The Jeep Compass is built like a car and drives like a car, but it has the kind of versatility and capability of a small SUV. It’s available in two trim levels and with two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and offers commendable fuel economy.
The Compass is available with a choice of two engines. The popular engine is a 2. 4-liter four-cylinder with 16 valves, variable electronic valve timing that frequently optimizes the torque curve and balance shafts. It develops 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque. With two-wheel drive, it has an EPA rating of 23 mpg city, 28 mpg highway with manual transmission, and 21/25 with CVT automatic transmission. The new engine is a 2. 0-liter, 16-valve four-cylinder engine. Two-cylinder engine, also with variable valve timing and balance shafts, with 158 horsepower and 141 pound-feet of torque. With two-wheel drive, it has an EPA rating of 23/29 mpg with the manual transmission and 23/27 with the CVT automatic. transmission.
The Jeep Compass offers an optional variable transmission, or CVT, that doubles as an automatic transmission. The CVT comes with the Auto Stick manual shift function. The Auto Stick allows the engine to rise and fall in six preset gear ratios, giving the impression of a six-speed gearbox without a clutch pedal.
The Compass rides and handles more like a car than an SUV and offers plenty of protective features. It has a forged metal design and a well-planned subframe. Side curtain airbags and electronic stability with anti-roll sensors are standard.
Inside, the instruments and controls are well placed and easy to use. There’s good interior space all around, with rear seats that fold flat to make about 54 cubic feet of cargo space. Options for added versatility include reclining rear seats and a passenger front seat that also folds flat, creating either a table or eight-foot-long space for storage. While the interior design is nice, it is largely plastic and doesn’t offer a rich or warm feel. Power windows and power door locks are optional.
The few tweaks for 2010 are active headrests for the front seats and some tweaks on some packages.
The Jeep Compass comes as two models, Sport and Limited, each with front-wheel drive (2WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The standard engine is the 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque. It comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission; the CVT automatic with Auto Stick manual shiftgate is optional ($1,100). The 2.0-liter four-cylinder is available for the Sport.
The Compass Sport 2WD ($18,720) and AWD ($20,470) are popular with cloth upholstery; air conditioning; Tilting idler; temperature indicator; AM/FM/CD stereo with auxiliary audio jack; fog lamps; roof racks; and P215/60R17 tires on aluminum rims. The AWD Sport trim adds a locking center differential. The Sport E package ($3,220) adds forced windows and locks; remote keyless entry; cruise control; stain-resistant upholstery; height-adjustable driver’s seat; front passenger seat folds flat; reclining and folding rear seats; a 115-volt outlet; and iPod control. A Sun and Sound package ($1,295) adds a sunroof, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, Sirius satellite radio, and a nine-speaker Boston Acoustics audio formula with tailgate speakers that can blow up the crowd at tailgate parties. .
Other features include a six-CD player with MP3 playback capability ($350); Trailer Trailer Prep Package ($250) with Engine Oil Cooler, Full-Size Spare Tire, and Wiring Harness; and front side airbags ($250).
The Compass Limited ($23,385) and Limited AWD ($25,135) models feature leather upholstery; heated front seats; height-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment; front passenger seat folds flat; reclining rear seats; leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls; speed regulator; six-disc CD changer; Syrian Satellite Radio; 115-volt power outlet; forcing windows, mirrors, and locks; remote keyless entry; electronic vehicle data center; auto-dimming rearview mirror; universal garage door opener; floor sheet; sport-tuned suspension; and P215/55R18 tires. The front and rear fascias and side moldings have glossy aluminum accents and, like the Sport, the Limited AWD has a locking center differential. Options come with 18-inch chrome-plated aluminum wheels ($825); AM/FM/CD with navigation ($1,200); a Cargo Safety and Convenience package with front side airbags, alarm, auto-dimming rearview mirror, remote start and canvas cover; as well as sports options.
Standard protection features on all models include dual frontal airbags; curtain airbags to protect the head; tire tension monitor; Anti-lock brakes with brakes (which apply more braking force than applied by the engine if sensors determine that this is necessary in the event of an emergency stop) help; traction; and electronic stability with rollover mitigation. Torso-protective side airbags for front-seat occupants are optional and introduced.
