Item: Jeep Compass
Rating: 2
Author: Steve Huntingford

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Accessibility & Motability

Costs & verdict

The Jeep Compass is priced towards the upper reaches of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-family-suvs-2022/n17116">family SUV</a> class, and the S&nbsp;version of 4xe plug-in hybrid is too expensive to recommend.&nbsp;

Residual values for the Compass trail those of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volvo/xc40/estate/review/n119">Volvo XC40</a> whether you opt for a standard petrol&nbsp;or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model. This not only makes it a potentially expensive ownership prospect in terms of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-best-cars-for-depreciation-and-the-worst/n23009">depreciation</a>, but it’ll probably cost more in terms of finance&nbsp;because future resale values are taken into account.

Fuel economy for the petrol is competitive with the class at just over 40mpg, but to get the official figure for the 4xe PHEV – which is closer to 150mpg – you’ll need to charge up the car religiously. The relatively small 11.4kWh battery pack can be charged within two hours from a dedicated wall box, which is swift for a plug-in hybrid.&nbsp;

Company car drivers will be better off looking at the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/kuga/4x4/review/n57">Ford Kuga</a> because it has a longer electric-only range, which gives it a lower benefit-in-kind (BIK) <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/company-car-tax-calculator">car tax rate</a> than the Compass.

In terms of kit, the entry-level Compass Night Eagle gets 18in alloys, LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, and a reversing camera. Limited trim adds adaptive cruise control, auto high beams and wireless phone-charging.

If you go for the 4xe plug-in hybrid, the least expensive Trailhawk model has 17in wheels, a spare tyre&nbsp;and model-specific front and rear bumpers that can clear larger obstacles off road. The more road-biased S&nbsp;model gets 19in wheels, electric drivers seat adjustment, sat-nav, an electric tailgate and rear seats that split and fold in three sections rather than two.

The Compass comes with&nbsp;a generous amount of safety features, including six airbags, forward-collision warning and lane-departure warning, but&nbsp;blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection are included only on the most expensive S&nbsp;version. The Compass scored a full five stars in its <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a> safety test, and performed particularly well in the adult and child occupant protection categories (scoring 90% and 83% respectively).

Every Jeep gets a standard three-year warranty, with the battery pack on 4xe models gets a separate eight year/100,000 mile policy.

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The Jeep Compass range starts with the front-wheel drive 128bhp 1.3-litre petrol that comes with a six-speed manual gearbox. We’ve yet to try this version, but with a 0-62mph time of 10.3sec, it’s unlikely to provide much of a challenge to similarly powerful rivals such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/3008/estate/review/n17363">Peugeot 3008</a>.

A revised 1.5 e-Torque petrol is due to replace the 1.3 soon. It has no more power and so is unlikely to be any quicker, but it will include some mild-hybrid technology that could bring a useful reduction in fuel consumption and emissions. We'll let you know what it's like when we've driven it.

We have tested the plug-in hybrid 4xe model, and its time of 7.3sec seems much more palatable. However, despite the combined effort of an engine and electric motor to deliver up to 237bhp, it never feels that swift.

It's fine trundling around town on electricity alone, but the hybrid system always seems to be holding back at higher speeds to boost economy. You have to put your foot down really hard before it gives you all its potential, which is particularly annoying when joining a motorway or attempting to overtake.

The Compass's on-road manners are similarly uninspiring, and it feels&nbsp;quite unsettled by even slight road imperfections. Over bigger bumps, it doesn't have&nbsp;the compliant, comfortable ride you get in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai</a>, 3008&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/karoq/estate/review/n118">Skoda Karoq</a>.

The steering is especially poor, feeling too light and disconcertingly vague. This isn’t such a problem for town driving, but at higher speeds it robs you of confidence – as does the fact that there's a fair bit of body roll in corners.

