In the automotive industry, there tends to be an air of secrecy when it comes to new vehicles and technology. With so many automakers fighting for a solid position in the market and in every highly populated segment, it’s understandable. You can’t go around flaunting a new vehicle while you’re still testing it before it’s ready for the market. That’s why we often see strange looking vehicles covered in loud and swirly stickers driving down roads across the country.
And that's exactly what we've seen in a camouflaged version of a new Jeep® vehicle driving around. This information tells us that a new Jeep vehicle is in the works. While there are certainly favorites among Jeep lovers, like the new 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the always popular 2016 Jeep Wrangler, other models can benefit from a redesign. And that’s what we’ve seen in this new mystery vehicle. Reports say this new type of Jeep vehicle is the culmination of a merger between the 2016 Jeep Compass and the 2016 Jeep Patriot.
This new “C-SUV”, which is a crossover much like the Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass, seems to ride on a stretched version of the chassis that currently underpins the sleek and compact 2016 Jeep Renegade. This stretched chassis means that the vehicle will sit between the Jeep Renegade and the new 2016 Jeep Cherokee.
Even with all the cloak and dagger coverings that are meant to disguise this vehicle, we can clearly see that this is definitely a Jeep vehicle. It sports the same overall shape and style that we’ve come to love. While engine options aren’t confirmed yet, some suspect that one option could include the 2.0-liter Hurricane I-4 engine that’s been spotted on the next-generation Jeep Wrangler.
The automaker hasn’t confirmed the actual release date of this new Jeep Compatriot, but we expect that it will arrive sometime later this year, just in time for the full 2017 model-year Jeep lineup. In the meantime, stop by A. M. Maus and Son in Kimball, MN for all your Jeep vehicle needs.