[THE-U-]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

That's around $1500 option and I did consider the same as well the premium pack for a ballpark 60K

Sounds good. Even @US$60k for this exact same version, the GC would have landed at Rs. 72L. I don't think it is that big of a difference from where they landed. Gives them a little headroom to offer discounts if they need to.

Originally Posted by Turbanator

But aren't they already selling one closer to Fortuner with 7 seats and a similar engine?

Comparisons aside by ACI etc., I wouldn't consider the Meridian to be in the same class as the Fortuner. But, you are pointing out the difficulty faced by Jeep. Perhaps Jeep's market research informed them that they would be successful with placing these two models where they are to get the numbers they were going for. If it were up to me as an enthusiast, I would have skipped the meridian altogether and brought the GC in various trims to span a wide range of the SUV segment. As Ford, I would never have left the country either. Clearly, my thoughts are not rooted in market reality.

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Expected as a buyer in the segment or as an observation?

I am making an observation based on the pricing data I see. Folks should also realize that the GC is not a competitor to the Fortuner.

If I were in the market, the Jeep GC would be second on my list after the X5 xDrive40i MSport (I realize this X5 is about 20L more than the GC). The GC would be the first if it was a 7 seater version.

The price is where it is mostly due to India's tax structure and I see very little flexibility on the manufacturers' part. If the Everest Platinum V6 diesel was made available here, that would go to the top of my list even at a CBU premium (might even be cheaper than a GC). But, with the heavy demand for it in Australia and elsewhere, it is not going to make it back here any time soon unfortunately. I am not sure they are even sold in Thailand where they are making them.

[Tutenkhamen]

Originally Posted by CEF_Beasts

Attachment 2380393

Thanks for the infographic.
Puts things in perspective.

I am bit surprised to see everyone not accepting GC’s price! Its 7mm shorter than x5, 9 from GLE, 41 from LR Discovery and is a full 168mm longer than F Pace. Clearly its competing all of them (maybe not FPace)

Now, there’s just no SUV rival with 6 cylinders in <1Cr OTR range. Petrol or Diesel alike!

Data in point: GLE400d, X530d, X540i, LR Defender P400 110, LR Discovery SE 3.0P, Q7 55Tfsi

Instead, GC is bringing Quad trac, Rear view camera, 360camera, HUD and ventilated, heated (front) seats. The 1000+ litres of bootspace? lol this thing hauls luggage!

I guess what I am trying to say is, if 6cylinders is a necessity (I can relate btw!), you better keep 1Cr in change. Otherwise, apart from FPace there is really no competitor to GC in ~80 OTR range.

And no, Fortuner is not even in the same league as this. They just shouldn’t be compared.

</my two cents>

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by THE-U-

I don't think it is that big of a difference from where they landed. Gives them a little headroom to offer discounts if they need to

If the past sales of Wrangler are any indication, there will be none. It must be due to exports. They won't be concerned much about domestic sales.

But will the buyers in other matured markets accept a 4-cylinder engine on such a large SUV? This engine is the same as they use in the Hybrid so I will wait before they take a call to launch the Hybrid.

I am making an observation based on the pricing data I see. Folks should also realize that the GC is not a competitor to the Fortuner.

No, but due to that engine rivalling a "Mini", maybe people compare. For me, a large SUV, with that Macho, the tough image, somehow such a small engine does not make sense.

People shopping for X5 and GLE may glance, but someone shopping for a lower segment like X3/ GLC may get enticed. Now, is the Jeep brand enough to make a decision? The interiors are well, and so is the size, so who knows, Jeep research works and they do something meaningful with this launch.

Originally Posted by Tutenkhamen

Puts things in perspective.

I am bit surprised to see everyone not accepting GC’s price! Its 7mm shorter than x5, 9 from GLE, 41 from LR Discovery and is a full 168mm longer than F Pace

As I mentioned, is the Jeep brand so strong in India (elsewhere, too!) that people buying a BMW or Mercedes will even look at this SUV?

