Jeep Compass is a heavily anticipated SUV in the Indian passenger car market. It has been marketed as the most affordable car from the American brand’s stable, and also as the car which will enable more consumers to get a taste of Jeep’s off-roading pedigree. Jeep so far has had two models in India, the Wrangler and the Cherokee. Even the cheapest option Jeep currently has in India costs about Rs 53 lakh, which means Jeeps have only been enjoyed by a small section of buyers in the country. Comes in the Compass, which is slated to change the market scenario for the brand that has not been making large sales numbers.
The Internet is littered with reports on the Compass’ arrival in India and that it is likely to be priced under Rs 20 lakh, which would make it comparable to the likes of Mahindra XUV500 and Tata Hexa. However, carefully analyse the anatomy of this assumption and you will be left with facts that place the Compass higher than the aforementioned competition.
Also read:Â New Jeep Compass unveiled in India, launch in third quarter of 2017
The Compass is properly kitted. It has been given four driving modes – auto, snow, stand, mud mode, along with hill start assist. In terms of safety, it offers over 50 plus features that include ABS, EBD and dual front airbags as standard.
Although, the Compass will be manufactured in India, the company says that plasma cutters will be used for building the body, the method is being used for the first time. During the car’s unveil in India, Jeep said that a number of new manufacturing techniques as well as technologies will be used for the first time in India for manufacturing of the Compass.
Also read:Â Jeep reveals Compass in promotional video, set to launch in India by mid 2017
Here comes the question as to how will the company manage to squeeze in an elaborate feature list such as this within a price bracket of Rs 20 lakh. With this feature list, the Compass has already barged into Hyundai Tucson’s territory.
Hyundai Tucson
The Tucson too comes with ABS, EBD, traction control and hill descent control. On the inside, it gets six airbags, an infotainment system with a touchscreen display that features USB, AUX, Bluetooth connectivity, compatibility with Apple CarPlay and steering mounted controls.
Compass too is expected to come with a touchscreen infotainment system, compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with steering mounted audio and phone controls.
In terms of power however, the Tucson gets a 1995 cc turbocharged diesel engine that makes 182 hp @ 4000 rpm and 400 Nm @ 1750 rpm, paired to a six speed automatic gearbox. The Compass, on the other hand, will be powered by a 1.4 litre petrol engine that produces 106 hp and 205 Nm of torque and a 2.0 diesel engine litre that churns out 170 hp and 350 Nm.
But, what puts the Compass in advantage is the fact that it will have an all-wheel-drive powertrain, which is expected to come as standard. Transmission options available will a six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic. The top variant of the Tucson is priced at Rs 24.99 lakh.
Volkswagen Tiguan
If the price speculation is stretched to a range of Rs 28-35 lakh, the Compass could compare with the upcoming Volkswagen Tiguan on some aspects. The Tiguan is expected to come with an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, which will only be available as an optional equipment on higher variants.
Also read:Â New Volkswagen Tiguan to launch in May 2017, expected price, features and engine
There is no official word from VW about the powertrain yet. However, the Tiguan may come with options of a 1.4 and a 2.0-litre TSI petrol engines and on the diesel front, the 1.6 and 2.0-litre TDI diesel units. The transmission options might include the seven-speed DSG unit or maybe the new 10-speed DSG gearbox.
Considering engine options, the Tiguan and Compass may churn out similar power figures. The Compass is likely to incorporate an all-wheel-drive system as standard, while it is not known yet if Volkswagen would bring a 4WD version of the Tiguan.
Jeep does have local manufacturing to its advantage for keeping prices competitive. Even after equipping the Compass with a host of premium features, the American carmaker may manage to outpace the competition with an aggressive price tag. The Compass will be locally manufactured at the Ranjangaon facility, and will be exported to Australia, UK and Japan.
