India-Made Jeep Compass Gets A 1.6-litre Diesel In The UK

Agencies Updated at: 22 Nov 2017 12:30 PM (IST)

Fiat’s 1.6-litre Multijet engine that we’ve seen on the pre-facelift Maruti Suzuki S-Cross now makes its way under the bonnet of the UK-spec Compass

The Jeep Compass has just gone on sale in the UK with a base price of £22,995 (approximately Rs 19.76 lakh) with deliveries set to begin from February 2018. Since India is the only manufacturing hub for the right-hand-drive Jeep Compass globally, the UK-spec Compass will be exported from FCA’s (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) Ranjangaon plant near Pune.

For the UK market, Jeep is offering Fiat’s 1.6-litre Multijet II engine that was available with the pre-facelift Maruti Suzuki S-Cross (BS-IV version) that was sold in our market. Apart from this powerplant, the UK-spec SUV can also be had with the same set of engines it is sold with here - the 2.0-litre diesel motor or the 1.4-litre turbo petrol. All the engines for the UK market are Euro-VI compliant.

The Jeep Compass’ 1.6-litre diesel motor puts out 120PS and 320Nm (the same output as in the S-Cross before) and is just shy of 53PS and 30Nm when compared to the bigger 2.0-litre Multijet II diesel motor. Sitting below the 1.4-litre MultiAir turbo petrol, the 1.6-litre diesel motor, which is mated to a 6-speed manual, is the base powertrain option in the UK and is available with 4x2 option only.

UK-spec Compass petrol available with 4x4

Unlike the Compass sold in India, the UK-spec SUV equipped with the 1.4-litre MultiAir 2 turbo petrol motor can be had with 4x4 drivetrain too. The petrol Compass in the UK is available in 2 states of tune - 142PS and 173PS. The 142PS version is available with a 6-speed manual transmission in 4x2 layout only while the 173PS version is available with the 9-speed automatic transmission and 4x4 tech. In India, we get the same 1.4-litre petrol engine in 162PS power output but with an option of a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch auto in 4x2 configuration only.

UK-spec Compass with 2.0-litre diesel gets 9-speed automatic transmission

The Compass powered with the bigger 2.0-litre diesel engine in the UK is also available in two states of tune - 142PS and 173PS. But the 2.0-litre diesel Compass in the UK is available in 4x4 layout only. In India, we get the 2.0-litre, 173PS diesel engine paired with a 6-speed manual transmission in 4x2 as well as 4x4 layout. In the UK, the 142PS diesel Compass is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission while the 173PS version comes with a 9-speed automatic. It is the same 9-speed auto ‘box that the 4x4 diesel version of the India-spec Jeep Compass is expected to get next year. Jeep has already started manufacturing Compass diesel with a 9-speed automatic transmission in India. Read full report here.

Optional dual-pane sunroof on offer too!

The Compass' feature list in India doesn't include a sunroof but it's available as an optional fitment for the UK market. Even safety has been beefed up in the UK-spec Compass as it gets Forward Collision Warning-Plus, LaneSense Departure Warning-Plus, Blind-spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Path detection, ParkView rear backup camera with dynamic grid lines, Automated Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, electronic stability control (ESC) with electronic roll mitigation and six standard airbags.

It won’t be surprising if the Jeep Compass equipped with the 1.6-litre Multijet II diesel engine does not make it to India where Jeep already offers the 2.0-litre diesel engine with 4x2 option and manual transmission starting from Rs 15.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Jeep does not offer a four-wheel-drive version of the petrol-powered Compass here. Given that it’s now made in India for overseas markets, Jeep will always have an option to launch it in India if demand arises.