Jeep previously announced that they are working on a 7-seat SUV from India, which is codenamed H6 and the Left-hand drive version of the same SUV is being called H1 internally. The new model will sit above the Compass. It will go against the likes of MG Gloster, Ford Endeavour and the Toyota Fortuner. According to Autocar India, the new SUV is expected to get unveiled in the second half of 2021 while the launch is will happen in 2022.
Jeep is currently developing a new three-row SUV, internally referred to as ‘Project 598’, for quite a while now. This upcoming SUV has been spied multiple times during road tests on foreign soil, and the latest spy pictures show that the vehicle is nearing production. According to recent reports, the new Jeep 7-seat SUV is slated to have its global debut later this year.
As for the Indian market, this upcoming three-row SUV will make its way here during the first half of next year. Jeep is planning to begin production of the right-hand-drive model in India in April 2022, with launch expected to follow in May or June. The LHD variant of the SUV is codenamed ‘H1’, while the RHD version is ‘H6’. India will be the global production hub of the latter.
The upcoming Jeep 7-seat SUV will borrow its underpinnings from the Compass, altered to accommodate three rows in the cabin. The exterior design will draw inspiration from the recently-launched Jeep Compass facelift, with some body panels shared between the two SUVs, in the interest of cost-saving. However, don’t expect too many similarities in the design, as the manufacturer had previously stated this upcoming 7-seat SUV will have a distinct character, and won’t simply be a stretched version of the Compass.
As for the features, we expect the Jeep ‘H6’ to offer the same level of equipment as the 2021 Compass. This will include a panoramic sunroof, cooled seats, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument console. We also expect the vehicle to offer the choice of captain chairs for the second row.
The engine will be the same 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine as the Compass, but in a higher state of tune. It will generate a peak power of around 200 PS, and will be mated to a 9-speed automatic gearbox as standard. An all-wheel-drive option will also be available on higher variants. There is no confirmation about the availability of a petrol engine, although the international markets will likely get the 1.3-litre turbo-petrol motor.
In the Indian market, this upcoming 7-seat Jeep SUV will be a direct rival to VW Tiguan Allspace and Skoda Kodiaq. It is expected to carry a premium price tag, which will also put it in competition with Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, and MG Gloster.