Jeep India has big plans as far as its products are concerned in the country. The company plans to bring several new products to India and we already know that the Meridian and the Grand Cherokee are coming to the country this year itself. However, whatever plans it had for bringing in a sub 4-metre SUV into the Indian market, well, those are not happening. Speaking at a media round table, Christian Meunier, Jeep Brand Chief Executive Officer, answered a question posed by carandbike about this very segment. [1]

Figure 1. Jeep will not Bring a Sub-4 Metre SUV to India

Figure 1 shows Jeep's conundrum is understandable though: you see, in India, finding the right balance between the car's price and its capability is, well, a Herculean task if not completely impossible. In fact, the cost issue with Jeep in India is further exacerbated because of the brand's rule to offer 4x4 options for its SUVs. As you can imagine, the costs can pile up quickly which is not great for a price sensitive market such as India. Plus, imagine how expensive it would be to develop a 4x4 SUV that is smaller than even the Jeep Renegade. [2]

Jeep sub-4m SUV: cost vs capability

Building a small SUV isn’t a challenge for a company like Jeep. In fact, the European and South American markets could see a junior Jeep below the Renegade. It’s the Indian market that is a huge challenge where the right cost versus capability balance is proving impossible to achieve. And that's because Jeep has always been steadfast in its intention to always have a 4x4 option for its entire range, even for its smallest models.

Engineering a compact Jeep to have 4x4 capability is very costly and clearly not viable in the price-sensitive sub-4m segment. “It’s a dream to have a sub-4m model for India that is a true Jeep, that is cost competitive and that can make money,” says Meunier.

Even using a low-cost 2WD platform like Citroen’s CMP – something that was being considered – would prove to be a challenge because the only way to make a 4x4 would be by adding an electric rear axle, something Jeep has done with some Compass variants. But again, for the Indian market, the cost of the motor and batteries would push the price far beyond what customers would be willing to pay.

References:

1. https://www.carandbike.com/news/jeep-will-not-bring-a-sub-4-metre-suv-to-india-2785190
2. https://www.timesnownews.com/auto/car-news/jeeps-plan-to-launch-sub-4m-suv-in-india-put-off-for-now-article-89820754
3. https://www.autocarindia.com/car-news/jeep-puts-sub-4-metre-suv-plans-on-hold-423643

Cite this article:

Thanusri swetha J (2022), Jeep will not Bring a Sub-4 Metre SUV to India, Anatechmaz, pp. 175