REWORKED COMPASS BETTER THAN BEFORE IN EVERY AREA
Last Jeep model to be redesigned gets new platform, powertrain, upscale interior
SAN ANTONIO Since coming out of its parent company’s bankruptcy protection in 2009, Jeep had introduced one all-new model and redesigned nearly every existing model in its lineup, except for the Compass.
Until now, it was the only Jeep still rolling on the aged Dodge Caliber platform and for 2017, it has been completely revised. Built on a stretched Renegade platform, the new Compass will replace the outgoing model, which also sticks around for 2017, as well as the Patriot, which won’t be back for 2018.
Let’s clear up some of the confusion regarding its 2017 modelyear designation. The outgoing Compass — no longer in production but still available — is a 2017 model, as is the new Compass, which will be arriving in dealers soon. We’re told the reason for this is that the new one is now a global vehicle and will be entering numerous new markets as a 2017 model.
The new Compass will be manufactured in Brazil, China and India, with the plant in Toluca, Mexico, supplying the North American market. At 15.2 centimetres longer than the Renegade and 22.9 cm shorter than the Cherokee, the Compass slots in between the two in size, as it does in price, starting at $24,900. Four trim levels are available: Sport, North, Limited and the off-road-ready Trailhawk.
The powertrain is lifted from the Renegade, with only one available engine: the 2.4-litre Tigershark four that produces 180 horsepower and 175 poundfeet of torque. Front-drive versions come with either a sixspeed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, while fourwheel-drive versions come with a nine-speed automatic, except for the Sport 4x4, which comes with a manual box as standard and the nine-speed is optional.
Claimed fuel consumption can be as low as 7.3 L/100 km on the highway, but you’ll only get that with the manual, front-drive models. A fuel-saving start-stop function is standard on all but the Sport, while maximum towing capacity is 2,000 lbs (907 kilograms) on the 4x4 models.
The added length compared with the Renegade benefits the rear passengers, with 6.6 cm more legroom. Although it’s longer, it’s not much wider than the Renegade, so there’s really not much space between the front seats; there’s enough for a folding armrest, but it’s narrow and hides a rather small storage compartment.
There’s not much more width in the rear either, so a third occupant back there had better be fit.
The exterior is much more upscale than its predecessor, with styling that makes the Compass look like a scaled-down Grand Cherokee with a more streamlined silhouette.
That upscale feel has trickled into the cabin, where you’ll find soft-touch materials, new contrasting colour schemes and a dashboard that is similar in layout to the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee. Sport and North models come with a five-inch Uconnect touch screen, while Limited and Trailhawk models come with an 8.4-inch display, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
A panoramic roof is available starting from the North trim on up, but it does take up some headroom, especially in the rear. I’m six feet tall and my hair brushed the headliner while seated back there.
Jeep has added a slew of available driver assists, including forward-collision mitigation, blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and active lane-keep assist. Curiously, although adaptive cruise control is available in other markets, it is not in North America.
We tested the equivalent of the North 4x4 (a U.S.-spec Latitude model) on some winding roads outside San Antonio, and then moved into a Trailhawk for a brief drive on a short but chal- lenging off-road course.
On the road, the 2017 Compass is much more refined than the 2017 Compass (sorry, I couldn’t resist) it replaces. The ride is mostly quiet, with some wind and tire noise infiltrating the cabin, but not at a level that is in any way intrusive.
It is also quite nimble for its size, with a firm yet compliant ride, but only acceptably communicative steering response.
The engine, while reasonably responsive at lower speeds, lacks gusto at highway speeds, making passing rather laborious. The nine-speed automatic transmission is also a bit lazy when passing, taking its time to drop gears when pedal meets floor.
The real fun starts where very few Compass owners are likely to venture: off road, in the Trailhawk. The Trailhawk has slightly different front and rear fascias that allow steeper approach and departure angles, and it boasts 21.6 cm of ground clearance.
It also has Jeep’s Active Drive Low with a crawl ratio of 20:1, and it adds hill descent and Rock mode to the other models’ Auto, Snow, Sand and Mud modes.
Our hosts constructed a short off-road loop that included a couple of steep ascents and descents, some undulating, wheel-lifting sections, mud holes and a short but rough rocky section.
With 4WD Lock, 4WD Low and Rock modes selected, the Compass just crawls over the rough terrain without a hitch, though the engine does strain noisily a bit on the steep uphill sections. Despite the course being far more extreme than any unpaved path leading to a remote vacation cottage, the Compass manages this off-road exercise effortlessly, and often with a wheel high in the air.
SUVs are big business in Canada, with the segment outselling cars in 2016 for the first time (37.5 per cent versus 32.1 per cent for cars), right behind pickups.
Jeep has been capitalizing on the success of the SUV these past few years, claiming to have doubled sales since 2012, to 83,000 units in 2016. With its entire lineup now refreshed, including the late-to-the-party Compass, the company is poised to continue that upward swing into 2017.