Jeep Meridian

Ever since its launch in 2022, Jeep’s Meridian has stood out from other SUVs in its segment offering a fine balance between the tough feel of Asian rivals and combining it with the sophistication and finesse of its European counterparts. 

However, it has been a while since we saw a major update to the SUV. Is it still relevant to the market? Let’s find out.

Design & Build Quality

Jeep designs in recent times have always taken the muscular, but subtle approach that keeps them timeless and classy for a long time. And the Meridian is no different in this regard. While its links to the Compass are quite evident, it also bears a certain resemblance to the much larger Grand Cherokee and comes across as a boxy and traditional yet cleanly-styled SUV. 

Upfront, the highlight remains the seven-slat grille which is, in true American fashion, coated with plenty of chrome and silver elements.

Flanking this are the slim, rectangular LED headlamps which are also surrounded by chrome garnish.

The bumper on the other hand, is a lot more ‘sculpted’ and features multiple chrome elements, a large air dam and a large fog-lamp cluster which adds to its muscular proportions.

The front-end will remind you of the Compass, although it does look bolder. In profile, its hunkered-down stance is apparent and it chooses to express its toughness using a strong shoulder-line, protruding haunches and the large 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels.

The Overland edition we had for this test also gets body-coloured side cladding that removes a bit of the SUV-ness, but adds a degree of class in its place.

The rear-end styling of the Meridian looks less aggressive than rivals like the Fortuner or Gloster with its flat tailgate, slim LED taillamps and a small windshield. It looks substantial, but does not give a butch feel like you’d expect from a large SUV.

Based on the variant, you can choose from seven colour options in the Meridian: Brilliant Black, Pearl White, Magnesio Grey, Galaxy Blue, Techno Metallic Green, Velvet Red and Silvery Moon.

In terms of build quality, the Meridian feels solid throughout with thin and consistent panel gaps and a heavy well-built feel overall.

Design & Quality

Inside as well, the Meridian feels like a well-made product but one which chooses a subtle and graceful design language over cutting-edge or futuristic designs.

The dashboard is now covered in a suede finish for a unique touch, while you have brass-coloured accents running across it as well.

The seats come finished in brown leatherette upholstery that also feels quite premium.

You get to see the familiar three-spoke steering wheel which feels substantial to use with its large size.

Interestingly, besides the MID and cruise control buttons on the spokes, you also get volume and audio controls placed behind the wheel, which can be operated without taking your fingers off the rim.

The centre console features nice leatherette-trim on either side, with gloss black panelling in between.

You also have a large 10.1-inch floating touchscreen on top and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster which is easy to read and highly customisable.

In terms of quality, the Meridian feels like a luxurious place to be in with soft touch materials all over and a solid feel for the switchgear; there are some misses though like the indicator and wiper stalks that feel low-rent for this segment and have a clickety feel. 

There are also some ergonomic misses here such as the dead pedal for the driver that has less support than we would’ve liked and is placed awkwardly in the footwell, and the fact that there is no dedicated button to switch on the parking camera, and instead you have to go through two menus on the touchscreen.

Front Seats

Getting into the Meridian feels quite easy and is less of a task than many body-on-frame rivals. It is a bit of a climb but most people would not feel the need for a side step. Once inside, the seats feel plush and with their large frames can accommodate most quite comfortably with good support from the backrest. Although thigh support can be improved.

Out on the road, the driving position feels nice and tall, but the ends of the bonnet are not visible and the sharply-raked windshield makes it feel more like a crossover than a true-blue SUV.

Notably, the driver and co-driver seats feature ventilation and 8-way power adjustment with 4-way electric lumbar adjustment as well which can do wonders over longer trips. The driver seat further gets two memory settings that can be linked to the user profile and configured as a preset for other in-car settings too.

Second Row

Getting into the second row of the Meridian is easy as well thanks to the large doors that open wide. The seats are placed higher than the front ones and give occupants a good view out of the car credit the large windows as well. However, taller passengers could find headroom to be tight here and we wish the seat base offered better thigh support.

The cabin is also narrow and seating three adults will be a squeeze.

Amenity-wise, you get a huge centre armrest with cupholders, dedicated rear ac vents and an adjustable backrest. There are no rear sunshades though, which should have been offered considering they have become commonplace in lower segments as well.

Do note while our test car did not feature a sliding second row, Jeep has added the functionality in the 2026 version of the Meridian that should help in increasing comfort and flexibility.

Third Row

Climbing into the third row is a surprisingly easy affair. The second row seats fold and tumble creating a wide space to get in. However, that is where the surprise ends. Space here is at a premium and you sit almost on the floor in a knees-up position. 

Interestingly you have dedicated roof-mounted AC vents here with blower controls too, but there are no charging ports and what you get instead is a cupholder for each occupant.

Overall the third row is suitable for kids only and the Meridian should be treated as a strict 5+2 seater.

