Jeep confirms EcoSport rival at Paris

Jeep unveiled the Renegade last year, announcing its entry into the lower segments that it had previously not addressed. Further beefing up its lower segment portfolio, Jeep is readying a small SUV below the Renegade. This will rival the likes of the EcoSport, Hyundai Creta and the Renault Duster in India. Autocar India reported in March 2016 that Jeep was readying this model for global markets, including India.

 

Company boss Mike Manley confirmed this to our sister magazine, Autocar UK, at the ongoing Paris motor show 2016. Manley said, “I’m pretty confident that it is going to be a viable segment for us in the future."

 

He wouldn’t be drawn on a date when such a vehicle might appear and said, “The reality is that we have to go through all of the usual business planning processes first."

 

This new small SUV (codenamed Jeep MG or Jeep 526) is based on the Fiat X6H platform which is an evolution of the original 326 architecture that underpins many models on sale globally.

 

The SUV will be first shown next year and will likely be manufactured at Fiat’s Betim plant in Brazil. It will be sold in South America initially. Style-wise, the new Jeep MG will get more of a square or boxy look, just like the Renegade. It will be one of the future models that will be sold in India and will be manufactured at Fiat’s Ranjangaon facility, just like the Compass.