly planning to launch yet another compact SUV in the under Rs 10 lakh segment. The model in question is the Renegade and it will compete with Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Ford EcoSport, reports Economic Times.

The Renegade will be launched in India sometime in 2018. It is expected to make debut in the country at the Auto Expo 2018. The new models are part of Jeep's aggressive push into high-potential markets like India, Brazil, and China, the reports adds.

FCA might not need to invest heavily in manufacturing the new small SUV in India since the Compass and the Renegade share the same platform. India-spec Jeep Renegade is also expected to get the same Compass powertrains- 1.4-litre MultiAir petrol and 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel.

The Renegade is Jeep's entry-level SUV in its home market, USA. It is offered in 4X2 and 4X4 variants in four trims – Sport, Latitude, Altitude and Trailhawk. The first three variants are powered by a 1.4-litre MultiAir turbocharged petrol engine that churns out 160hp. The Trailhawk is powered by a 2.4-litre naturally aspirated MultiAir petrol engine.

Meanwhile, FCA has started dispatching Compass units to dealerships. The market launch of the model is expected sometime in August and bookings are currently open for a token amount of Rs 50,000. The Compass is manufactured at FCA's Ranjangaon plant in Maharashtra.