The car looks handsome and will continue to do so for a long time (similar to Polo) with its clean and timeless design.
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Jeeplife begins
What a time to buy a car in India! The Indian players are just killing it (XUV, Safari, Thar etc). Koreans are putting luxury cars to shame with their features offering. Japanese are bringing hybrid technology to the mass market. Germans are giving the rich Indians a lot of options to choose from. Meanwhile, some Americans are running away . Thankfully, Jeep is still here!
I was looking to complete my single-car garage this year. Our VW GT TSI has already done much more than she promised us when we got her home in 2016. 1 Lakh plus kms on stock DSG, a road trip from Bangalore to Leh, my wife’s daily office commute and she still continues to be my weapon of choice when I want to have some fun on the weekends! She is a keeper.
In Jan 2023, I could not stop myself from taking the plunge into EV space when Tata launched the Tiago EV. She turned out to be the best city car ever. Remember the time when every household had an activa? That’s what the Tiago EV is turning out to be. 18k kms done in 9 months and I intend to keep her for 10 years. Another keeper!
After the EV came home, I started looking out for a highway cruiser in the 30L range that could do 4 things that the GT lacked.
- Big on space
- Some opulence in the cabin
- Good suspension
- Good brakes
The Elimination Game:
XUV 700 – Ticked all boxes. Could not see a logical reason for not choosing it. Except the 6 months waiting period. Hard to eliminate.
Safari – Again ticked all boxes. Things that worked against it: service centers are overburdened (personal experience during Tiago service), the quality issues and general lack of finesse.
Innova HyCross – Did not like the interiors and the music system. The hybrid powertrain felt both weird and exciting to drive but I did not feel a connect with the car during the test drive. 1 year waiting period was another negative.
Kodiaq: Out of budget and abysmal fuel efficiency (although the engine is a gem).
Fortuner: Out of budget and not a comfortable monocoque.
Meridian: It wasn’t even in my shortlist but a friend who works at Stellantis urged me to check it out before ticking it off the list. As destiny would have it, it was love-at-first-drive! It was an instant connection and something special about the car that got me hooked. Took my family along for a second test drive and everyone just loved the car instantly. Stretched the budget and got home another keeper.
Why FWD: I am not an off-road enthusiast. I have never felt the need for a 4×4 in my 15+ years of driving. I could even take the humble Polo to KhardungLa and Pangong without worrying about losing traction. I believe that FWD will do the job for me.
Delivery: Excellent experience dealing with PPS Jeep Kanakapura road. Special mention to Vikas, Irfan, Suresh and Pragna for the pleasant buying experience. I had some special demands as I intended to take the Meridian to Kashmir within 2 days of delivery. Vikas ensured that the car was ready for a long drive: fasttag, DEF cans, number plates etc everything was made ready as promised.
Jeep’s customer centric approach.
Took delivery on a Sunday and took off for Kashmir on Wednesday.
Somewhere between Bangalore and Delhi.
The car looks handsome and will continue to do so for a long time (similar to Polo) with its clean and timeless design. But I do intend to dechrome it a bit very soon.
The cabin is minimal, classy, elegant and feels luxurious with the materials used. Everything can be controlled by the touchscreen and also by physical buttons which is a big plus.
The panoramic sunroof just enhances the cabin feel so much further. For all those who think that sunroofs are a waste in India, just go to a scenic place and experience clear skies or rainfall or snowfall from the back seat and you will never buy a car without a glass roof.
The Alpine audio system is really good once you play with the equaliser a bit. Crisp and clear at both low and high volumes.
Continue reading BHPian anshumandun’s review for more insights and information.