Data in point: GLE400d, X5-30d, X5-40i, LR Defender P400 110, LR Discovery SE 3.0P, Q7 55Tfsi

I have never been a fan of 4 cylinders on any of the Mercedes or BMW models, but X5 - all variants gets only six cylinders. There is none with 4. Mercedes is sold purely by brand, where buyers head to the Mercedes showroom and buy whatever they can afford. A lot of such buyers won't even go to BMW showrooms.

JLR or Audi aren't the companies that Jeep, which has invested in a large manufacturing plant in India, should look at. Both of these do tiny numbers, and they can run due to a much wider range and some of the other super expensive products. If someone is producing a Car in India for the world market, they could have done much better.

Instead, GC is bringing Quad trac, Rear view camera, 360camera, HUD and ventilated, heated (front) seats.

That mean's a little. XUV will have all this and some more

Fortuner is not even in the same league as this. They just shouldn’t be compared.

Right, but what stopped Jeep from targeting affluent past and prospective Fortuner customers? Why are they after X5 or GLE buyers? If they had launched around the mid-sixties, they could have sold many meaningful numbers. But anyways, those people at FCA will be much smarter than we guys.

[niruvrs9669]

Jeep’s GC pricing is absurd. Easily overpriced by 10 lacs.

May be a discount strategy to deal with bargaining mindset of we (most) Indians. “10 lacs off” for the first 100 units sounds nice in their showrooms.
(Or)
May be FCA really doesn’t want to sell those numbers and do not want to deal with complaints and bad reviews online. Will focus more on the exports probably which would yield better margins.

Seems like fair strategies , to each their own.

Locally manufactured 2L Hybrid by Toyota will further weaken the public perception of Jeep GC. We are no Australia for outdoor bush bashing .

[84.monsoon]

Autocar just did a road test of the JGC with a plug in hybrid powertrain in the US and even that car, they say has a good deal of turbo lag due to the big turbo. If even with a battery pack providing instant torque at launch, is not enough to overcome the turbo lag, imagine the variant without the hybrid option being launched in India. I think it will have massive turbo lag and be an absolute dud at low speeds. 2 litre turbopetrol engines on large vehicles struggle at low speeds. Even with the BMW 530i that I had, I often wished it had a bit more punch lower in the rev range. The JGC is a much heavier vehicle, with 4X4 gear. Let us wait for the official review but my bet is, this car is not going to be much fun to drive.

[Omkar]

2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Preview

Introduction

Jeep has introduced the 5th generation Grand Cherokee in India and it is assembled locally at the Ranjangaon facility in Maharashtra. Fun fact - This is the only facility to assemble a Grand Cherokee outside of the USA. So for the launch, Jeep India made sure that they recreated the 1992 Jeep Grand Cherokee reveal at the Detroit Auto Show by breaking through plate glass.



Based on FCA's Giorgio platform, the Grand Cherokee will be offered only with one engine option - a 2.0L, inline 4-cylinder, turbo petrol motor making 270 BHP and 400 Nm. This GME (Global Medium Engine) T4 engine is shared with the Wrangler where it makes 264 BHP. We don't get the 5.7L Hemi V8 or the 3.6L Pentastar V6 or the plug-in hybrid variants that are available in the USA. The turbo-petrol engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and gets Jeep's Quadratrac 4x4 system with four terrain modes – Auto, Sport, Mud / Sand, and Snow.

The Grand Cherokee has been launched at an introductory price of Rs. 77.50 lakh which puts it in a very sweet spot in the luxury SUV segment. The BMW X5 petrol (40i) is a couple of lakhs more expensive, the Audi Q7 (55TFSI) starts at Rs. 83.3 lakh and the Mercedes Benz GLE only has diesel options on offer. Check out our drive report on the 4th generation Grand Cherokee - 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Exterior

While the 4th gen car had a more rugged look, this latest-generation Grand Cherokee seems to have gone for a modern and sleek look:


Sharp body lines definitely make it feel more mature and focused on staying on the road rather than off it:


This is a modular platform and allows different wheelbases and lengths. There's a 7-seater version available for the US market called the Grand Cherokee L, but we get this 5-seater variant for now:


Missing the signature exposed tow hooks here. They're offered on higher variants of the US version:


