Good news for Jeep Lovers, as the off-road focused version of the Compass is launched. We are talking about the latest addition to the Jeep’s stable (a.k.a) Trailhawk. There are traits in the Trailhawk which makes it set apart from the regular Compass. Traits like an improved engine, better gearbox and off-road specs which make it a delight for the adventure seeker. The reason for its delayed launch is because of its diesel engine which adheres to the upcoming BS6 norms. The cosmetic upgrade gives a hint of the Trailhawk’s sportier persona. It also comes with a bigger and better feature list making the asking price of the Trailhawk higher than that of the standard Compass.
Exterior
Dimensionally and visually similar to the regular Compass there are few cosmetic up gradations which make it differ from the regular Compass. The bonnet gets a black decal and the fenders down get ‘trail’ rated badging. The Trailhawk gets a new set of dual toned wheels which have Falken all terrain tyres. It also gets a tow hook at the rear (the Indian Compass misses out on a front tow hook). The seven slat grille gets a gunmetal finish and the bumpers are reworked. There are however no new colour options as it receives the same shades like that of the standard Compass.
Interior
The Trailhawk’s interior adapts an all-black color scheme. The Trailhawk comes equipped with engine auto start-stop function, cruise control, 7.0-inch multi-info display and all-weather floor mats. It is also equipped with an 8.4-inch touch screen infotainment system with Apple and Android connectivity, auto climate control and keyless go. On account of cost cutting , the Trailhawk misses out on powered driver’s seat and auto headlamps and wipers. It is however equipped with other must have features like six airbags, ABS, ESC, traction control, hill-start assist, electronic parking brake, reverse parking sensors and camera are part of the safety kit.
Drive
The Trailhawk is powered with a high-displacing 2.0-litre Multijet II diesel engine churning out a power of 173 PS along with top torque of 350 Nm. This engine will be mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox along with Jeep Active Drive Low 4×4 system with a 20:1 crawl ratio and low range. The engine in the ‘Trailhawk’ adheres to the BS6 emission norms. The BS6 engine will soon feature in the regular Compass. The Jeep comes equipped with discs on all four. The talking point of the Trailhawk is its off-road prowess. The ‘Active Drive Low 4×4 system’ allows the Trailhawk to maneuver rugged terrains. Other features like hill descent control and an additional ‘Rock’ mode for the Selec-Terrain system which comes with ‘Auto’, ‘Snow’, ‘Sand’ and ‘Mud’ modes, makes it a tough competitor to beat on most off-road tracks. Other parameters like ground clearance, water wading depth and suspension setup is a huge improvement compared to the standard Compass.
Should you have one – It definitely is a rugged, sportier and off-road focused SUV. There are additional styling bits which make it set apart from the standard Compass. All the cosmetic up gradations and mechanical updates make it a very capable off-roader. With its launch expected in July, the asking price is estimated to be around 25 lakh. Will the Trailhawk’s off road credentials lure in customers to have an experience of the Trailhawk or will the standard Compass satisfy the needs of the Indian customer. Only time will tell which way the latest entrant in Jeep’s stable is going to be placed.
