Jeep Compass Facelift to Enter the Indian Market

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has unmasked the 2021 Jeep Compass in India and it is slated to go on sale in the last week of January. This is the first of the four launches promised by FCA for India until early 2022.

This is also the first major upgrade to the Compass since its introduction in 2017. While bookings and test drives will commence later this month, details about pricing will be shared at the same time. The starting price of the outgoing Jeep Compass is Rs 16.5 lakh (ex-showroom)

FCA will offer two fuel and three transmission options on the Compass. It will get 1.4-litre petrol as well as a 2.0-litre diesel engine, both of which will be turbocharged. A 7-speed DDCT, 6-speed manual and a 9-speed automatic transmission will be offered. These are carried over from the outgoing model.

In the list upgrades, the new Compass has received is the chrome-finished seven-slot grille and trapezoidal wheel arches. The headlights now come with reflectors as well as LED projectors depending on the variant. Front bumper, fog lamp slots and taillamps have been restyled.

Interiors get a redesigned dashboard and a changed steering wheel. The dual-tone scheme of the outgoing model has been kept as it is and will be further complemented by an all-black theme further aided by the all-leather or fabric upholstery, depending on the variant.

Sitting in the middle of the dashboard will be a 10.1-inch high definition display unit. This multi-function unit is powered by Android-enabled UConnect-5 which FCA claims is five times faster than its previous generation and can accommodate over-the-air, realtime updates.

The multi-function instrument cluster behind the steering wheel is now larger. There is now a 10.25-inch digital display featuring 24 configurable content screens in it.

Through a mobile app, the Compass owner can lock and unlock the doors, get a vehicle health report, driver analytics, geo-fencing, emergency contact feature, stolen vehicle assist which remotely disables the vehicle in case of theft.

Other added features include a 360-degree remote camera, cruise control and a button-operated power liftgate. Automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, electronic parking brake, hill hold and hill descent control are some of the several features on the new Compass.

Six airbags, brake lock differential, overall build quality and other safety features helped the 2021 Compass secure a five-star safety rating in the NCAP crash test.

The Compass will continue to be made at the Ranjangaon facility near Pune which FCA runs in partnership with Tata Motors. The Compass competes with the Mahindra XUV500, Tata Harrier, Volkswagen T-Roc and the Hyundai Tucson.

The Compass launch is part of the new investment programme announced by FCA a few days ago. Under this, a total of $250 million will be invested over the course of 15 months to launch four new models including the Compass. The investment is over and above the $150 million committed by FCA to set up a global digital hub in Hyderabad.