Jeep Compass And Meridian To Fight Sales Crash With New Updates
Jeep India has lately been struggling with domestic sales. To fight the dropping numbers, the American brand plans to introduce updated versions of the Compass and Meridian, during this festive season. This is part of the manufacturer’s larger plan of revamping its product portfolio more frequently. Here’s everything to know about its plans…
Jeep’s Dismal Sales Performance
Jeep’s sales performance has been quite dismal in the past few months. In the previous 6 months (January 2024- July 2024), it managed to sell just 2,430 units across India. During Aug 2023- Jan 2024, 2,435 units were sold. YoY numbers are down by over 30% in FY24. Jeep’s current lineup consists of the Compass, Meridian, Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee. Of these, the Compass and Meridian have been the biggest breadwinners for the brand. These now record monthly average sales of just 280 and 175 units respectively.
Jeep India’s Revival Strategy
The dip in sales can be attributed to the lack of frequent updates across the portfolio. Jeep seems to have realized this too, as the MD and CEO of Stellantis India, Shailesh Hazela recently remarked in a statement: “You will have [updated] models starting next month with Compass. We will have Meridian 2.0 in October. We have learned that the Indian market needs freshness frequently. Unlike the product action seen in 18-24 months in European markets, in India, we need to introduce freshness every six months.”
These ‘more frequent’ updates will be done via Stellantis’ local R&D network, and thus be India-specific. Jeep reportedly plans to base its sales revival on the Compass and the Meridian. The updated Compass will launch next month and is expected to pack significant cosmetic changes. There will be a new facelifted Meridian coming in October, around Diwali. It is expected to come with comprehensive changes as well.
How The Compass And Meridian Facelifts Could Save Jeep In India?
The Compass and Meridian are both loved for what the pack. People love their solid build and material quality, along with butch stance and brand image. These keep the Jeep DNA safe and offer capable 4×4 hardware along with the sweet FCA-sourced 2.0L Multijet diesel engine and a smooth 9-speed automatic gearbox. The SUVs are also loved for their ride quality and road manners.
The Compass and Meridian have a bunch of shortcomings as well. There is currently no petrol engine on offer. Both currently show their age and need shouty overhauls. The equipment arrays on these could also be underwhelming for many when pitted against those of rivals. The inclusion of more tech and features could make these more appealing.
Rolling out facelifts on these would thus be just the right move. However, it would not make sense to expect extensive reworks or major reengineering on the facelifts. Previously, major facelifts were expected on the Compass and Meridian. These seem to have been axed owing to a change in group strategies. The upcoming updates would make the best of their remaining time here.
Jeep plans to shift its focus to newer, volume-centric segments like the sub-20 lakh space (essentially a Creta rival). The upcoming vehicle will be underpinned by the Citroen C3 platform. Some reports also suggest that the manufacturer could also be developing a sub 4m SUV. The brand also has plans to launch electric SUVs in the future.