Storage & Practicality

Storage spaces in the Meridian are aplenty. Up front you have a large glovebox that can hold all of your documents and knick-knacks easily. It also gets a cooled function to store your drinks.

Each door also gets a huge bottleholder that can accommodate 1-litre bottles comfortably while also carrying some other smaller bits and bobs at the same time. 

Front occupants get two large cupholders in the centre console, while lifting up the centre armrest will also reveal a deep and large cubbyhole. Second row passengers get front seatback pockets to store small things. 

Charging Options

Front passengers in the Meridian get a wireless smartphone charger placed ahead of the centre console. It can accommodate larger devices too and works without any fuss.

You also get the option of a USB Type-A and Type-C charging ports above it.

On the other hand, the second row gets a USB Type-A port under the AC vents and a 12V socket below it as well. 

Boot Space

With all rows up, the Meridian offers 170 litres of boot space, which can carry two cabin-sized bags with a small backpack thrown in.

Fold the third row down, and the space on offer expands to 481 litres which is enough for four full-sized suitcases and two soft bags. 

You can also choose to fold the second row and tumble it down as well for a more generous 824 litres of space to carry large and oddly-shaped items.

What is also noteworthy in this department is the powered tailgate which opens wide with a low loading lip that makes it easy to load in luggage. The flat proportions and minimal intrusions also mean that it is a well-shaped boot.

Features

Jeep has equipped the Meridian well, and it gets plenty of features. There is a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system which gets wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. This system is easy to use and offers a smooth experience. 

Navigating menus is easy, and we also appreciate that you can control important functions via two physical knobs given below. 

For your tunes, Jeep has given it a 9-speaker Alpine audio system. Fire it up, and it's quite evident that it has been tuned for a bass-heavy setup. It manages to deliver excellent sound quality and there is no distortion even at higher volume levels.

You also get a 360-degree camera that is useful, especially given the size of the SUV. It has a clean feed, multiple viewing modes and minimal lag. One small miss here is the absence of a dedicated button to switch it on while driving, given that you have to go through two menus to toggle it on manually.

Then you also have a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that has a clean layout and is highly customisable.

You can switch between analogue and digital themes for the cluster, and navigating it through buttons on the steering wheel is effortless. 

Other features in Meridian include dual-zone climate control, ventilated front seats, powered tailgate, connected car tech, auto headlamps, auto-dimming IRVM, a panoramic sunroof and inbuilt navigation.

Safety is taken care of in the Meridian with standard features like 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic parking brake with auto-hold (EPB), tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), traction control, hill start assist (HSA), rain-sensing wipers, ISOFIX child seat anchors, rear parking sensors, rear view camera and all-wheel disc brakes.

Higher variants also get you a 360-degree camera, seatbelt reminders for all occupants and a Level 1 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) suite with functions like:

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

• Lane Keep Assist (LKA)

• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

• Blind Spot Detection (BSD)

• Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR)

• High Beam Assist (HBA) 

The Meridian has not been tested by Bharat NCAP till now.

Under the hood, the Meridian is powered by a 2-litre diesel engine option, which can be had with manual or automatic gearbox options. Here are the detailed specifications of both the powertrains:

MT- Manual Transmission, AT- Automatic Transmission (torque converter)

Jeep also offers an optional four-wheel drive setup with the Diesel AT powertrain of the Meridian, which is what we got to drive for this review.

City Performance

Start up the Meridian and it has considerable shake before the engine settles into its zone. The cabin insulation is excellent, but the engine remains audible throughout the rev range with its slightly gruff note. Inside the city, the Meridian does not like to be hustled. The gearbox goes through the gears in a smooth manner but there is a noticeable lag during upshifts, and some hesitation shifting down the gears when you want to make quick progress.

Overall the Meridian works fine when driven sedately, but point-and-shoot conditions are not its forte.

Highway Performance

Out on the highway is where it performs better. Cruising at three-digit speeds, the engine spins over at a leisurely pace, thanks to the tall ninth gear. Just like inside the city though, it feels at home when driven in a relaxed manner. There is some turbo lag when you punch down the throttle, and you get a clean surge of power after 2000rpm which will keep most drivers happy. 

However, the slow nature of the gearbox means that overtakes need to be planned and require at least one, and a lot of times, two downshifts. What the Meridian is built for is long, uninterrupted stretches of smooth tarmac, which is quite apparent in the way it drives.

In short, the Meridian will work quite fine for most, but if you are an enthusiastic driver or are seeking thrills, the powertrain doesn’t quite match up to the ride and handling package.

Ride Quality

When it comes to ride quality, the Meridian truly feels indestructible. At low speeds, potholes and undulations are dismissed as if they don’t exist and it's only the largest of them that are even heard inside. This nature becomes even more prominent as speeds rise, and the Meridian just glides over everything that is thrown towards it, so much so that you’d regularly find yourself speeding up for rough patches.

What’s more, unlike its body-on-frame rivals, the monocoque construction of the Meridian keeps it civilised with minimal side-to-side movement and rock-solid stability at high speeds making it a true mile muncher.