The flat and elongated bonnet with the 'Jeep' logo up front looks sharp:


Slim LED headlights look good. Also notice how flat the front face is, very much like old-time muscle cars:


Pretty simple and bold-looking 20-inch alloy wheels shod with 265/50R20 Continental tyres. Given how big the Grand Cherokee is, these big 20-inch alloys manage to look good too:


The 'Grand Cherokee' badging on both front doors:


ORVMs have a convex edge to extend the coverage area. They're heated too:


No air suspension on the Grand Cherokee. The rear gets a multi-link suspension:


One of Jeep's easter eggs - The generations of Grand Cherokee (silhouettes) have been placed on the right quarter glass:


What's a luxury SUV without a panoramic sunroof?


A lot of straight elements at the rear as well. The 5th generation Grand Cherokee has a wider track for a better stance:


The IRVM camera has been placed on the spoiler:


Sleek LED tail lamps:


2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, twin-scroll turbocharger petrol engine that puts out 270 BHP and 400 NM of torque:

[Omkar]

Interior

The interiors have stepped up significantly from the outgoing generation of the Grand Cherokee. Just like the exteriors, the interiors also have a lot of sleek elements. As of now, the only interior colour option that you can have is this all-black trim:


Classy-looking steering wheel is similar to the one on the Meridian with some design differences. You also get additional buttons on the steering wheel for ADAS functions and paddle shifters. The driver also gets a full-colour, 10-inch head-up display:


Love the font on this engine start-stop button:


This is a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel with a crisp display and loads of options:


There are a total of 3 screens on the dashboard - a 10.25-inch MID, a 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 infotainment system, and a 10.25-inch passenger screen. Also, check out the wood finish that runs across the dashboard:


Window switches panel is shared with the Meridian. Note that the rear windows don't get auto up / down. The dark wood finish on the door pad looks good:


The audio system has been tuned by Alpine:


Broad front seats felt comfortable for the few brief moments that I was seated in them:


The front seats are 8-way adjustable with lumbar adjustment and get memory function. Both seats also get heating and ventilating features:


This panel is almost the same as the one on first-gen Compass (reference image):


The center console is wide and feels well organized:


The sunroof control panel has bold lettering for easy readability. Note that the tailgate opening button has also been placed here:


ORVM camera is extremely useful in an SUV of this size:


The 10.1-inch touchscreen comes with a Uconnect5 infotainment system. There are buttons on top of the touchscreen for functions like auto start-stop, traction control, parking sensor warning, and power button for the passenger screen:


Physical buttons for AC and infotainment functions feel old school but are much appreciated. These are much better to use while driving as you don't have to take your eyes off the road:


Very thoughtful to provide regular USB ports along with the USB-C ports:


The Jaguar Land Rover-style rotary gear shifter doesn't look very special. Switch to toggle between terrain modes is placed next to it:


Cupholders placed below:


The center armrest is wide and has very soft padding. You get two storage options - deep storage and shallow storage for your wallet and other stuff:


The second row has good space. Tall folks might feel that the underthigh support is a little less:


Just like the front, you get both - a regular USB port and a USB-C charging port along with a 230V AC power socket. Buttons for heated seats are placed next to the USB ports:


That's a well-sized boot. The floor appears to be raised because of the spare wheel underneath:


Button to close the tailgate has been placed on the D-pillar:


You get a baggage hook and a 12V socket in the boot:


Spare is an 18-inch steel wheel:

[THE-U-]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Isn't Quadra Trac I same as an AWD system? It does not appear to be a 4x4 in the traditional sense, perhaps RWD biased as we saw in Aria \ Hexa etc.

They just have a 4x4 badge on the tailgate without any of the other fancy adjectives. I am sure the all wheel drive system is much more sophisticated.

Originally Posted by niruvrs9669

Jeep’s GC pricing is absurd. Easily overpriced by 10 lacs.

Is this just your opinion or is it informed by any pricing data that you have analyzed?

Originally Posted by niruvrs9669

Locally manufactured 2L Hybrid by Toyota will further weaken the public perception of Jeep GC. We are no Australia for outdoor bush bashing .

