The Jeep Meridian had been a while coming. We had been hearing about the seven-seater version of the Compass being rolled out to compete with the likes of the Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar, MG Hector Plus and so on, and finally it is here.

But in some ways the Meridian is more than just the Compass with two more seats and a longer rear overhang to accommodate them. Jeep has gone somewhat further than doing that and changed a fair bit more than that, and for all one knows, may have laid the foundation for the Compass model change when it eventually comes.

Celica Jeep, the dealer for Jeep in Calcutta and other parts of the eastern region, graciously lent us two versions of the Meridian to get a feel of the vehicles. While one came with the six-speed manual gearbox and front wheel drive, the other had a nine-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. Here are our first impressions.

THE EXTERIORS

The Meridian’s resemblance with the Compass is unmistakable and the Jeep family look is very obvious. But that said, it looks significantly different from the Compass as well. In fact, if one isn’t told about the Compass connection, it can easily be passed off as a completely different vehicle and no one will question it.

To begin with, it is longer by a good 15 inches or so than the Compass, but that was expected, and a couple of inches taller too. But a little surprisingly, it’s about an inch and a half wider too. Typically, when the seven-seater versions are created, the vehicles remain largely the same till the end of the front door. But for the Meridian that has not been the case. Wheelbase is longer too by about six inches and measures 2,782mm. So, while there are commonalities with the Compass, dimensionally the Meridian is bigger by most measures.

In terms of looks, it now resembles the Grand Cherokee more than the Compass in profile, particularly with the treatment that has been given to the D-pillar. In fact, the sense of length — it is just a little short of five metres — becomes obvious when seen in profile. What also becomes obvious is that the glass areas are quite generous.

The design of the five-spoke alloys of the vehicles that we were driving was smart and the 235/55 R18 tyres look wide and ready to go wherever you want the SUV to.

The differences start right up front. There’s more chrome to begin with that goes above and below the grille and the headlamp clusters that give the vehicle a more upmarket look. That visual continuity between the headlamps and grille isn’t there in the Compass. The intakes are squarer and embellished with chrome in this one. The rear end looks different too now with narrow wraparound lights and a chrome bar going across the breadth, breaking the visual bulk. With broad tyres and an overall square look it has the typical hands on hips swag that people usually expect from SUVs. There is a nice array of colours to choose from too.

The cabin is largely similar to that of the Compass (left) in terms of broad design but new colour schemes and luxury material options have been added for the Meridian; With the large panoramic sunroof (right), the feel in the cabin is very open and airy.

THE INTERIORS

There is a sense of solidity one feels when opening the door of the Meridian and build quality is good. The leather-wrapped steering and gear lever on the auto are good to hold. So is the gear lever knob of the manual. It’s fun to use. Largely there’s not a great deal new about the interiors. It is well appointed with materials that are good to the touch and exude quality in fit and finish.

The second row of seats of the Jeep Meridian (left) is a very comfortable place to be with loads of headroom and legroom and a broad seat squab that provides ample underthigh support. The third row of seats (right), the primary reason for building the Meridian, is best left to children or adults of smaller build as the seating is low. While it does get its own cooling vents, there are no USB ports in that area. When folded down it creates a flat luggage stowing area.

Now, much of the increase in the wheelbase has been devoted to the second row of seats, which are some of the best that we have found in any vehicle, even a segment above the Meridian. They are broad, provide superb underthigh support and one can think of doing long journeys in great comfort. A middle passenger can also fit in reasonably comfortably. With a person of average height seated in the front row, there is around five inches of space between the front seat back and the knees of an average height middle seat passenger. Very generous indeed.

The problem with the second row is that it doesn’t move forward or back. So the third row seats, which are set low to release headroom have limited leg room for anyone other than children and adults of smaller build. It does get a set of air-conditioner blowers though, but not much else.

(left) Much of the difference between the manual and the automatic is around the gear lever as many of them are available only in the 4x4 automatic. They include Sand/Mud, Snow and Auto driving modes, four-wheel drive and four-wheel drive low ratio, and hill descent control; The automatic also comes with cruise control and a speed limiter that are operated with buttons on the steering wheel; (Top right) The touchscreen infotainment system comes with a bright and sharp screen and the system allows a lot of functions to be controlled through it. With cameras on all sides, the all-round view is particularly useful since the vehicle is quite big.

ON THE ROAD

The road behaviour of the Compass has been one of its strong points and the Meridian is no different. It is dismissive of broken patches and smaller undulations, unless we are talking moon-size craters. The two-litre, 170hp engine has enough grunt to tackle both city and highway with either the manual gearbox or the automatic. The former is good fun to play around with and the latter best left in D mode since mapping speeds manually with nine ratios can turn out to be a chore. The Meridian is on the heavier side, with kerb weights starting from 1,766kg and going up to 1,890kg. And while performance was not wanting in any situation we faced, it’s not electrifying either. Where the Meridian excels in munching miles without the passengers feeling most of it.

THE CALL

As we said, to see the Meridian purely as a seven-seater Compass would be a mistake. It is more. For those mainly using the second row it is a superbly attractive offering that is good for the days one chooses to drive as well. And it looks good too. We’d be very tempted.

The Meridian in numbers

Form: Seven-seater SUV

LxBxH (mm): 4,769 x 1,859 x 1,698

Wheelbase (mm): 2,782

Engine: 2.0 L (1,956cc) Multijet II Diesel

Peak power (hp): 170 @ 3,750 ± 50 rpm

Peak torque (Nm): 350 @ 1,750-2,500 rpm

Transmission: 6M/9A

Brakes: Discs all around

Fuel efficiency (kmpl): 4x2 6M 16.2; 4x2 9A 15.7; 4x4 9A 14.9

Price: Rs 29.90 lakh to Rs 36.95 lakh ex showroom