Handling

On the handling front, the Meridian is predictable and smooth. There are no surprises here and the chassis feels taut and in control taking corners at speeds. It is a heavy SUV though, and you do feel the weight while braking hard or cornering but it remains settled overall.

Jeep offers the Meridian in four variants with two special editions:

Jeep Meridian Longitude

• Offered as a 5-seater only.

• Gets manual and automatic gearbox options with FWD setup only.

• Comes with exterior elements such as Projector LED headlamps with LED DRLs, roof rails, sharkfin antenna, black cladding, body-coloured door handles, 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, chrome trims and LED taillamps

• Grey and black interior theme with leatherette upholstery, silver dashboard finish, touchscreen infotainment system, analogue instrument cluster with MID and reclining second row seats.

• Features such as keyless entry, 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, dual-zone climate control, 6-speaker music system, cruise control (AT only) and power-folding and electrically-adjustable ORVMs.

Jeep Meridian Longitude Plus

• 7-seater layout only.

• Gets manual and automatic gearbox options with FWD setup only.

• Exterior upgrades like gloss black ORVMs and LED foglamps.

• Adds leather wrapped steering wheel inside and third row of seats.

• Equipment list adds wireless charging, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

• Safety enhanced with inclusion of seatbelt reminders for all passengers. 

Jeep Meridian Limited (O)

• 7-seater layout only.

• Manual and automatic gearbox options, with FWD and 4WD(AT only) powertrains

• Interior gets dual-tone black and beige leatherette upholstery, scuff plates, sliding second row and chrome trim on centre console and side AC vents.

• Feature-list boosted with 9-speaker Alpine audio system, 8-way powered front seats with memory function for driver, powered tailgate, 360-degree camera and connected car tech.

Jeep Meridian Trail Edition

• Based on the Limited (O) variant

• Exterior enhancements such as Trail Edition badging, bonnet decals, grey trims on roof rails and headlamp surrounds. Piano black garnish on foglamp surrounds, ORVMs and rear bumper and red highlight for front bumper

• Interior gets a vinyl theme with red accents, piano black centre console and exclusive scuff plates.

Jeep Meridian Overland

• 7-seater layout only.

• Automatic gearbox only with FWD and 4WD powertrains

• Exterior enhancements include black ORVMs with puddle lamps and diamond-cut 18-inch alloy wheels.

• Interior gets a dual-tone black and brown theme with suede dashboard trim and brass-coloured accents.

• Adds Level 1 ADAS features to boost safety.

Jeep Meridian Track Edition

• Based on the Overland edition.

• Automatic gearbox only with FWD and 4WD powertrains.

• Adds piano black roof rails and smoked chrome grille outside.

• Stays identical in terms of features to Overland trim.

CarDekho Recommends

• Go for the base Longitude variant for the most value-for-money offering as it covers all the basics and has a fair bit of niceties.

• The Overland edition is ideal for buyers seeking the full experience, along with 4WD capabilities.

The Meridian brings something different to the segment. On one hand you have the butch and tough body-on-frame cars like the MG Gloster and Toyota Fortuner, while the other end of the spectrum contains more sophisticated, road-biased and tech-loaded options like the Skoda Kodiaq or Volkswagen Tayron R-Line. 

In between these however, is where the Meridian precisely sits, and it strikes the balance well between old-school charm and ruggedness and modern-day ease of use and technology. 

Yes it has its shortcomings, and the lack of other fuel options or more eager powertrains reduces its appeal. It is also an expensive SUV for what it offers, not as spacious as its size suggests and quite frankly, feels a bit dated as well.

That said, as it stands, if you drive on highways a lot and want a semi-luxurious SUV without sacrificing on the off-road and rough-road capabilities, the Meridian might just turn out to be the diamond in the rough you crave for.

Other Cars To Consider

Toyota Fortuner

Reasons To Consider

• Stronger performance levels from diesel

• Abuse-friendly body-on-frame construction

• Toyota’s wide sales and service network

• Strong resale value

Reasons To Ignore

• A lot more expensive

• Underpowered petrol engine

• Feels dated

• Stiff ride can be uncomfortable

MG Majestor

Reasons To Consider

• Gets a lot more technology

• 6-seater layout for chauffeur-driven buyers

• Abuse-friendly nature and off-road gadgetry

• More powerful engine

Reasons To Ignore

• Aggressive styling can be polarising

• No petrol engine option

• Large size can make city driving/parking more challenging

Skoda Kodiaq

Reasons To Consider

• Enthusiastic driving feel

• More features on offer

• Subtle and classy styling will age gracefully

Reasons To Ignore

• Cramped third row

• No diesel or manual powertrain options

Volkswagen Tayron R-Line

Reasons To Consider

• Sporty and contemporary looks

• Luxurious interior with long feature-list

• Powerful engine and taut handling

Reasons To Ignore

• Cramped third row

• No diesel or manual powertrain options