Jeep offers two self-propelled SUVs, the Compass and the Patriot. Of the two, the Compass has a more crossover appearance, especially on the sculpted side, with comfortable angular knuckles on the wheels and more casual lines. The rear door handles are vertical. Fixed on the C-pillars to maintain the character line. The Patriot, on the other hand, is straighter.
The tailgate of the Compass is angled at about forty-five degrees, while the Patriot’s is nearly vertical. The third side window, which overlooks the shipping area, is a stylized triangle, leaving more sheet steel and greater visibility.
This slope at the rear of the Compass is combined with a steeply raked windshield, resulting in a lower roof than the Patriot. The black plastic roof rails grow larger from the most sensitive corners of the windshield to the spoiler above the tailgate, channeling water over the roof.
The Compass Limited features aluminum trim on the sides and bumpers. The less-loved Sport has more class in its cleaner, more drab tone. The Limited’s optional 18-inch chrome aluminum wheels will appeal to those who need their Jeep SUV to stand out. more like a Cadillac Escalade.
The interior of the Jeep Compass is spacious and comfortable. The individual front seats are very comfortable without being soft. The Sport is available with Jeep stain-resistant coating, a stain, odor and static resistant fabric. The front seat lifts up, which is great because the long sprintboard makes it difficult to see the ground in front of the car, even if the hood is short. The long stroke is due to the angled windshield.
The cabin layout is functional and roomy, even though the Compass still appears to be built to a price. The cost cutting is apparent when you shut the driver’s door and it sounds like you just dented a beer can. There is plenty of room for your stuff, including your elbows and legs. The front door pockets are deep enough to get your hand in, but to make room for stereo speakers, they’re short.
The center console is spacious and cleverly designed: oblong air vents at the top, a single-disc AM/FM/CD stereo or navigation formula underneath, and underneath are 3 weather buttons and various option buttons (including optional heated seats). The indicators are elegant and pleasant, white on black, with a symmetrical design and chrome accent rings. The four-spoke idler is forged for gripping. The gear lever, manual or automatic, comes out of the dashboard. This superior, comfortable forward position improves ergonomics.
To the rear, between the front seats, there are two fixed cup holders now well lit by LEDs, another small compartment for mobile phones and the like, the emergency brake mount and a split compartment in the centre console with two levels of storage. . The most practical part of the console is an armrest and it is padded.
Legroom is good, both front and rear. The Compass will be a fine vehicle for a family trip, with reclining rear seats optional on the Sport and standard on the Limited. There are cupholders in the rear but no net pockets on the front seatbacks, which would be nice. Grab handles make it easy to climb out.
The rear 60/40 seatbacks fold flat with the touch of a finger on each side, which is as easy as it gets. The front seat on the Limited model folds flat, making a table. The rear cargo area, a decent 53.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, is carpeted. The space-saver spare tire is neatly stored under the floor. One innovative feature on the Limited is the removable, rechargeable LED flashlight mounted in the headliner above the cargo area.
The one-piece tailgate has panels to ensure structural integrity and the rear bumper has a non-slip rubber surface for added grip when other people have to walk on it to the roof. Overall, it’s a spacious environment for a vehicle of this size, but it’s not exactly warm or welcoming.
The 2.4-liter engine works well in the Jeep Compass. It’s relatively smooth and quiet for a four-cylinder in a vehicle with these prices. This is Chrysler’s World Engine and it uses the latest technology, including an aluminum block and cylinder head, and electronically controlled variable valve timing that helps optimize torque. It makes a reasonable 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque at 4400 rpm, and delivers an estimated 23/28 City/Highway miles per gallon with AWD and the five-speed manual gearbox, or 21/24 mpg with AWD and the CVT automatic.
