While Jeep India is gearing up to roll out the BS6-compliant and diesel-auto versions of the Compass, a facelift for the SUV is in the works and is expected to arrive in India by late-2020. Images of the Compass facelift on test in China – and wearing quite a lot of camouflage – have surfaced online hinting at the design changes the India-spec model will get.
The images show that the silhouette of the new Compass will be more or less identical, though new alloy wheel designs are almost a certainty. It seems like a majority of the changes on the exterior are at the front – the headlight, front bumper and grille design seems to be tweaked slightly. The shape of the tail-light units seems to be the same as the current model as well, though LED elements may be included to freshen up the rear end.
The interiors are heavily camouflaged but what we can see shows that the design doesn't stray far from the current Compass, though there seems to be new bits on the central console. However, one can expect quality of materials to get take a leap forward. Also expect Jeep to offer a longer list of features including an updated and possibly larger touchscreen infotainment unit – something SUVs like the MG Hector and Kia Seltos are known for.
Expect the same BS6-compliant 163hp, 1.4-litre turbo-petrol and 173hp, 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engines that will roll out on the current model to feature on the facelift. The same 7-speed dual-clutch automatic for the petrol and 9-speed torque convertor automatic for the diesel, as optional extras, will also continue.
Jeep Compass prices are expected to rise in the coming weeks with the update to meet BS6 emission norms and the facelift is likely to command a small premium over that.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
Suraj Viswanathan
