For the past year or so, you’ve been reading articles about an upcoming Jeep. One that’ll be built on Compass’ foundations. Well, the wait is finally over as the model in question has finally broken cover. It’s called the Jeep Commander – the first Jeep developed in Brazil. Bookings are open, and prices have been revealed for the Brazilian market. That said, the SUV will be exported to other Latin American countries as well.

At first glance, one can see the resemblance in design with that of the Compass. However, spend a bit more time looking at it, and those keen-eyed out there will point out the differences. The iconic seven-slat grille is still there but with a twist. It bends inwards on the top. Flanking it are two sleeker LED-powered headlamps, which also house the DRLs. Yes, the front bumper’s different too, and so is the one at the rear. Speaking of which, the tailgate is entirely new, with a more upright silhouette. Even the taillamps, which encompass a metallic bar in between, are slimmer and pack LED units.

Bring in some math, and the Commander dwarfs the Compass. It is more than a foot longer, marginally broader and taller, and rides on an extended wheelbase. As a result, the newcomer does distance itself from the donor car. In addition, courtesy of the extra real estate, the Commander has a much roomier cabin. Yes, there’s a third row of seats, and to get to those, the second row has a 60:40 split.

As for the interior design, it is almost identical to the Compass. And as you’d expect, the Commander gets all the bells and whistles too. That includes a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, powered seats and a wireless mobile charger. Also on offer are features such as a panoramic sunroof, Harmon Kardon sound system, powered tailgate, adaptive cruise control and connected-car tech.

Coming to the engines, there are two available for the Brazilian market. One is a turbocharged 1.3-litre flex-fuel mill that produces up to 182hp/270Nm. The other option is a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel that puts out 168hp/380Nm. While the former comes coupled to a 6-speed auto and front-wheel drive, the latter packs a 9-speed auto and a 4×4 system.

For India, the first change that Jeep will do is rename the Commander as Meridian. Secondly, the changes we see here might not be as extravagant for the India-spec model. Thirdly, the Meridian will have just one engine on offer, at least in the beginning – the 2.0-litre diesel. Reports suggest that Jeep might inject a mild-hybrid system in the mix. All in all, the Meridian might offer close to 200hp.

So, when will that happen? Not before mid-2022. Come to think of it, that’s less than a year from now. Jeep will produce the Meridian at its plant in Ranjangaon. Once ready, it will compete against other SUVs such as the Fortuner and Endeavour. The brand will also export it to other right-hand-drive markets.