2018 Jeep Compass impresses in Portugal launch
THE auto industry faces the dilemma of how to deal with industry disruptors in the shape of tech companies such as Google, Apple and Tesla.
Some company bosses regard them as competitors, while others seek partnerships and joint ventures.
Analysts are split on future trends. Some predict that in the future automakers could be just suppliers of cars as hardware, ceding market dominance to tech companies. But others see carmakers that can democratize technology, and make it reliable and accessible to the masses.
Seat President Luca de Meo says historically the auto industry seldom came first in new technologies but hints that disruptors could be overcome by the sheer capacity of automakers to realize change on a massive scale. He reckons that new technologies will only prove a success if they can deliver a substantial benefit to the customer.
But de Meo may be wrong to think that carmakers will have many years to prepare to compete in electric mobility against newcomers such as Tesla. He believes the tipping point at which electric drivetrains will overtake internal combustion engines is still a long way off, since their use remains limited by range, and the high price tag and shaky residual values scare customers away.
He bases his judgment on the fact that there are more people paying for a season ticket to a Barcelona football club than people buying electric cars in Europe at the moment.
What de Meo fails to see is the pace of change not only in Barcelona but worldwide. China wants 8 percent imports of electric cars next year — estimated to be 1 million cars at least. Most manufacturers are promising electric models by 2020, and some electric models are already successful in the markets, such as Tesla, the Nissan Leaf and the BMW i3.
What car-industry bosses need to realize is that the battle with disruptors has already begun, and the industry does not have that much time to prepare itself.
QAdel Murad is a senior motoring and business journalist based in London.
Compass should be available in regional markets by the end of the year, after the Dubai International Motor Show in November 2017.
Jeep is renowned for its 4x4 capabilities, and the Compass is no exception. Yet more focus was given to onroad driving dynamics in this generation Compass. The company sold a million of the old Compass in the past 10 years and hopes to do the same with this vehicle in a segment it believes will grow by 20 percent to 7.5 million cars by 2020.
In the Middle East, Compass will come in four configurations: Sport, Longitude, Limited and Trailhawk.
Jeep has chosen a scenic ocean-coast route in Portugal to launch its 2018 secondgeneration Compass, a compact crossover that was first revealed in 2007. The second generation is a significant improvement in design and technology, but competes in one of the toughest segments of the market. It slots below the bigger Cherokee and above the Renegade. It has the modern appearance of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) with good styling touches and a well-composed body.
While the Limited is top of the range in terms of refinement, standard technological contents and equipment, the Trailhawk offers the best-in-class 4x4 features through specific features designed for customers demanding the most off-road capabilities.
Jeep relies on its trademark appeal, off-road reputation and user-friendly technology for a compelling proposition to customers across the region. The new design has a wide stance and distinctive character with the sevenslot grille. The new generation comes with LED signature headlamps and an optional sunroof designed to maximize surface and headroom open-air freedom that belongs to the Jeep brand.
A newly designed rear has LED rectangular tail lamps with a power liftgate
(in some markets). Customers can choose from seven wheel designs between 16 and 17 inches. There are also 11 exterior colors.
Inside, there is a choice of 7- or 8.4inch touchscreens, with many functions integrated through the Uconnect system display. These functions include gearshift selection, SelecTerrain controls, electronic parking brake, engine stop-start (ESS) controls, climate and volume control knobs, and easily accessible media charging and connectivity ports.
Uconnect 7 or 8.4 NAV systems feature a high-definition touchscreen and include new Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. These will allow customers to seamlessly integrate their phone’s voice-control systems and a full range of infotainment features.
Jeep believes it has the best-in-class off-road capabilities in the Compass due to two full-time 4x4 systems: The Jeep Active Drive and the Jeep Active Drive Low, the latter with 20:1 crawl ratio, each of which can send full available torque to any one wheel when needed. There are also five modes for auto, snow, sand, mud and rock on the Trailhawk.
The Trailhawk also features an increased ride height of almost 2.5 cm, skid plates, red rear tow hook, front and rear fascias that deliver 30-degree approach, 24.4-degree break-over and 33.6-degree departure angles, aggressive 17-inch off-road tires and up to 216 mm of ground clearance.
Powertrain
The Compass will be available in the Middle East with a 2.4-liter inlinefour Tigershark petrol engine with MultiAir2, delivering 184 bhp and 237 Nm of torque with a choice of two gearboxes: A class-exclusive ninespeed automatic or six-speed manual. But it is reportedly a little sluggish in acceleration with zero to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds, and also buzzy when pushed hard with some vibration.
The MultiAir2 engine is an entirely Italian-made innovation, which secures practical advantages in everyday use: More peak engine power (up to 10 percent) and more torque at low rpm (up to 15 percent). Fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions are cut by 10 percent (compared to traditional engines) by eliminating pumping losses. Polluting emissions are significantly reduced due to the engine warm-up control strategies and exhaust gas re-circulation.
The Compass offers more than 70 active and passive safety features including forward collision warningplus, lane departure warningplus, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross path detection. There are also adaptive cruise control, Parkview rear camera and electronic stability control. For added protection, Compass boasts a “safety cage” construction with more than 65 percent high-strength steel. Owners of the new Jeep compact SUV will be able to choose from more than 70 original Mopar accessories designed to fit a variety of lifestyles. The range of Mopar accessories available for the new Jeep Compass includes accessories specifically developed to enhance its style and performance, increase its functionality and transportation features, and ensure open-air freedom and safety.
Judged by the performance of its predecessor, the new Compass is predicted to do well in the region and appeal to a large consumer base attracted by its looks, off-road ability and the Jeep badge.