Jeep Meridian

Expert Review by Maxabout

Introduction

The Jeep Meridian mid-size crossover SUV is based on the second-gen Jeep Compass and is the three-row seating iteration of the Compass. The SUV was designed specifically for emerging markets such as Latin America and India, and it was made available in India in May 2022. The American automaker has developed the SUV in India and it will be exported to other markets from here. The Jeep Meridian is sold with the name Jeep Commander in the global markets, but in India, Jeep changed the name to stay away from the IP challenges since there was a Mahindra Commander in the country. This D-segment SUV is diverse from the Compass in plenty of ways, ranging from features to specs. Let’s have a thorough look at the SUV and discuss all the pros and cons.

Jeep Meridian Design and Style

Like all other Jeep cars, the new Meridian is also built with a dynamic design language. It comes with the signature Jeep grille, and the 7 slats are prominent, accented with chrome, and sit boldly in-between projector LED headlamps. A chrome strip runs across the width of the bumper, coupled with a big air dam with a mesh grille and a chrome-finished faux skid plate. The spherical fog lights with black surround inserts are elegant, and the bottom half of the front bumper is left unpainted for off-roading purposes.

The side profile emphasises traditional Jeep characteristics like squared-out fenders with fibre inlays, prominent character lines on the fenders, and a squarish glass region with a chrome strip running around it. The side styling also has a huge Meridian insignia on the door, while the lower part of the door has fibre cladding.

Turning to the rear profile, it also looks really impressive with its squared-off LED tail lights. A large chrome bar runs between the taillights and bears the Jeep emblem. The motorised tailgate has a wide spoiler and a stylish curved glass. As for body dimensions, the SUV is 4769mm long, 1859mm wide, and 1698mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2782mm.

Jeep Meridian Engine and Gearbox

2023 Jeep Meridian is available in a single powertrain option in the Indian market. The 1956cc, 4-cylinder, 2.0L Multijet II turbo diesel engine can be had with either a 6-speed manual or 9-speed automatic transmission. This engine has the capability of generating 170 HP at 3750 rpm and 350 Nm at 1750 rpm. The Limited variant is available with only 4x2 wheel drive. Whereas the Limited (O) can be selected with 4x2 wheel drive with 6-speed MT or 9-speed AT while the 4x4 wheel drive is offered with 9-speed AT only.

Jeep Meridian Interior, Instrument Cluster & Boot Space

Step inside the new Meridian and you will be welcomed by a premium-looking cabin with leather upholstery. The dashboard is finished in a dual-tone shade with metal inserts and leather elements. The centre of the dashboard holds the Compass's 10-inch touchscreen AVN system and the steering wheel is a three-spoke Compass unit with a leather covering and metal inlays that house the MFD control buttons. The front seats are ventilated and offer great comfort.

The second row of seats has immense knee room and under-thigh support for making your journeys pleasant. However, the headroom is not sufficient. The second row is fixed, and it is a big drawback for the SUV as a three-row seater since there is not enough space for the average-sized adult in the third row. The instrument console has a Compass-derived 10.2-inch full-colour LCD screen that looks elegant and reads out all the pertinent information clearly. It comes with a boot space of 170-litres.

Jeep Meridian Brakes, Suspension & Tyres

Braking in the new Jeep Meridian is done by disc brakes at both ends while the suspension is handled by the McPherson Strut with Frequency Selective Damping, HRS with Anti Roll Bar at the front and Multilink with Strut Suspension with FSD, HRS with Anti Roll Bar at the rear. The SUV rides on 18-inch diamond-cut dual-tone alloy wheels that are clothed in 235/55 size all-season tyres.

Jeep Meridian Key Features

Jeep has fitted the new Meridian SUV with a plethora of sophisticated features including an LED projector headlamps with integrated DRLs, diamond-cut alloy wheels, a dual-pane sunroof, brown leather upholstery, ventilated plush leather seats, 8-way powered front seats with driver memory function, dual-zone automatic climate control, 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, 25.6cm UConnect screen with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, integrated navigation, 9 high-performance Alpine speakers, wireless charging, Jeep Life App, remote keyless entry, rain-sensing front wipers and so on. In terms of passenger safety, it comes loaded with six airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system, traction control system, ESC, electronic roll mitigation, hill start assist, electronic parking brake, 360-degree parking camera and more.

Jeep Meridian Top Speed, Acceleration & Mileage

2023 Jeep Meridian SUV accelerates from 0-100 kmph within 10.8 seconds and can reach up to a top speed of 198 km/h. As far as fuel efficiency is concerned, the car can offer a real-world mileage of 15-16 km/l for the MT variant and 14-15 km/l for the AT variant.

Jeep Meridian Variants & Colour Options

2023 Jeep Meridian comes with two variants called Limited and Limited (O). The offered colour scheme comprises five vibrant shades named Velvet Red, Techno Metallic Green, Magnesio Grey, Pearl White, and Brilliant Black.

Jeep Meridian Ex-showroom Price & On-Road Price

At present, an ex-showroom price for the Limited MT variant starts at Rs 29.90 lakh and goes up to Rs 36.95 lakh for the Limited (O) AT variant. Now, to understand the difference between ex-showroom and on-road prices, the ex-showroom price of a car is the sticker price that does not include the cost of road tax, insurance, and registration. The on-road price, on the other hand, includes the previously mentioned costs as well as the cost of insurance, RC, one-time road tax, extended warranty, and all accessories purchased for the vehicle. It is worth noting that on-road prices in our country vary greatly from state to state.

Jeep Meridian Competitors

2023 Jeep Meridian competes with the Toyota Fortuner, MG Gloster, Skoda Kodiaq, Isuzu MU-X and the Mahindra Alturas G4 in the Indian car market.

Verdict - Should You Buy Jeep Meridian or not?

The new Jeep Meridian is a more practical version of the Jeep Compass. The Meridian 7-seater shares many similarities with the Compass, but it also has its own personality and is perfect in terms of on and off-road driving abilities. This feature-rich and stylish SUV has good build quality. However, if you are looking for a true 7-seater SUV, it might not be for you since the third row doesn’t provide suitable space for adult occupants.