Seven-seat Jeep Compass put on hold as facelift looms

A delayed entry into the South Africa market at the end of last year after bowing at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2016, the seven-seat version of the Jeep Compass has been pushed back to 2021 as focus switches to the model’s first mid-life facelift.

Based on the report from Autocar India, the Compass, which is built for Indian and exports markets at Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles’ (FCA) Ranjangaon Plant, will remain a five-seat model throughout next year as preparations for the facelift takes preference over more seats.

Initially slated to have arrived next year, the publication, based on claims from alleged insiders, states that the seven-seat Compass, known internally as Low-D, will remain a proper off-roader and have “much in common” with the five-seat model.

Whereas the South African-spec Compass is limited to a single model, the Trailhawk powered by the 2.4-litre Tigershark petrol engine that punches out 129kW/229Nm, the Indian model will feature updated version of the 120 kW 1.4-litre turbo-petrol and the 130 kW 2.0-litre turbodiesel engines in order to comply with the stringent BS6 emission regulations, and more automatic gearbox equipped variants.

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