Wind and road noise are on a par with the class average, but sadly engine refinement is lacking in comparison. Disappointingly for a hybrid, when the engine has to kick in, it does so abruptly and with plenty of vibration at idle through the steering wheel. You'd expect that from an old diesel, but not in a modern petrol hybrid.

Speaking of hybrid, the brakes incorporate a regeneration function to help charge up the battery during braking, but the switch over to the mechanical brakes can be a bit sudden at low speeds. Sometimes it feels&nbsp;as though the car is about to do an emergency stop by nose-planting into the ground&nbsp;unless you ease off the pedal beforehand.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

We’ve not driven this version yet

http://example.com

1.5 T4 e-Torque Hybrid

15-t4-e-torque-hybrid

The plug-in hybrid 4xe model and its 0-62mph time of 7.3sec seems good on paper, but it never feels quick. It’s fine running on electric around town, but the engine is raucous when you try to get up to motorway speeds.

1.3 T4 GSE 4xe PHEV

13-t4-gse-4xe-phev

Like the helpful navigation tool it’s named after, the Jeep Compass shows where the American brand is heading.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/jeep">Jeep</a> has always played heavily on its proud off-roading pedigree, and doesn’t want you to forget it. That's why the Compass has a cute little motif in the windscreen of a post-war 4x4&nbsp;‘climbing’ the roof pillar.

In reality, though, this model is competing in&nbsp;the family SUV market that the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai</a> made so popular. With that in mind, the Compass is&nbsp;softer and more family-oriented, and strays into the territory of, for example, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/range-rover-evoque/4x4/review/n109">Range Rover Evoque</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volvo/xc40/estate/review/n119">Volvo XC40</a>.

Like the XC40, the Compass is no longer available with a diesel engine: the range has moved over to petrol power, starting&nbsp;with the&nbsp;128bhp 1.3&nbsp;T4 GSE. That comes with front-wheel drive, so if you want&nbsp;four-wheel drive, you'll need to go for the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version.

The 1.3 T4 GSE 4xe PHEV is supposed to be the most off-road worthy variant of the Compass (especially in Trailhawk guise) to rival the likes of the Evoque. It should also pay dividends in terms of running costs because of its ability to do shorter journeys on electricity alone.

But is a plug-in hybrid really a true off-roader, or more of a tax benefit for company car drivers? Over the next few pages of this Jeep Compass review, we’ll get to the bottom of that, along with telling you what the performance is like, how practical it is, and whether it has what it takes to compete with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-family-suvs-2022/n17116">best family SUVs</a>.

If you decide that the Jeep Compass – or any other new make and model of SUV is the one, you can head over to our&nbsp;free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a> for an easy, hassle-free way to find big savings without having to haggle. It's a good place to find the best <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/jeep">Jeep deals</a>.

The Jeep Compass gives you plenty of adjustment for the front seats and steering wheel to allow the driver to get comfortable, and standard lumbar adjustment improves back support. Visibility is good, with a high driving position that offers a decent vantage point over the bonnet, not unlike what you’ll find in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/range-rover-evoque/4x4/review/n109">Range Rover Evoque</a>.

Sadly, the Compass doesn't match the Evoque's simplified interior design. On the plus side, it does have a new version of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/jeep">Jeep</a>&nbsp;UConnect infotainment system. You get a sizeable 10in touchscreen that looks high-definition sharp, and while the menu layout is a little easier to get on with, there are still too many small icons used that are hard to hit on the move.

Annoyingly, the screen layout hasn’t been reversed to suit right-hand drive, and because the screen is&nbsp;tilted away from the driver, some functions are&nbsp;a real stretch to get to. At least you get&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> smartphone mirroring as standard to get around this.

The rest of the Compass&nbsp;interior is a bit too convoluted and cluttered because of&nbsp;all the knobs and buttons it has. Normally we’d be praising the presence of physical controls, but the haphazard way they are grouped takes some time to get&nbsp;used to.

