- Will be positioned above the CompassSUV

- To be launched in India in 2022

The India-bound three-row Jeep Commander has been revealed in Brazil. Expected to be introduced in India in 2022, the Commander is essentially the elongated version of the five-seat Compass and is likely to be retailed in India as the ‘Meridian’.

The initial visual impressions do remind one of the recently updated Compass SUV. However, look beyond the C-pillar and the Commander has its distinct styling. The front fascia retains the signature seven-box grille flanked by sleeker LED headlamps. The bumper has been reworked with horizontal DRLs, fog lamps, and a silver skid plate at the bottom. Towards the side are the new 19-inch alloy wheels, squared body-coloured wheel arches, kinking chrome window line, and a two-tone paint scheme, all of which blends seamlessly with the profile of the SUV. The slimmer split LED tail lamps adjoined by a chrome stripe are a derivation from the flagship Grand Cherokee L.

Now, how big is the Commander than its younger sibling, Compass? On paper, the Commander measures 4,769mm in length, that is, 364mm longer than the Compass. This lets the SUV accommodate two more occupants in the third row. The wheelbase is stretched, too, by 158mm adding to the space for the rear passengers.

The cabin of the Commander is a typical Jeep design and layout. The dashboard and seat upholstery are draped in brown leather that looks premium and sophisticated. There’s the 10.1-inch free-standing touchscreen infotainment system, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charger, dual-zone climate control, electrically adjustable front seats, an electric sunroof, and hands-free tailgate access. The second row gets a bench-type seat layout with a 60:40 split configuration. Further, the middle and last row seats also benefit from a recline function.

The Commander also scores high on safety and autonomous tech with features such as adaptive cruise control, lane change assist, automatic and emergency braking, blind-spot assistant, cross-traffic detector, and seven airbags.

Under the hood, the international spec is powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine that puts out 168bhp and 380Nm of torque. It is coupled with a nine-speed automatic transmission with an all-wheel-drive configuration as standard. When launched in India, the Commander is expected to get the Compass’ 1.4-litre petrol engine as well. The full-size SUV from Jeep will compete against the bigwigs in the segment like the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, and the MG Gloster.