An all-wheel-drive Sport weighs 3,223 pounds, so acceleration is rarely very, very precise — a snap of the neck — but the Compass is rarely a dog. It just takes a little forethought and a little patience to force you to do what you might demand. Jeep hasn’t indicated a 0-60 mph time, however, a manual transmission style with the 2. 4-liter engine is likely in the mid-to-low nine-moment range. We’d expect the automatic to be about a moment slower and the 2. 0-liter styles will be a moment or two slower. These estimates are adequate, but they are far from the best in class. The Compass can also tow up to 2,000 pounds with the available towing package. Enough for a private boat, snowmobile, motorcycle, or small boat.
The five-speed manual transmission works well and takes full advantage of the four-cylinder engine. But if you want an automatic transmission, you can also use the Auto Stick to get more power when you want it. The CVT is like two transmissions in one. You can put it in the gear of your choice or just put it in Drive and you’re good to go.
We like the Auto Stick’s manual shift feature. Jeep has improved noise levels and harshness, but no four-cylinder is as sleek as the V6s offered by some competitors. We were inspired by the quick and rapid changes thanks to the six. Auto Speed Stick. The nature of the frequently variable transmission makes rapid shifts possible. kilometers per hour in curves, instead of using the brakes; or downshifting to overtake in a two-lane lane, rather than waiting for the transmission to start on its own.
Along the winding forested roads between Portland, Oregon, and the Pacific Ocean, the Compass has proven to be solid and quiet thanks to the generous use of sound-absorbing materials, sealants, and structural adhesives. The suspension does all the work as it should, isolating the cabin from bumps and jolts. We aim for the potholes and don’t shake when we hit them. There were none of the old Jeep headbutts, no side-to-side jumps, and no signs of wallowing on the waves. Only the right returns were transmitted to our hands through the steering wheel. The corners were safe, with no wheelset or skidding.
With Jeep’s Freedom Drive I all-wheel-drive formula, virtually all of the power goes to the front wheels, but because traction is needed elsewhere, up to 60% can be transferred to the rear wheels. Coupling is carried out by means of a two-stage system. Magnetically and electronically controlled clutch formula than viscous, and Jeep says this is particularly more efficient. The formula also has a locking center differential.
We drove the Compass over 30 miles of loose, rainy gravel roads that climbed, descended, and turned in all directions. We drove it to locate boundaries, and they were strangely high; The Compass didn’t slip over the sleek round stones as we had hoped, even with popular travel tires, the ESP was activated several times to keep us out of the ditches. We braked at around 40mph and ABS with rough road detection. He worked hard but successfully.
When we reached the beach, we climbed into a Compass Sport with the CVT and optional Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires that aren’t available with the Limited. The Jeep people pointed toward the top of the nearest steep sand dune and told us to floor it. Amazingly, the Compass climbed to the summit, where there were no other vehicles except ATVs. The CVT is the ideal mechanical means for transmitting engine power in deep sand, because its pulleys and steel belt provide an infinite number of gear ratios, allowing the engine to stay in its most efficient operating range.
It’s hard to believe you’re stuck in snow or powder in the Compass Sport with Goodyear on-road and off-road tires. The locking differential can provide the most productive traction imaginable from a state start, and the brake traction control brakes (at lightning speed). on the individual wheels to prevent them from skidding. The locked differential helps keep torque slightly distributed at 50/50, up to 10 miles per hour, at which point torque begins to move again, as calculated through the Founded Electronic Control Module. about the vehicle’s speed, turning radius, and wheel slip.
We charged at full speed over the steep dune and discovered an expanse of screams near the waves in the rear. It wasn’t exactly our goal to turn the Jeep into a motocross bike, but we tried. Despite everything, he hit the back of the rock from the front, but it wasn’t easy.
The Jeep Compass is a classic Jeep with go-anywhere off-road capabilities. On the downside, it appears to be built at a premium value and features modest interior fabrics and build quality. On the plus side, it offers a comfortable and solid ride. Decent handling, fuel consumption and the guarantee of all-wheel drive capability.
NewCarTestDrive. com correspondent Sam Moses presented this from western Oregon, with Kirk Bell from Chicago.
Jeep Compass 2WD Sport ($18,720); four-wheeled set ($20,470); Limited 2WD ($23,385); Limited AWD ($25,135).
Belvidere, Illinois.
CVT ($1,100).