For instance, the air-con controls share the same space as the ones for the stereo and, weirdly, the screen on/off button. Plug-in hybrid models get a row of controls below that to switch between modes, but the button to increase regeneration when you lift off the accelerator is miles away from them, next to the infotainment screen. the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/kuga/4x4/review/n57">Ford Kuga</a> has a much more cohesive layout.

What’s more, the Compass can’t even match the far less expensive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/karoq/estate/review/n118">Skoda Karoq</a> for interior quality. Yes, there are some soft touch materials across the top of the dashboard and door cards, but the texture looks like it was modelled on rhino skin and feels just as rough. The rest of the materials feel cheap, especially the hollow-sounding indicator and wiper stalks.

Jeep only makes SUVs, but it has plenty of them for you to choose from. So, whether you want something rugged enough to ford streams and climb mountains, or a more luxurious and family-friendly car, it has something to suit you.

Despite its all-American image, Jeep is actually owned by Fiat, meaning Jeeps often share parts with cars from the Italian giant; the entry-level Renegade, for example, has plenty in common with Fiat’s 500X.

However, perhaps the most widely recognised Jeep is the Wrangler, a model that has a dedicated fan base and which closely resembles the original Jeep which saw service in World War 2.

The brand’s future plans include new small and large SUVs, plus the introduction of fully electric models.

JEEP

COMPASS

<h2 dir="ltr">Access</h2>

The Jeep Compass is a proper off-road vehicle, whose high ground clearance makes it very capable on the rough stuff. However, what’s good news for off-road agility isn’t such a bonus where ease of access is concerned.

For example, the height-adjustable driver’s seat sits 690mm from the ground in its lowest position, and almost 740mm in its highest setting, so you’ll definitely need to lift yourself up when getting in. And with the tops of the door sills a full 480mm from the ground, you’ll also need to lift your legs a fair height when climbing aboard. There’s also a sizeable 114mm step from the car’s floor up to the door sills, so you’ll have to perform another stomach crunch when getting out.&nbsp;

That said, at least the doors shouldn’t get in the way when getting in and out as they open to a decent angle of 66 degrees – that’s the same as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ateca/estate/review/n111">Seat Ateca</a>. The door aperture itself is also tall and wide and allows plenty of scope for manoeuvring between door, seat and steering wheel.&nbsp;

<h2 dir="ltr">Storage</h2>

The Compass’s boot capacity is pretty average for the size of vehicle with the wheel arches eating into the available space. As a result you’ll find it impossible to carry a fully-assembled wheelchair, even if you fold the rear seats down. A folded one will go in just fine, though.

Things are helped by there being an adjustable-height boot floor as standard. This can be left in the lowest position for maximum carrying capacity, but the compromise is a boot lip of more than 150mm to lift awkward items over when heaving them in or out. In its high setting, that obstacle disappears, but you lose a good chunk of load volume.

The boot lip sits 770mm from the ground, which means you’ll have to lift stuff up quite a way, too. Compare this with the 694mm of an Ateca and you can see what we mean.&nbsp;

<h2 dir="ltr">Ease of use and options</h2>

If you want an automatic gearbox you’ll need to choose either the 168bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine or 168bhp 1.4-litre petrol. The diesel is a natural fit for such a vehicle, because it’s reasonably strong. The automatic gearbox meanwhile is a little slow-witted and gives quite long pauses between shifts.&nbsp;

Equipment-wise, even entry-level Longitude models come with a rear-view camera, lane-departure warning and automatic emergency braking. You also get an infotainment system that caters for <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> smartphone connectivity, enabling you to use applications on your phone – such as Waze navigation – through the car’s touchscreen in place of Jeep’s own software.&nbsp;

Moving up to Night Eagle trim adds keyless entry and start, and heated front seats and steering wheel, while Limited models add electrically adjustable front seats.

