TORQUE, TRAILS AND THREE STATES

3,000 KM IN THE JEEP MERIDIAN

- WORDS NIHAL RASHID PHOTOGRAPHY DIVESH VYAS

Setting the Scene

Somewhere along the way, diesel got vilified, exiled from dinner-table conversations (entirely in Delhi). Which is why slipping behind the wheel of the Jeep Meridian 4x4 AT Overland for a 3,000 km (2,982 to be precise) expedition across three states: Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka, felt less like a road trip and more like a reclamation of faith.

The plan? A circuit starting in Mumbai, plunging south to Pune, sweeping through Kolhapur, down the Konkan curve into Goa and Karwar, veering west to Jog Falls, tracing the Arabian Sea before darting into coffee country, Mangalore, Coorg, Bylakuppe, Mysore, and looping back to Bangalore before the long haul home to Mumbai. 2982 km of tarmac, twisties, potholes, and rain-slick ghats. A proving ground not just for Jeep’s large SUV in India, but for everything that makes a diesel SUV matter.

Mumbai to Pune - The Familiar Kick-Off

The 94 km of arrow-straight tarmac isn’t exactly Nürburgring, but it’s the perfect test of Meridian’s refinement at speed. The 2.0-litre Multijet turbo-diesel hums away at barely 1,500 rpm in ninth gear, torque fat and eager, as the cabin remains serenely quiet. Only the occasional truck lumbering in the right lane forces the nine-speed ‘box to shuffle gears. But once you learn to coax it, everything falls into place.

The panoramic dual-pane sunroof makes the monsoon skies feel like they’re part of the itinerary. Inside, camel-tan upholstery and a crisp 10.1-inch Uconnect touchscreen lend a premium sheen to what is otherwise a plough between two cities. Pune arrives before coffee cravings peak.

Pune to Kolhapur - Stretching Its Legs