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Jeep India: The way forward in the Indian automotive landscape

9th August 2023, 13:05 by Ananth Iyer

Jeep came to India with a strong reputation for tough cars. But the road hasn’t always been smooth due to competition and some issues.

BHPian MotorDev recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Introduction

Jeep, a well-known American car brand famous for tough and powerful vehicles, came to India in 2016 with models like the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. They later introduced Compass, Compass Trailhawk, and Compass Limited Plus. This review takes a close look at how Jeep has done in India, including sales, strengths, areas to improve, a comparison with other brands, and what the future might hold.

Sales

Jeep made a big entrance in India, especially with the Jeep Compass, which got a lot of attention for being affordable and feature-packed. But Jeep's sales have gone up and down since then. This is because other SUV makers in India are also very strong, making it tough for Jeep to grow steadily.

Strengths

Brand Strength: Jeep is known all over the world for making strong and dependable off-road vehicles. This image has helped Jeep look good in India too.
Great Off-Road Skills: Jeep vehicles are fantastic at going off the regular roads. They're loved by people who like adventure and going to tough places.
Lots of Features: Jeep puts a lot of cool things in their vehicles, making them feel fancy and modern.
Awesome Design: Jeep cars look different from others, and they're stylish too.

Weaknesses

Price: Jeep started with good prices, but the newer models got more expensive, which made it harder for many to buy them.
Not Enough Choices: Jeep's lineup in India is somewhat restricted, giving consumers fewer options to choose from when compared to some other car brands.
Service Concerns: Some customers didn’t like the way Jeep's service worked after they bought the cars. This made them worry about the company's support.

Comparison with Other Brands

In India, Jeep is up against big players like Hyundai, Tata Motors, and Mahindra & Mahindra. These companies have a wide range of SUVs and many places where you can buy and fix their cars. This made it tough for Jeep to match up.

The Path Ahead

For Jeep to do better in India, they could consider:

More Choices: Making and selling more types of cars that suit different budgets and needs.
Talking About Jeep's Legacy: Advertising Jeep's cool history and strengths so more people know about them.
Better Service: Working on fixing customer problems quickly and making sure people are happy after buying a Jeep.

Should You Get a Jeep in India?

Thinking about getting a Jeep? It depends on what you like. If you want a strong car that can handle rough roads and look good, a Jeep might be a good idea. But if you're worried about the cost and how the service works, you might want to check out other SUVs too.

Conclusion

Jeep came to India with a strong reputation for tough cars. But the road hasn’t always been smooth due to competition and some issues. Still, Jeep can become popular by making more types of cars, talking about their strengths, working on service, and keeping customers happy. If you're into adventure and want a cool SUV, Jeep might be worth a look, but it's important to weigh the pros and cons based on your needs and preferences.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Fresh models. You cannot run an auto company in India where your mainstay product is now 6 years old. In the same time, Hyundai-Kia have launched over 10 products, while the Compass itself has 10 new competitors from segments above & below. They need more cars!!!
Better pricing. The Compass was always premium-priced and has only gotten more expensive with time. The Meridian had a poor launch because it was too expensive. Both are fantastic cars.
Adapting to market conditions is entirely missing in Jeep. The Jeep management deserves a 35% salary cut this year for not having a petrol engine ready, in a market that has majorly moved to petrols! It's like the dimwitted decision to not have a Diesel AT at the time of the Compass' original launch.
Jeep community events & brand building exercises are sorely missing (like Mahindra Great Escapes, Royal Enfield in Goa or Harley-Davidson clubs & rides).
Consolidate the network of your brands. There is no point in having different distribution channels for Jeep & Citroen, both of which are small players now. Combine the dealerships!

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say on the matter:

Voted no, despite being a happy Compass owner. Jeep is in a hard place today. While it has its fan following and a hugely compelling product in Compass, things look bleak. And it is easy to see why
1. No petrol engine. There is nothing to offer on Compass and Meridian for us Delhi NCR people. They can localise and launch the 2.0 turbo petrol. It will fit these car’s profile and be competitive against everything from VW’s 2.0 TSi to Toyota’s 2.0 hybrid to Mahindra’s 2.0 mStallion But they stubbornly refuse to do so.
2. Poorly calibrated automatic. It is ridiculous that they can’t get the diesel AT’s tuning right. It’s the worst calibrated automatic I’ve ever experienced on this side of the AMTs. Doesn’t even get a sport mode! It’s a major con of both Compass and Meridian in segments dominated by excellent ATs.
3. The diesel engine. Fiat’s 2.0 MJD is an excellent engine in isolation, and was best in class when Compass was launched 6 years ago. But this engine has proliferated and is now available in cars costing half the price. Jeep car prices in meanwhile have shot upwards and have transcended into segments where it is barely adequate. C5’s diesel engine is superior. Tucson’s diesel engine is superior. Even Mahindra’s M’hawk is superior. Then there is the king, Toyota’s 2.8 turbo diesel on Fortuner and Hilux. Compass and especially Meridian are totally outclassed. Basically, they haven’t kept up with time
4. Price to feature ratio is wrong. The lower models of Compass are dangerously close to 30L on road, and are positively naked for the price. The ATs carry a huge premium despite being incompetent.
5. No new models. All Jeep has to show for the past 7 years is the long wheelbase version of Compass named Meridian. That too with the petrol engine discontinued. Where is the Renegade?
6. Stagnant brand building. Who in their right mind approve that 2.0 on the Grand Cherokee? Where are your better engines? Where is the Grand Wagoneer? What was the need to discontinue the Compass Trailhawk? What’s left of Jeep DNA if all they want to offer are urban commuters?
Net net, Jeep cars are simply no longer worth their asking price, despite the superior dynamics and appealing cabins. They make for the best pre owned buys though.

Here's what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:

Voted NO, keeping a “today” context in mind.
Although I have purchased a Meridian in mid 2022 and it ticks the exact boxes I’d picked it up for at the time, I no longer see any Jeep that would pass muster as on date, partly because going forward I’d only want to buy a petrol car. I feel more strongly about this today than I did back in 2022 - also - at that point I wanted our E20 policy to stabilise and offerings to catch up with their E20 compatibility. Secondly, although I haven’t had a personal mishap, Jeep (lack of) reliability and service quality seems right up there at Skoda levels. This is more apparent to me today when I see customers cribbing about this on various platforms.
Coming to their current line up, let’s look at each of their models and if I would consider them at all in a 2023 context:
Compass:
I would rather buy any of the following:
Hyryder strong hybrid: Toyota reliability, petrol engine with added hybrid advantage for efficiency as well as policy longevity, comparable internal space albeit with compromised boot space.
XUV 7OO: much more spacious, lovely petrol engine, much cheaper despite being a reasonable strong product.
Hyundai Tucson: Spacious, comfortable, well finished, predicable quality and product, petrol offering (albeit unexciting).
Meridian:
I would rather buy any of the following:
Hycross strong hybrid: Toyota reliability, petrol engine with added hybrid advantage for efficiency as well as policy longevity, much more comfortable seating in captains chair format.
Skoda Kodiaq: Petrol powered (and exciting to drive too); no better or worse reliability concerns compared to Jeep so equal footing there; proper value luxury offering which is much closer as an alternate to the big German experience.
Grand Cherokee:
I would rather buy any of the proper luxury cars like the Volvo XC 60 / BMW X3, GLC etc. Alternately, perhaps even a segment lower and incoming Kia Carnival.
Wrangler:
Too academic. I doubt I’d ever consider such an impractical 70 lakh SUV as a daily. I’d rather buy an M340i and combine it with a Thar if I’m going towards such extreme products.