COMPASS + 2 = MERIDIAN

The new seven-seat Jeep SUV’s name has a few meanings and one of them is ‘pinnacle’, but is it so?

- Rivan RS

I have to admit I really like the name Jeep Meridian. It is consistent with Jeep’s geography-based nomenclature (like the Compass), and means more than just that. The word meridian is a versatile one, and could be used synonymously with zenith, pinnacle, peak, and apex. We were invited to take the soon-to-launch Meridian on a drive around Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, to find out what aspects of Jeep’s new seven-seat SUV are apt to the name. Being a Jeep, there was the mandatory off-road track arranged as well.

When I first laid eyes on the Meridian in the flesh, it looked much bigger than the Compass, especially around the middle. Yes, it is 364mm longer, 41-mm wider, 58-mm taller and has a wheelbase that’s 146-mm longer, but the stretched seven-slat grille, and the slimmer headlights give the impression that it’s much wider. It’s a nice look on what is essentially an elongated Compass. It’s also quite noticeable that there is quite a bit of length behind the rear wheel, though — as with the Compass — my OCD kicked in when I saw that the rear wheel and the wheel well aren’t aligned quite right.

Like others of its ilk (three-row derivatives of five-seat SUVs), the Compass and Meridian could be mistaken for one another in the dark, but once the lights come on, you’ll definitely know which one is which. The rear styling is also unique to the Meridian, featuring slimmer lights linked by a chrome strip, which helps, again, to accentuate its width. The new 18-inch alloys also provide more distinction between the smaller Jeep and the seven-seat version. Overall, the Meridian, like the Compass, looks solid, well-put-together, and rugged, while being more urbane than the likes of the Wrangler.