It’s been raining three-row vehicles, irrespective of the segment. The latest to join the bandwagon is Jeep with its new full-size SUV, the Meridian. It’s an open secret that it is based on the successful Compass, but naturally, its wheelbase is extended to accommodate the third row. Currently, the Meridian will only be available in diesel and as a seven-seater. According to Jeep, the Meridian is more than just a practical spacious vehicle as it offers off-roading capabilities like no other in its segment. Even though Jeep has kept mum on whom it will compete with, the usual suspects are the Toyota Fortuner, the MG Gloster, and the petrol-only Skoda Kodiaq. Let’s take a look at what will distinguish Meridian from its competitors.
Sticking to its core roots
The Meridian is powered by the 168bhp 2-litre diesel with 350 Nm of torque. Like the Compass, the Meridian is mated with either a 6-speed manual or a 9-speed torque converter automatic transmission. We got our hands on the latter one.
The engine builds up speed in a linear fashion and doesn’t rush you. The additional weight of the Meridian can be felt when you put the pedal to the metal as it takes that additional fraction of a second or two to build its rhythm. According to Jeep, it can accelerate from 0-100kmph in 10.8 seconds and has a top speed of 198kmph. Even though the SUV remains rock steady at high speeds, the engine starts to feel stressed and tends to get noisy.
The ride quality, on the other hand, is sublime as the Meridian sails over potholes without a hiccup. The independent suspension setup is a boon as it absorbs thuds when it goes over deep potholes and keeps it isolated from the rest of the vehicle, ensuring the ride quality doesn’t suffer, especially for the passengers.
The driving experience is fairly laid back as the automatic transmission is a boon for daily commutes and makes cruising on the highway quite a breeze. The only issue we faced with the gearbox was it could have downshifted faster which would have enabled the Meridian to overtake other vehicles effortlessly.
Follow: Express Drives on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
Don’t let the three-row seating set-up fool you, the Meridian is an out-and-out Jeep product. As it is the only SUV in its segment to be equipped with both front and rear suspension set-up, how could we not explore the off-road trails and find out its wild side? With high inclines and deep drops in the circuit along with specially made steps for the Meridian to climb a hill, the SUV conquered it all without giving the obstacles a second thought. With an approach and departure angle of 20 and 22 degrees respectively and a ground clearance of 203mm, the entire trail was a walk in the park for the Meridian. Even though it is armed with hill-start and descent control and multiple drive modes — sand/mud, snow, and auto, we never needed to tinker around with the settings.
Exteriors: Sculpted for sophistication
The Meridian does have some resemblance with the Compass, which is not a bad thing as it has the typical SUV road presence. The wise people in Jeep have introduced some new styling elements like the slim and sweptback LED projector headlamps with LED DRLs. The front bumper has been redesigned as it sports one massive air dam with chrome strips above and below it. The fog lamps are now positioned in the traditional place just above the lower lip of the front fascia.
The side profile, on the other hand, reveals the iconic Grand Cherokee’s uncanny design language, especially with the flat roofline and longer body panels. Even though both the Compass and the Meridian come with 18-inch alloy wheels, the latter gets a new sporty design. As it is a seven-seater, the Meridian has a massive rear quarter glass to ensure that the passengers in the last row feel airy while the second row gets long doors that have an 80-degree opening angle. This is not only a first in the segment, but this also makes it easier to enter and exit the cabin.
Coming to the rear, this is where the new SUV showcases its uniqueness with the sleek three pods LED tail lamps and a chunky chrome band running in-between them.
Interiors: Lounging in style
With an extended platform that is almost at par with the Fortuner in terms of dimensions, we decided to first check out the second row’s space. Like the Compass, its seat is fairly high and supportive. The seat squab is well crafted to make long road trips a comfortable affair. If we had to nitpick then the second seat could have had the function to slide ahead or back. The second row does offer plenty of shoulder room for three passengers though the headroom is limited and may not offer enough space if you’re over 6 feet in height. The knee room, on the other hand, is plenty and it won’t be a tight squeeze for the middle passenger either. As expected, it comes with multiple charging options like a USB port and a 12 Volt socket.
Now comes the acid test. Is the third row accommodating for two adults? Sadly, the answer is no, but this isn’t a deal maker as most seven-seaters offer limited space and are more accessible for children. The seating position of the last row’s seats could have been higher, but it’s not all doom and gloom as the backrests can be reclined for slightly better space.
Also Read: All-electric Kia EV6: Top 5 things you should know about it
Verdict
The Meridian is available only in two trims — Limited and Unlimited — and the top trim comes equipped with a 10-inch infotainment system, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, front ventilated seats, electric tailgate, a 360-degree camera and much more. Being over 4.7 metres in length, the space management could have been better for the last row, but Meridian does offer unmatched off-and-on road capabilities in this segment. Just to give you an idea of what price bracket the Meridian is likely to be in, the Toyota Fortuner’s diesel range is from Rs 34.29 lakh to Rs 40.03 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. Now the ball is in Jeep’s court.
Stay tuned with Express Drives for more updates and also, do subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest auto news and reviews.
