India, April 26 -- Jeep entered Indian shores back in 2016 with two models that were aimed squarely at a very niche, adventure-seeking luxury-car buying audience. While the name 'Jeep' has been used to refer to a number models in the country for decades, now is when the American brand thought it prudent to officially try its luck here. The Wrangler and Grand Cherokee were top-of-the-line products, followed by the Compass mid-size SUV in 2017 that really helped lay the foundation. The three-row Meridian followed in 2022.

In the nearly decade-long presence in India, Jeep SUV models have competed in both the mass-market space as well as the luxury space. But the performance in terms of sheer volumes has not been much to write home about. So...