There is always that one product that defines a brand and helps it in settling down as an intelligent choice in the minds of the market. Skoda had the Octavia, Renault came out with the Duster and Hyundai kick-started its series with the practical Santro.
Jeep has been around for a fair while in India now but it has not managed to find much traction thanks to the premium pricing of the Cherokee and the Wrangler which didn’t go down well with the Indian buyers. The company is counting on this, the Compass to change its fortunes in the country – and if initial response is something to go by, it might have hit a home run.
Jeep started accepting bookings for the Compass when it started producing the SUV at its Ranjangaon plant on June 19, 2017. Buyers thronged the website and Jeep dealerships across the nation to put down the INR 50,000 that the company had demanded as the booking amount for its latest. After just three days, Jeep announced that it had crossed 1,000 pre-orders for the car and now, Autocar reports that bookings have peaked the 4,000 mark.
Our Review: Made in India Jeep Compass Review and Off-Road Test : Suave Slugger
The SUV had received a rave response when the media was allowed to have a go. We too, were mighty impressed – in fact, some of us could not stop singing gospels about it, days after the drive! It offers a very well rounded package indeed.
Powerful engine, slick shifting gearbox, sorted dynamics and great comfort – the Jeep has it all. And things get oh, so better when you head onto the trail. In characteristic Jeep style, the Compass can go through anything that comes in its path, making it perfect for those who want to push their cars to their limits.
What makes the pre-booking figure even more unbelievable is the fact that Jeep has still not even mentioned anything regarding the price. While they have promised that it will be shocking and extremely competitive, the actual figure still stays elusive. Yet, imagine 4,000 people are so impressed that they have booked one anyway!
The Jeep will be powered by a 1.4 Litre Multi-Air petrol engine and a 2.0 Litre Multi-Jet diesel. Features such as four wheel-drive with a Select Terrain Traction Management system and a 7-inch touchscreen will be optional. Safety kit including ABS, EBD and dual Airbags will be standard across the variants. Interestingly, 60% of the reported bookings are for the top-spec diesel variant.
Estimates pitch the starting price of the Jeep anywhere between INR 15-18 Lakhs, going up to the INR 22-25 Lakh mark. Official figures will be revealed when the car is launched on Monday, July 31, 2017. With competitive pricing on the cards, Jeep could have finally found its hero in India.