Jeep Meridian

• The design language of the Jeep Meridian is quite similar to the sibling Compass. The seven-slat grill marks the traditional brand heritage. The front face gives a strong macho presence. The LED Headlights have a strong illumination at night. The use of chrome at the front panel gives a premium appearance to this SUV.
  Since it is based on a monocoque platform, the stance and the dimensions of this SUV are quite small in the segment. Coming to the side profile, the 18” alloys have a sharp design and appeal to the audience. The massive ground clearance of 214mm is ample enough to take it for off-roading. The 20 degrees of approach angle is a little less than the competition. 
• From the rear, the minimal and sleek design of the taillamps provides sleekness and premium aesthetics. The chrome bar provides a sense of sophistication. The loading lib is normal and talking of boot space, with all the 3 rows up, it has a decent space for your duffle bags.

• As we step inside the cabin of Jeep Meridian, it provides a pure sense of premium appeal with simplicity. The neatly laid dashboard and dual-tone treatment on the dashboard with chrome line running gives a nice look inside the cabin. The layout is uncluttered and ergonomic to use. 
• The touch and feel of materials and the quality of plastics used are on the premium side. There is very little use of hard plastics to maintain the standard. All the touchpoints are made of leather upholstery that takes the cabin experience a step ahead. 

• Coming to the core part, the engine specifications, the Jeep Meridian is equipped with the same unit as the Compass. It is the same 2L diesel engine that produces 168 BHP and 350 Nm of peak torque. 
• What’s new over here is the segment-first 9-speed automatic transmission which is blistering quick in shifts. When downshifting, it might have some hassle and some lag can be felt at moments. 
• The terrain modes offered are SNOW, SAND/MUD, and AUTO. By default, you are engaged in the Auto mode but depending on the terrain, you can select either of the modes.
• It comes with 18” all-terrain tires that help in maintaining the line and pace on the tarmac. It even has frequency selective damping suspension. It adjusts itself according to the terrain. This provides a smooth riding experience with utmost comfort.
• Taking it off-road, the approach and the departure angles are a concern. Since most of the users will drive it on the road but for the off-road enthusiasts, the approach and departure angles were expected better. It has an approach angle of 20 degrees and a departure angle of 22 degrees.

• The Jeep Meridian comes equipped with some cool features. Though the rivals offer some more features and extra bits, Meridian is no less in the competition.
• It comes equipped with dual-zone climate control. Both front seats are power-adjustable with lumbar support. The driver's seat has a memory function. It also has a digital instrument cluster. Additionally, it has a select terrain system for the 4x4 off-road mode. 
• The 9-speaker Alpine sound system provides a rich experience of music inside the cabin. The panoramic sunroof on offer brings in a lot of airy feeling and reduces claustrophobic ambiance. 

• The ride quality of the Meridian is top-notch in the segment. Since it is based on the monocoque platform, it has less movement in the body. On bad patches, it maintains its line and body roll is well contained. 
• The rear seats of the Meridian provides good comfort. The cabin is wide enough for 3 passengers in the middle row. The Limited Plus variant gets the brown interior tone whereas the base variant misses on it. 
• The feel and feedback from the steering wheel are good as per standards. The steering is light to maneuver in city conditions. At triple-digit speeds, it weighs up decently well. 

The Jeep Meridian sits in the full sized SUV space. It is priced in the Rs 29 - Rs 37 lakh bracket. Some of its rivals include the popular Toyota Fortuner, feature loaded MG Gloster and the Mahindra Alturas G4. You can also look at soft-roaders like the VW Tiguan Allspace and the Skoda Kodiaq.