Jeep India is all set to launch an off-road focused version of the Compass SUV – its best selling vehicle in the Indian market. Known as the TrailHawk trim, the latest variant of the Compass is likely to be priced at about Rs. 27 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi, translating to about Rs. 30 lakhs, on-road. Bookings for the Jeep Compass TrailHawk is open across all Jeep dealerships in India and the display vehicle has begun reaching showroom floors. The booking amount is pegged at Rs. 50,000, and the best part is that it’s fully refundable. Customers pre-booking the Compass TrailHawk will get priority delivery with minimal wait times. The Jeep Compass TrailHawk will be launched in the coming weeks.
Kevin Flynn – President and Managing Director, FCA India has this to say as he kicked off the bookings for the hotly anticipated SUV,
The Trailhawk is a product which is developed for customers looking for a hugely capable and exclusive SUV in the compact category. It is the first compact SUV to be offered with the 2.0-litre 173 PS, 350 Nm BS VI turbodiesel engine, nearly a year before the new emission norms come into effect and, it is the only compact SUV which comes with a 9-speed automatic transmission.
As the comments above indicate, the Jeep Compass will be India’s first mass market SUV to comply with Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission norms nearly 10 months ahead of schedule. The BS6 norms will come into effect from April 2020. The 2 liter BS6 compliant Multijet diesel engine will be offered across all variants of the Compass SUV in the coming months. Notably, this engine’s refinement levels are said to have improved with reduced clatter. The power and torque outputs remain unchanged though, at 170 Bhp and 350 Nm.
The Compass TrailHawk will be the first in its line-up to get a 9 speed torque converter automatic gearbox, which will eventually be offered on front wheel drive variants of the SUV’s diesel trim. The addition of the diesel automatic option on the Compass is likely to boost sales by at least 20 % as a lot of SUV buyers in India now prefer automatic gearboxes, even on diesel powered models. Apart from the new gearbox, the Compass TrailHawk will come with a range of goodies that will make it a great performer off the road. The four wheel drive system will get a low range that will multiple torque greatly.
Other interesting features include reprofiled bumpers at the front and rear to boost approach and departure angles, and ground clearance. A tow hook has been added to the rear bumper while the one at front (available in international models) has been deleted for India due to safety norms. The four wheel drive system will get two additional modes: Sand and Rock. The underbody will get skid plates to protect vital hardware while the suspension has been lifted by 20 mm for a higher stance and better articulation off the road. On the inside, the TrailHawk trim will get contrast red inserts as a differentiating bit while some features such as automatic headlamps and wipers, and powered driver seat have been dumped to keep the final price affordable. On the outside, differentiating features on the TrailHawk include a black decal for the bonnet for anti-reflective properties, revised alloy wheels and TrailHawk badging.
