Jeep Compass (2011) review
by David Finlay (8 April 2011)
Priced from just under £17,000, the 2011 Jeep Compass is a heavily revised version of the original compact SUV which will be replaced within the next two years by an all-new model. Among the changes is a completely restyled front end which bears some resemblance to that of the Grand Cherokee, and although it's not the most elegant thing I've ever seen it does at least mean that the Compass is no longer one of the ugliest cars on sale in the UK.
In its new form, the Compass is also the first Jeep ever sold this side of the Atlantic with front-wheel drive only. That system is available if you go for Chrysler's own 154bhp two-litre petrol engine or the 134bhp version of the 2.2-litre Mercedes-Benz turbo diesel.
A part-time 4x4 set-up (basically front-wheel drive but sending power to the rear axle when required, unless you lock it into a 50/50 front-rear split for off-roading) comes as standard with the 168bhp Mercedes diesel or a 161bhp 2.4-litre Chrysler petrol unit.
Manual transmission is standard on the 2.0 (five-speed) or the diesels (both six-speed). If you want the 2.4 petrol engine you also have to accept a CVT automatic, as there's no manual gearbox for that one.
There's also a choice of four trim levels, called Sport, Sport+, Limited and - in acknowledgement of the fact that the Jeep brand was created in 1941 - 70th Anniversary. Sport+ differs from Sport in that it includes auto temperature control for the air-conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, an auto-dimming rear view mirror and a tinted windscreen.
Limited models have 18" wheels rather than the 17s of the less expensive models, plus a 6-CD/DVD/MP3 audio system, leather upholstery and heated front seats, of which the one for the driver can be electrically adjusted in six ways, plus some bright exterior trim. The 70th Anniversary version has a few styling touches, but the only practical change is the introduction of a cargo floor mat.
Only the Limited comes with the full range of engines. Sport+ models are front-wheel drive only, the Sport is strictly a two-litre petrol model, and if you want the 70th Anniversary it's the higher-powered diesel with four-wheel drive or nothing. The Sport costs £16,995, most of the front-wheel drive cars are under £20,000, and the most expensive model is the £23,995 70th Anniversary.
Jeep says that this pricing gives the Compass an advantage over its stated rivals, which include the Ford Kuga, Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Tiguan. Having driven the 168bhp 2.2 diesel 4x4 Limited, I have to say that I'd rather hope it would be cheaper than any of them. The interior feels low-rent despite the presence of leather upholstery (you can always tell that a manufacturer is keeping down to a budget when a spokesperson talks of "soft-touch plastics"), there's quite a lot of road noise, the ride quality is that of an old-school SUV rather than a more modern "lifestyle" model, and you can feel the impact of a bump in the road reverberating through the structure.
The steering wheel is not adjustable for reach, and although the driver's window can be lowered with one touch of a button, you have to hold that button for the duration when you want the window to be raised again, which I found curiously irritating.
The Compass also has remarkably small windows. These not only make it difficult to see out of (it's almost as if you have to peer through the windscreen to find out what's happening ahead of the car) but may also give rear-seat passengers a feeling of claustrophobia not helped at all by the dark trim.
But there's more room in the back than there seems, and the Compass can certainly hold four six-foot adults (all of whom can make their seats recline) without any trouble. And the Compass is good in other ways too. It handles not too badly, within reason, if you happen to be pushing on, and at all speeds the smooth steering and clutch action make it easy to drive.
Nevertheless, it's a very off-centre choice in an extremely competitive sector of the market, and my own inclination would be wait to see if Jeep, now operating with Fiat resources, will make a better job of the next-generation Compass.
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