The growth of the SUV market has attracted some of the best automobile brands and some of them have launched their best selling vehicles globally including India, while some have designed or redesigned their SUV`s to suit the Indian driving conditions.
Jeep is also among those companies who believe in the potential of the Indian buyers and as the launch of the Grand Cherokee nears there is news of a subcompact Jeep being launched in US which might be launched in India by 2015. As we hear about the subcompact SUV launched in India we assume/hope that it will be less than 4.0 meters to avail the exemption in excise duty, but in case of the upcoming baby Cherokee the length will be 4.2 meters, which makes it 0.4 meters shorter than the existing SUV. In an interview with Edmunds, Jeep CEO Mike Manley said “The weight of that market today is outside North America, predominately Europe,” said Manley. “It is growing in China. I think when we launch our SUV here, you are going to see quite significant growth in that segment in the U.S.” he also added that the subcompact vehicle will be manufactured in the Fiat plant in Italy.
There will also be a European spec subcompact SUV which will also be offered in diesel options, whereas the US spec will be available only in petrol. Since there is already a European spec vehicle it’s just a matter of time that the subcompact vehicle is launched in India. But at the same time being more than 4.0 meters it will defiantly priced higher than the subcompact SUV`s in the market.
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