New patent drawings that have been registered at the European Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) shows that a seven-seat Jeep SUV is possibly on the way.

The new seven-seat SUV is likely to be the production version of the Yuntu plug-in hybrid concept that was showcased the 2017 Shanghai motor show in April. This can be inferred from the design-based similarities between the patent drawings and the concept, particularly the silhouette, wheel arches and the grille. The design of both also hints that the SUV may not be in the same league as its stable mates when it comes to off-roading, indicated by the low approach and departure angles.

While the American manufacturer has not confirmed production for the Yuntu, the patent drawings could mean that the SUV may be revealed sometime next year. The production-spec Yuntu hybrid is only expected to be sold in the Chinese market though the potential for an India entry is there as seven-seat SUVs of the Skoda Kodiaq’s ilk are in demand in our marketplace.

Jeep currently has the Compass, Grand Cherokee and Wrangler Unlimited in its India line-up and is expected to bring its entry-level SUV, the Renegade, to the market late in 2018 or early in 2019.

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