Jeep Meridian: Why This Good Car Doesn't Sell Much?

Jeep saw an opportunity in the 7-seater SUV segment after Ford’s exit from the country and introduced the Meridian in the Indian automobile market in 2022. The Meridian is also known as the Jeep Commander in some global markets.

India seems to be a tough nut to crack for this American SUV. I have experienced this SUV for more than 1,000 km and I found out a few reasons why this good car might never sell in good numbers.

Build and Design

For starters, the Jeep Meridian shares its underpinnings with the Jeep Compass. But the former is dimensionally bigger than the latter. I shall call it an extended version of the Jeep Compass. 

On the design front, you’ll find quite a few similarities with Jeep’s flagship SUV, the Grand Cherokee. That said, the Meridian’s slim LED headlamps and tail lamps look heavily inspired by the flagship SUV, making the Jeep Meridian more imposing yet elegant. Further, the most noticeable highlight is the signature 7-slot Jeep grille.

You will also find pillars, ORVMs, and a roof, finished in Piano Black, giving the SUV an attractive dual-tone look. Another thing that I adore is the 18-inch alloy wheels- they look very different from all the other cars in the segment.

Interior & Features 

The Meridian’s similarity with the Compass continues inside the car. Once you enter from the driver’s side, you will be welcomed with a 10.1-inch infotainment unit, along with a fully digital instrument cluster.  

Plus, there is a difference in the interior colours. The Meridian gets a dual-tone leather treatment, whereas the Compass has an all-black interior.

It is a very nice place to be in and big thanks to the sunroof, which makes the car airier from the inside. On the features front, this SUV has a 360-degree camera, a 9-speaker Alpine audio system, Android Auto and Apple Carplay (both wireless), connected car technology, electrically adjustable ventilated seats (front), etc. In fact, the base variant of the Jeep Meridian is well-equipped with features.  

The Meridian’s biggest plus point over the Compass is its biggest negative as well. I am talking about the third-row seats. But the third row isn't as spacious as one would expect by seeing the SUV’s dimensions from outside. Anyone above 4 feet in height might get uncomfortable in these seats. However, it's fine for short journeys. 

Making matters worse here are fixed middle-row seats. All the 7-seater cars in this segment offer slide adjustment which the Meridian misses out on; for reasons best known to Jeep.

The one good thing in the Meridian is the foldable 3rd-row seats that increase the boot capacity to 481 litres from 170 litres.

Performance 

The Jeep Meridian is limited to the diesel engine option, unlike the Compass which also offers a petrol engine. It has the same 2.0-litre diesel engine as the Compass but has a slightly different state of tune.

This 2.0-litre multijet diesel engine produces 170hp of power and 350Nm of torque. The engine can either be had with a 6-speed manual or a 9-speed automatic transmission.

There are many people who don’t want to buy diesel-powered cars, especially because of the 10-year rule (implemented in Delhi NCR) on diesel cars in India. And, Jeep is losing out on those customers by not offering a petrol engine option on the Meridian.

Ride and Handling

I drove the 4X2 AT Limited Optional variant of the Meridian and it performed well on the highways. Gear shifts did take a little time to power the front wheels, but the punch from the motor felt instant.

Besides that, I found the suspension to be a little firm on uneven roads even in ‘normal’ drive mode. I did drive in other modes but not for as long as I drove in ‘normal’ mode, which is why I won’t say much on the suspension front. 

For your reference, different drive modes can automatically change the tuning of the suspension and engine’s power.

All-in-all, this SUV offered excellent stability and brilliant steering feedback.

Another thing which I like about this car is the cabin insulation. It was good, if not better. I could hear the engine’s noise only while driving at high speeds on highways, but the rest of the distinct noises were eliminated. 

Conclusion 

Another big reason for poor sales of this car is its starting price of Rs 33 lakh+ (average ex-showroom). It was launched as a premium 7-seater SUV but lacks several competitive offerings. At the same time, Jeep is still yet to gain that “reliability” factor from Indian buyers, plus the after-sales service is limited across India. Yes, the Jeep Compass did help Jeep India to make its presence because of aggressive pricing and offerings, but the story doesn't end there. 

As for the Meridian's pricing, you can buy some variants of the Toyota Fortuner. If the Meridian had been priced on the lower side or had petrol/hybrid options, it would have been a different story altogether. Overall, Jeep has a long way to go to compete with the sales of its Japanese counterpart and other rivals.