Jeep to launch 7 seat SUV in India; Toyota Fortuner challenger?

After the huge success of the Compass, American SUV specialist Jeep is all set to expand its product range in the Indian market. While a sub-4 meter compact Jeep SUV, which will take on the Maruti Suzuki Brezza and the Ford EcoSport is already in the works, the automaker is also putting together a three-row SUV that will sit above the Compass in terms of price and positioning. Considering that the Compass’ top-end variants already push the Rs. 20 lakh mark, it’s very likely that the larger, longer SUV planned for India and other markets, will be a Toyota Fortuner challenger. Expect the new SUV to nudge the Rs. 25 lakh mark in India.

Last year, Jeep launched the Grand Commander SUV in China. The Grand Commander is a 7-seat, 3-row SUV, and while this SUV is specific to the Chinese market, something similar could be launched in India as well. The new, 7-seat SUV from Jeep, for the Indian market, is expected to arrive sometime in 2022, when the current Compass will also get a facelift. Considering the fact that the Indian SUV market loves diesels, expect a diesel engine option to be available in the new 7-seat SUV. A petrol motor could also be offered. A hybrid option is another possibility considering the increasingly stringent emission norms across the world.

Jeep is also planning an electric future for its upcoming SUVs and the 7-seat SUV, headed for India, is also likely to be designed keeping an electric powertrain in mind. The Toyota Fortuner has been India’s best-selling luxury SUV for years. For the Jeep SUV to take a big bite out of the Fortuner’s sales, it would not only have to be attractively priced but also be super reliable and trouble free. Once both the Jeep sub-4 meter compact SUV and the 7-seat mid-size SUVs are launched in India, the American brand will have a presence in all the major SUV segments of India.