New Jeep Compass hits the road for testing in India; spotted for the first time

In what appears to be good news about the launch of the new Compass compact SUV in India, the American utility vehicle Jeep has started testing the model on the Indian roads ahead of its launch here in the country in here in the second half of 2017.

AutoCar India has shared what is probably the first spy image of the new Compass being tested on the Indian roads. Although the new Compass was unveiled in September, the prototype has hit the roads for testing in fully camouflaged form.

To be manufactured in India at Fiat's Ranjangaon plant, the new Compass will rival BMW X1, Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V, Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Audi Q3 range in India. Under the hood, the Jeep Compass will get 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engine options in India with maximum power of 170bhp. Globally, the SUV is offered in both two and four-wheel drive versions.

The Compass is expected to enter the production in mid-2017 and will carry a price tag of around Rs 25 lakh in India. The SUV, which is expected to be also offered in seven-seater configuration, is likely to host features such as U-Connect infotainment system, climate control and push-button start. The new Compass, which takes a detour from the styling of the current model, flaunts pronouncing grille and wrap-around headlamp at the front and horizontally aligned LED tail lamps at the rear.The SUV will be priced under Rs 25 lakh in India when launched.

The American automaker Jeep made a grand entry to the Indian market with two models — the Wrangler Unlimited and the Grand Cherokee in August this year. While the Wrangler Unlimited is priced at Rs 71, 59,104, the Grand Cherokee costs in the range of Rs 93,64,527 to Rs 1,12,07,825 (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi). The Grand Cherokee is available in three trims — Limited, Summit and the high-powered Grand Cherokee SRT.

Image Source: AutoCar India