Jeep SUVs launched in India at a starting price of Rs 71.59 lakh

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has launched two new SUVs - the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4x4 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The models are direct imports.

The Jeep Wrangler will be available in the Unlimited spec in India at Rs 71.59 lakh (ex-Delhi).

The Grand Cherokee will be available in three variants - Limited, Summit and SRT. The Grand Cherokee Limited is priced at Rs 93.4 lakh while the Grand Cherokee Summit will set you back by Rs 1.03 crore. The top of the line Grand Cherokee SRT will be available at Rs 1.12 crore. All prices are ex-Delhi.

The Wrangler and Grand Cherokee will be available with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty as standard. The warranty is transferable to the second owner.

FCA has announced that it will open 10 new dealerships, called Jeep destination stores, across nine cities in India by the end of this year. The first outlet, in Ahmedabad, is now operational. Dealerships in Delhi and Chennai will open in September. The Mumbai dealership is set to open in October followed by a second dealership in Delhi in the same month. Outlets in Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Kochi and Bengaluru will open thereafter.

The Wrangler is powered by a 2,776 cc diesel engine that develops 200PS at 3,600rpm and 4,60Nm between 1,600-2,600rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed automatic.

The company says that the Wrangler is the only trail-rated SUV in the market with Jeep's Command Trac 4x4 system handling off-road duties. The SUV has heavy-duty solid axles an 18-bolt main case joint clamping to handle extreme terrains. The Wrangler runs on 17-inch Silent Armour tyres by Goodyear.

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited also gets removable doors and a three-piece modular, removable hard top and a soft top as standard. There are six colour options to choose from. The Jeep Grand Cherokee gets a 3-litre V6 engine that develops 243PS at 3,600rpm and 570Nm at 2,000rpm. This engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifts.

The Grand Cherokee gets Jeep's latest Quadra-Trac 4WD system and A Select-Track five mode traction-control system - sport, auto, road and tow. The Grand Cherokee can tow loads up to 3,500kg, making it perfect for towing a trailer or a caravan.

The interiors in the Summit are swathed in Nappa leather including the seats, dashboard centre console and gear selector. It gets an 8.4-inch UConnect infotainment system and a nine-speaker Alpine music system. There are foldable monitors behind the front seats and a Blu-ray disc player too.

The SRT is the flagship SUV and gets a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 petrol engine that puts out 475PS at 6,250rpm and and 624NM at 624Nm at 4,100rpm. The motor is mated to an 8-speed automatic too.

With all that power on tap, Jeep claims a 0-100 time of five seconds only (with launch control). That's really fast by SUV standards. The SRT also gets high-performance Brembo brakes. The SRT too gets the Quadra-Trac II full-time 4WD system with Select-Track. The interiors are sporty with carbon-fiber appliques, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and aluminium pedals. It gets an 8.4-inch multimedia system that's connected to a 19-speaker Harman-Kardon music system.

FCA has also announced that it is developing an all-new Jeep SUV at its Ranjangaon facility. It will be heavily localised; however, the percentage of localisation has not been revealed.

Here are the links to all the Jeep reviews

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited road test

Jeep Grand Cherokee road test

Jeep Grand Cherokee road trip in California

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk II review