Compass directs Jeep to new buyers
You knew that sooner or later, Jeep would have to soften its off-road philosophy in order to capture more buyers, and Compass is the vehicle meant to direct it to this new world.
Compass' intent is simple -- target new, younger buyers and offer them a vehicle with traditional Jeep cues and stylish contemporarily design; make it fit within their budgets and new-world sensitivities, and give them the dependability to overcome any surface-traction adversities.
Compass steps into a competitive market, headed by the likes of the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota Rav4, and host of others from manufacturers such as General Motors, Mazda, Hyundai and Suzuki, with offerings from Volkswagen just around the corner.
And as it tries to gain a competitive edge on those established brands, it doesn't hurt that Compass has already been named as one of the vehicles that will receive a $1,000 rebate under the recently announced federal ecoAUTO Rebate Program. Rav4 and CR-V don't make the list.
Un-Jeep economy
Fuel economy is totally un-Jeep-like, with our tester Compass North achieving 9.8 litres per 100 km, with a best of 9.3 over a 300 km span of evenly mixed city and highway km.
As with most vehicles geared toward economy, though, Compass exhibits a lazy acceleration attitude. The 2.4-litre variable-valve-timed 4-cylinder (the only engine available) is not overly powerful at 172 hp and the 165 lbs.ft of torque don't peak until 4400 rpm, which is not favourable with our tester's continuously variable transmission.
The CVT likes to keep revs in the 2000 rpm range, which means 4400 is a bit of stretch for it. Factor in the added weight of the full-time 4WD system (68 kg) and it all leans toward leisurely pick-up ... which is fine for economical cruising.
The compact stature aids economy and contributes to surprisingly nimble handling manners when combined with the new fully-independent suspension (front strut; rear multi-link). Compass is derived from the Dodge Caliber (designated a compact "car"), so it's not surprising that it handles like ... well ... a compact car.
The steering could stand a bit more directness, but its fine in this market where you don't want people steering themselves off the road in emergency manoeuvres. And thought Compass likely won't go where Wranglers like to be extreme, you don't want one of its front wheels grabbing and pulling it off in a direction other than straight ahead.
Compact interior
And whereas the Compass compactness proves favourable in driving situations, it has its downside inside, where compact vehicles usually suffer from compact dimensions.
The rear seat is tight on legroom but the upright seating position makes it not as uncomfortable as seats in most compact cars. There are seatbelts for three back there, but no place for a centre occupant to put legs.
The rear seatbacks go down in a 60-40 split (they also recline a couple notches), but don't match up flat to the removable moulded vynil cargo floor to mimic a stamped steel plate. The hatch door is easy to lift and close and features flip down speakers so the darling children playing street hockey in front of my driveway can enjoy some tunes (no you can't put on Bullet For My Valentine!). Also of note is a rear overhead light in the cargo area, that snaps out of its casing to become a flashlight, then snaps back in to recharge.
Compass seats are comfortably padded, belying their concrete-slab like appearance. Materials appear durable enough and reportedly are (the YES Essentials cloth upholstery is supposed to be stain and odour resistant, but we'd only be able to judge its effectiveness over the course of a year or longer).
As we've come to expect from Jeep, the entire interior presentation is functional. It doesn't look cheap, but its far from ostentatious. It conveys the function over form philosophy of Jeep interspersed with subtle, unique design cues (such as the "compass" pointer marks on the rings around tach and speedo).
The cockpit is geometrical and symmetrical, with the impression that Jeep could quite easily switch the steering gear to the right side of the Compass, for those markets that want it.
The seating position is adjustable for height, to allow drivers to choose a more upright command of the road position. There are a reasonable amount of cubicles close at hand for cell-phones, change and the like.
Unlike its more-trucky competitors, Compass rewards its owners with a smooth, even ride and economical running around. It is really more a compact car that does some of the stuff for which Jeep is famous, but Jeep doesn't really make cars, does it?
Summary:
MSRP range: $17,995 to $24,355
Test vehicle: 2007 Jeep Compass North
Test model price: $24,935 (before taxes)
Options: North Package ($2,260) includes driver height-adjustable seat, reclining rear seats, fold-forward front passenger seat, power mirrors, windows and locks, keyless entry and available power sunroof; CVT ($1,200); 9-speaker Boston Acoustics Premium Sound Group ($445) includes leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, six Boston Acoustics speakers with subwoofer and two articulating speakers in the liftgate; Driver Convenience Group ($375) includes rearview auto-dimming mirror, temperature and compass gauge, Universal Garage Door Opener, Tire Pressure Monitoring System and Electronic Vehicle Information Center; heated front seats ($295); speed control ($250); YES Essentials cloth bucket seats ($115).
Fuel economy: 9.8 litres per 100 km (combined over 414.7 km)
Freight: $1,100
Basic warranty: 3 years/60,000 km
Competition: Dodge Caliber; Chevrolet Equinox; Ford Escape; Honda CR-V; Hyundai Tucson; Kia Sportage; Mazda Tribute; Mitsubishi Outlander; Nissan X-Trail; Pontiac Torrent; Saturn Vue; Subaru Forester; Suzuki Grand Vitara; Toyota Rav4
Strengths:
- Contemporary look
- Smooth ride
- Good fuel economy
- Unique features
Weaknesses:
- Lazy acceleration
- Tight rear quarters
Find a dealer that sells the Jeep Compass
Latest News
-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.