Made-in-India Jeep Compass rolls out of FCA's Ranjangaon plant

American utility vehicle maker Jeep is gearing up for the launch of its most affordable vehicle for India, the Compass in July or August. The Compass will be the first made-in-India Jeep product. The first unit of the compact SUV from FCA India's Ranjangaon plant in Maharashtra rolled out of the production line on June 1, Thursday.

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The Ranjangaon plant will produce right-hand-drive Compass units not only for India but also for other RHD markets such as Japan, South Africa, Australia and the UK. FCA has invested around $300 million for manufacturing Compass SUV in India.

Around 70 percent of the SUV, including the engines, will be manufactured locally. This will help Jeep to price the SUV aggressively. Expected price for the Compass hovers around 18 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, ex-showroom. At that price point, it will be a compelling case against a host of SUVs that include Hyundai Tucson, the Ford Endeavour, the Toyota Fortuner and the newly launched Volkswagen Tiguan.

Built on the same platform of Renegade SUV sold in the global markets, the Compass has been confirmed for India in 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel and a 1.4-litre MultiAir turbo petrol engine options. The diesel mill will develop 170hp and 350Nm of torque mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The diesel Compass will be offered in both 4x2 and 4x4 configurations. On the other hand, the petrol mill will belt out 160hp and it will also come with 4x2 and 4x4 options. A six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic will be offered with the petrol mill.

Off-road prowess is one of the major highlight of Jeep SUVs and Compass is not an exception. The SUV will be offered with a dedicated four-wheel-drive system. The Terrain Select will allow the driver to choose a variety of driving modes depending on the terrain - snow, sand or mud. The Compass will boast of 17-degree approach angle, 32-degree departure angle and 178mm of ground clearance, spot on for off-roading.

The Compass in India is expected in three variants -- Sport, Latitude and Limited. Higher variants are expected to be loaded with 7.0-inch Uconnect infotainment system which supports navigation, Google Android Auto and Apple Car Play. On the safety side, Compass will flaunt as many as six airbags. It will be complemented with a reverse camera including sensors, ABS, ESP, electronic roll-over mitigation and hill-start assist.