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Jeep Meridian 2022.

Jeep has presented a budget seven-seat crossover Meridian for the Indian market.

The new model from the U.S. automaker Jeep will start selling in showrooms in India in June 2022.

The Meridian is a new name for the Jeep carmaker, as the brand will be selling the 4.8-meter-long Jeep Commander, which has been reimagined to suit the needs of Indian motorists.

It was presented last summer in Brazil. The model is designed on an elongated Compass platform with a transverse arrangement of the engine.

The Jeep Meridian stands out from the Brazilian version of the Commander by a number of distinctive elements.

In particular, this crossover has lost the LED strips of the DXO, and the suspension settings have changed. Now it is spring with passive shock absorbers.

Already in the starting variant Meridian motorists will appreciate the 7-seater interior, electronic instruments, 10.1-inch multimedia screen and six airbags.

A little later, a package with six seats in the cabin with separate second-row seats will be on sale.

The Meridian will be available exclusively with a turbocharged 2.0 diesel engine rated at 170 horsepower paired to a nine-speed manual or automatic transmission.

This model offers front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive version is available with automatic transmission.

There is a choice of six-speed «mechanics» and nine-speed automatic transmission. And the Brazilian Commander has a choice of gasoline and diesel engines.

Production of the crossover for India is planned to establish at the plant FCA India in Pune, which already produce related foreign cars Jeep Compass and Wrangler.

The models produced here will be sold in Australia, Korea and Japan.

The name Meridian is new for the Jeep brand, but it hides not the original model, but a slightly modified and adapted for India Jeep Commander 4.8 m long.

It debuted last summer in Brazil and is based on a stretched platform of the Compass model with a transverse engine arrangement.

The Jeep Meridian differs from the overseas Commander only in details. For example, it has different frame of headlights, other design of wheels, and LED strips of running lights disappeared from front bumper.

In addition, the suspension settings are changed: it comes only with spring suspension with passive shock absorbers.

There are no frankly simple options. Already in base Meridian has seven-seater interior, virtual instruments (10.25-inch screen), media system tablet (10.1 inch) and six airbags.

A six-seat version with separate «captain’s» seats on the second row — an option not yet available even in Brazil — should appear later.

But if the Commander has a choice of two engines (gasoline and diesel), the Indian Meridian is offered only with a turbodiesel 2.0 (170 hp).

Rumors of a more powerful version did not come true. There is a choice of a six-speed manual and a nine-speed automatic.

The Meridian is front-wheel drive by default and the 4×4 transmission with clutch on the rear axle is available only for cars with an automatic.

The Meridian will be produced at the FCA India plant in Pune, where already produce Jeep Compass and Wrangler.

And the declared degree of localization is already 82%! These crossovers will appear on Indian market in June.

Also plan to export to Australia, South Korea and Japan, but already under the «international» name Jeep Commander.