Jeep is working on a next-generation Compass. However, no need to hold your breath as it won’t be coming to India. According to a media report, the new Compass has been in development for more than a year and was set to be launched in India in 2026. However, it was not found to be commercially viable, which forced Stellantis to shelve the project altogether. The new-gen Compass will be based on an all-new STLA-M platform, which would have required an investment of over US$400-500 million. Stellantis had also planned to develop Peugeot SUVs based on the same platform for export markets. However, due to their limited potential, Stellantis believes it won’t make commercial sense to develop and produce these SUVs in India. The STLA-M platform has been designed to support multiple body styles and powertrains. The new Compass is likely to come in mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric versions and would also get advanced connectivity features and ADAS. The report states that the flexible nature of the STLA-M platform makes it more expensive, which led to the development costs of the India-spec Compass to overshoot the cost targets by 1.7 times. That being said, Jeep may not phase out the current-gen Compass in India. The automaker will reportedly extend the lifecycle of the current model beyond 2026. Source: Autocar India