I couldn't tell if you are joking or being serious. The power the Jeep 2L makes is better than the MB GLE 300d's 2L I4 Diesel and the Jeep probably will also do a under 8 seconds 0 to 60 mph like the 7.2 seconds for the MB.

The new Toyota Prius Prime PHEV in the US with the 2L hybrid does 6.6 seconds 0 to 60 mph with a combined 220 hp, but, are we expecting a new redesigned Plug-in Hybrid Prado in India to compete with the MB GLE and the like or you are thinking about the Innova Hycross?

Very nice preview by Omkar! The SUV looks fantastic in the pictures. I don't think 270hp from a 2L I4 is anything to sneeze at. The car will move if the transmission is tuned correctly to the engine. I think the 8 speed transmission is ZF sourced as those in the BMW family of cars.

[Stolidus500]

Originally Posted by THE-U-

The power the Jeep 2L makes is better than the MB GLE 300d's 2L I4 Diesel and the Jeep probably will also do a under 8 seconds 0 to 60 mph like the 7.2 seconds for the MB.

BMW X5 is just 2-3 lakhs away, with it's better in every way 3L petrol. Sure it would have lesser features but I'd rather have lesser features than live with a wheezy engine.
On paper 2L jeep engine might sound good, but in real life, it would neither provide good driving experience nor efficiency.

And Jeep isn't known for it's solid reliability and dependability either. I, personally, would spend 5-10 lakh more on a different brand. Grand Cherokee doesn't have any compelling USP for me to gloss over the well established brands (known devils and all that).

[niruvrs9669]

Originally Posted by THE-U-

Is this just your opinion or is it informed by any pricing data that you have analyzed?

I couldn't tell if you are joking or being serious.

are we expecting a new redesigned Plug-in Hybrid Prado in India to compete with the MB GLE and the like or you are thinking about the Innova Hycross?
.

Response below;

My opinion when I compare it with a BMW X5 that I use.

Prado was actually a joke in India if you know how it was priced with its CBU offering, forget about a plug-in hybrid Prado.

I do think locally manufactured Toyota Hycross-Hybrid would be a great value proposition to the Indian market. Let’s wait till 25th Nov.

[ishlinea7260]

Originally Posted by Stolidus500

BMW X5 is just 2-3 lakhs away, with it's better in every way 3L petrol..

BMW has silently removed the “base “ variant from the X5 line up.
Now it starts from 96,5 lakhs.

[Stolidus500]

Originally Posted by ishlinea7260

BMW has silently removed the “base “ variant from the X5 line up.
Now it starts from 96,5 lakhs.

That's not true. You have to go to configurator to select the variant. 96.5 is for 40i M Sport.

[Chetan_Rao]

What's with neutering a handsome design? I much prefer the previous gen car.

Small displacement turbo petrol, I hope they've done something for bottom end grunt. Pricing is atrocious, but not surprising in an inflated market.

[Turbanator]

So I went to check one locally to be sure this car was not in the leagues of X5 or GLE, as being discussed.

The car is large, but it looks more like a grown-up Meridian rather than having any different identity. More like scaling to my eyes. No complaints, but the interior is surely a letdown.

The roof liner, the leather quality, and the seats & door panels look & feel very basic. Central audio and other controls on the dash, though, look very nice and premium. I could not check the passenger-side display, but it should be good. There was no sound or vibrations from the engine while standing, so the insulation must be good.

The black leather and black wood combo seem to be a wrong selection, especially when it is the only option. The wooden one with something in white would have appeared much premium.

I could not drive one as the Demo is being prepared, so I will reserve my opinion, but surely it can't come anywhere near an X5 in whatever trim you choose. Maybe about the same as GLE with the smaller engine if we have to talk only about the performance.

Jeep may get benefited momentarily as some of the customers may get tempted by this instead- a Jeep (with proper 4x4 fancy adjectives )

[ishlinea7260]

Originally Posted by Stolidus500

That's not true. You have to go to configurator to select the variant. 96.5 is for 40i M Sport.

I had shown the same to the dealer but they themselves said that they are not getting kits for the base variant and can only get one in M sport guise.