Jeep’s made-in-India Compass rolls out of production line

• Published On: 2 June 2017
• 1160 Views

The first car to roll off the assembly line at Ranjangaon was driven by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Phadnavis.

The company’s first model manufactured in India, the Compass SUV, rolled off the line from Fiat’s Ranjangaon plant in Maharashtra. All right-hand-drive versions of the Compass SUV to be sold in India and other international markets will be manufactured here. Fiat and Jeep have invested around US$ 280 million on this project. Around 70 percent of the Compass, including the engines, are manufactured locally.

The SUV will be sold globally with as many as 17 engine, gearbox and drivetrain configurations, some of which are being manufactured in India. The Compass, which is built on the same platform as the Renegade, features a longer wheelbase to liberate more space. The suspension has been tweaked as well.

The Compass will be sold here with two engine options. One of which is a 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel good for 170hp and 350Nm of torque. This engine will be available in both 4x2 and 4x4 configurations and one six-speed manual gearbox. There’s no automatic for now, but there is a chance of a nine-speed automatic gearbox later. The second engine is the 1.4-litre MultiAir petrol that makes 160hp and, like the diesel variant, will be available with 4x2 and 4x4 option. This engine is available with a six-speed manual and a seven-speed, dual clutch automatic.

Top variants of this car will feature a 7.0-inch Uconnect infotainment system that comes loaded with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Jeep won’t compromise on quality for its Indian cars, they will feature similar levels as the cars being exported.

Additional features include a reverse camera with sensors, along with ABS, ESP, electronic roll-over mitigation and hill-start assist. Jeep will also offer the Compass with as many as six airbags. The Compass is expected to be priced competitively between ₹18 lakh and ₹25 lakh when it goes on sale here.