AMERICAN BEAUTY
Jeep’s Compass SUV looks the part, with a sharp new cabin and all the latest safety technology
There’s a new cabin and improved technology and safety for Jeep’s Compass, the American brand’s smallest offering. On paper, it looks expensive for a compact SUV, competing against countless talented small and medium SUV rivals.
Our family tested the S-limited to see whether the price tag was justified.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
IAIN: Off the bat, this is the wrong Jeep Compass.
JULES: What?
IAIN: It’s fancy with big black alloys, skinny tyres and oodles of interior goodies, but it’s just not tough enough.
JULES: Explain yourself. It looks tough enough to me.
IAIN: Jeep gives “trail-rated” badges to models passing its strict off-road tests, which include traction, ground clearance and water fording ability.
JULES: I take it ours isn’t trail rated?
IAIN: Nope. This S-limited’s about sporty styling and comfort rather than being able to climb mountains, as a Jeep should.
JULES: You’re being daft. You’d buy this because it looks solid and stylish, plus the cabin’s roomy and flush with kit. And it’s a fourwheel drive, so it will climb some mountains. IAIN: It’ll get stuck. Jeep does a Compass Trailhawk that won’t. It’s about $59,000 to drive away, not much more than the $52,000 for our S-limited.
JULES: Do people really hardcore off-road one of these?
IAIN: Some will want to and they’ll need the Trailhawk. Suzuki Jimny aside, there’s no other compact SUV with proper off-road chops.
THE LIVING SPACE
JULES: I agree $50,000’s a lot, but the interior looks expensive. There’s e’s a massive 10.1-inch infotainment t screen, 10.25-inch digital dash, power leather seats and classy grey stitching. It feels spacious too.
IAIN: The Compass is classed as small but feels more like a medium SUV. It’s roomy enough for our family of four, and you’re right, this is a polished cabin.
JULES: The seats feel quite firm on a long drive but are generally ly comfy. Sorry to be brash, but at t this price are heated seats too much to expect?
IAIN: Not really when you consider they’re commonplace e in rivals. A $2950 Premium Package age brings heated and ventilated seats, eats, a heated steering wheel, 360degree camera and dual-pane panoramic sunroof.
JULES: Seems worth it.
IAIN: Seems cheeky it’s not standard.
THE COMMUTE
JULES: Sitting up high in a black Jeep gives a girl some attitude. I like it.
IAIN: The 2.4-litre petrol sounds all burbly and menacing from the outside.
JULES: Not so much inside. It’s a bit short on power. pow
IAIN: Jeep calls this four-cylinder its Tigershark, Tigers but it’s not especially threatening. threat It takes more than ten seconds secon to reach 100km/h, needs some persuasion pers to get going and gets noisy and an gruff when pushed.
JU JULES: So take it easy. It’s a family SUV. If you’re easy on the throttle it cruises nicely and rides comfortably c over bumps.
IAIN: IA Once up to speed it’s good, but bu from cold the gearbox clunked through th its gear changes. The radar cr cruise control and lane-keep assist are excellent on the highway. JULES: JU Maybe, but around town that tha lane-keep assist was a disaster. On our coastal, corner-lined roads it aggressively ag pulled on the steering wh wheel if I got close to a white line. IAIN: IA I had to turn it off. It’s so invas invasive it makes the car wobble, removing any smoothness from the drive. JULES: Let’s talk about the good stuff. There’s wireless phone charging and wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto and the Alpine audio is banging.
IAIN: The digital dashboard is impressively customisable, and Jeep’s speed-sign recognition tech is among the best I’ve used. But it is nannying, incessantly flashing if you’re even 1km/h over the limit.
THE SHOPPING
JULES: A car park hero, this one. It parks itself at the touch of a button, there’s a rear camera to go with sensors front and back and it lets you know if there’s something coming when reversing out of a parking spot.
IAIN: Hard to bingle, basically. The boot’s a decent size and the tailgate opens with a swipe of the foot.
SUNDAY RUN
JULES: It’s a Jeep, so we had to take it off-road. IAIN: Only up a few sandy tracks well compacted by endless rain. There’s a deceptive button in the centre console labelled 4WD Low. It’s not low range, it just holds the nine-speed gearbox in first gear. A 4WD Lock button gives permanent rather than on-demand 4WD. JULES: Then we selected Sand/mud drive mode and the Compass was excellent on the sand. It never looked like getting stuck.
IAIN: Okay, it’s pretty good if you’re not planning deep adventuring. But the Trailhawk has much better approach and departure angles, better ground clearance, 1500kg rather than 1000kg towing and a torquier diesel engine. That’s the one for proper off-roading, but even it doesn’t have low range.
THE FAMILY
JULES: There’s good rear space plus rear air vents, USB points and a proper domestic socket. IAIN: I wish more cars had them. You can charge tablets or camera batteries; even plug in a mini fridge or Nespresso machine. So handy. JULES: The safety kit is comprehensive, but our 10.4L/100km fuel average isn’t good for the family budget.
IAIN: It’s way too thirsty for a compact SUV. In town, the figure rises to 13.6L/100km. Again, the Trailhawk’s diesel engine makes much more sense. A smaller economical turbo petrol engine would suit these on-road specific Compasses far better.
THE VERDICT
JULES: This Compass is an easy car to like. The interior’s luxurious and full of tech, it drives safely and comfortably and I’m a fan of the chunky styling. But why is it so much? If you want something for on-road rather than offroad, $50,000 buys a prestige Audi Q3, or a bigger Toyota RAV4.
IAIN: The Compass has more off-road ability than most rivals, but you need the Trailhawk for serious work. Those who love Jeep’s brand image won’t be disappointed with a Compass, but I’d recommend sampling range-topping petrol medium SUVS such as the Mazda CX-5 and the Toyota RAV4 Edge before committing to the Jeep.