Jeep Meridian Diesel Long Term Review: City and Highway Report

City Blues

Driving around in the Jeep Meridian in a city like Mumbai while it is undergoing one of its most intense infrastructure transformations in more than three decades is a good reminder that you are behind the wheel of a very large car. It’s not particularly light on its feet, so you have plenty of time to give way rather than marking your presence in gridlock. But it is massive and very comfortable, making it worth giving up your spot, especially to two- and three-wheelers.

Over protective

One of the upgrades that came with this Meridian when it launched was level-2 ADAS, and it has been working on overdrive all our time with the car. The rear cross-traffic alert is cautious and will start to beep even if a vehicle is far away but appears to be in your path, which seemed irritating at first but has its own advantages. In a road system where pedestrians are in their own world, this caution can be the difference between backing out safely and unnecessary arguments. It plays a crucial role when you have the third row up, as rear visibility is poor, and this system helps out significantly.

All-around view

Another big factor and benefit in my city experiences has been the 360 camera package. Accessing it takes two taps on the screen, and once it is on, it really helps you judge the edges of the car when things get tight. The resolution is good even in the dark, and there is a border around the vehicle in the overhead view showing you just how much you can push when manoeuvring in tight spaces. However, the positioning of the rear camera is such that in heavy rain, it is in the spray path and tends to get soiled easily. A spray guard or repositioning the camera to be in the path of the rear wash spray would solve this problem.

“I’ll open the boot door!”

Now that we are here at the back of the car, it is also a good time to point out that the boot door is massive and requires some visual mathematics before you open it up, especially if you are inside a place with a low roof or in the lower section of a raised parking stack. Jeep also decided that it must do things differently, and thus the boot closing button is inside the car, which can be confusing for security personnel when entering any large facility. After losing my cool a few times, I decided to make it a habit to open and close the boot section myself during any security check.

Stop-start

Much like everything else that comes with auto stop-start these days, the Meridan’s system stays on by default and, in our three months so far, works on an unpredictable pattern with regard to activating itself. What’s more, when the car comes back on, it tends to whip the steering back to life, giving you quite a surprise if you are not prepared.

No wheels out

When I began my innings with the Meridan, I thought parallel parking would be a major issue due to its size, but if you find a suitable spot, then manoeuvring the car into place is not difficult, though it requires three turns to go lock-to-lock. You also don’t have to worry about parking over rough surfaces or bumps as there is more than enough ground clearance.

No road, no problem

I could leave this section with just this title, and it would be more than sufficient to describe the ability of the Meridian to conquer terrain. You ride with absolute supremacy, unfazed by even the gnarliest of broken roads, as the wheels are big, the ground clearance high, and the engine offering lots of torque at the bottom end. If you can find the space and it's legal to traverse with a car, then you can point the Meridian in that direction and, in the words of 50 Cent: “Hit the gear, hit the gas and you are gone.” In fact, the only other time I have experienced this kind of go-anywhere ability is with a famous SUV that has its origins in the German armed forces.

Highway Blues

Where the Meridian feels like a Goliath in the city, it is surprisingly agile on the highway. The torque from the diesel engine makes cruising at triple-digit speeds an absolute breeze, and combined with the features of the ADAS, it is pretty easy to cover long distances without breaking a sweat. Under heavy braking, the car tends to dive forward, and the progression is a little slower than one would have expected, but if you plan, it can be a smooth stop-and-go experience.

However, even with judicious throttle inputs, we could not manage more than 11.7kmpl out on the highway, which is not great for something with this size of engine, but it is definitely better than the 7.5kmpl being achieved in city conditions. The insulation is fantastic, with everything kept out of the cabin even at three-digit speeds, except for the sound of the diesel engine, which is all-permeating across all three rows.

Seven seater(ish)

While billed as a seven-seat model, the third row space is best suited for short journeys or children at best. The under-thigh support is non-existent, and if you are on the larger side (like yours truly), then your dignity is at stake when getting in or out. But drop the third row, and you get a cavernous boot with solid potential to play cargo Candy Crush with your bags.

Next in line

By the next report, the Meridian would have completed its time in the CarWale garage, but we have planned out a pros-and-cons as well as a soft-roading test with the car. Do check back next month for more details!