Impressive off-road credentials, but poor road manners and noisy engines mean it's ultimately off the pace

Inside, the Jeep Compass offers the driver and front passenger generous head, shoulder and leg room.

The car is 7cm longer between its front and rear wheels than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jeep/renegade/4x4/review/n138">Jeep Renegade</a>&nbsp;and this benefits rear passengers greatly, offering a couple of adults good leg room. Be wary of opting for a sunroof, though, because it dramatically reduces head room. The S version of the plug-in hybrid gets far more flexible 40/20/40 split folding rear seats for loading longer items (all other versions have a 60/40 split).

The Compass's boot has an adjustable floor that alleviates the large lip at the entrance. Ultimately, luggage capacity is only marginally higher than in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/qashqai/hatchback/review/n7">Nissan Qashqai</a> and way off the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/3008/estate/review/n17363">Peugeot 3008</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ateca/estate/review/n111">Seat Ateca</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/karoq/estate/review/n118">Skoda Karoq</a> (either with the seats in place or folded down),&nbsp;and the boot is narrower because the wheelarches encroach into the space. The PHEV Compass loses a bit of storage space to the battery, but not as much as hybrid 3008s do.

Adaptive cruise control, auto high beams and wireless phone-charging are all added to Limited over and above Night Eagle.

Limited

limited

High Altitude

high-altitude

The other 4xe plug-in hybrid model is the road-bias S model, which has 19in wheels, electric drivers seat adjustment, sat-nav, an electric tailgate, plus the more helpful 40/20/40 split folding rear seat.

S Model

s-model

Trailhawk is for the off-road lovers because it has smaller 17in wheels and model specific front and rear bumpers that can clear steeper obstacles. Oh, and it also gets a spare tyre in case you suffer a puncture. Only available as a 4xe PHEV.

Trailhawk

trailhawk

The Jeep Compass has impressive off-road credentials, but its poor road manners, noisy engines, uninspiring interior and steep price mean it's ultimately off the pace compared with its major family SUV rivals.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Comfortable ride </li> <li>Feature-filled infotainment </li> <li>Space for child seats </li> <li>Robust build quality </li> <li>Practical storage spaces </li> <li>A boot fit for a family holiday </li> <li>Fuel-efficient engines</li></ul>

While we define a small SUV&nbsp;as something&nbsp;less than 4.3 metres long and a large SUV as measuring more than 4.5 metres, family SUVs tread the middle ground.

As the name suggests, the vast majority are&nbsp;designed for family duties rather than serious off-roading, so practicality is paramount. However, that&nbsp;shouldn't come at the expense of a decent drive; the best examples combine tidy handling with smooth engines&nbsp;and a ride that's comfortable&nbsp;enough to ensure the kids aren't left feeling queasy.

The Seat Ateca and&nbsp;Skoda Karoq should definitely be on your shortlist. But if you have a bit more to spend,&nbsp;the Range Rover Evoque is another strong option. If money is a concern, then the Dacia Duster provides comfortable, spacious and well-equipped transportation for an affordable price.

&nbsp;

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Jeep Compass review

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Inside, the Jeep Compass offers the driver and front passenger generous head, shoulder and leg room.,The car is 7cm longer between its front and rear wheels than the Jeep Renegade and this benefits rear passengers greatly, offering a couple of adults good leg room. Be wary of opting for a sunroof, though, because it dramatically reduces head room. The S version of the plug-in hybrid gets far more flexible 40/20/40 split folding rear seats for loading longer items (all other versions have a 60/40 split).,The Compass's boot has an adjustable floor that alleviates the large lip at the entrance. Ultimately, luggage capacity is only marginally higher than in the Nissan Qashqai and way off the Peugeot 3008, Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq (either with the seats in place or folded down), and the boot is narrower because the wheelarches encroach into the space. The PHEV Compass loses a bit of storage space to the battery, but not as much as hybrid 3008s do.

Read review covering Jeep Compass boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

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