Jeep Compass reader test team: does the new family SUV impress?

The Jeep Compass family SUV is an important model for the brand, selling in big numbers worldwide, and this all-new model is charged with continuing that success.

Like the smaller Avenger, which went on sale in 2023, the new Compass will be offered in fully electric form, as well as with electrified petrol power. This is made possible by sharing underpinnings with other models from brands within the Stellantis group, including the Peugeot 3008 and Vauxhall Grandland.

To win sales from these and other rivals, it needs to stand out in terms of both looks and ability. On the styling front, it plays on the traditional rugged Jeep theme, with a more muscular look than its sister models. In keeping with this, there’ll be a four-wheel-drive version of the electric Compass; with 370bhp from its two electric motors, it’s more powerful than any of its Stellantis relatives.

There’ll also be less powerful front-wheel-drive electric variants, the most efficient of which has an official range of up to 404 miles – farther than the Tesla Model Y Long Range.

The mild hybrid version, meanwhile, combines a 1.2-litre petrol engine with a small electric motor for a total power output of 143bhp – punchier than the hybrid 3008. A front-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Compass will follow.

The new Compass is set to be aggressively priced, too. The mild hybrid starts at £35,700 and the electric model £39,200, with deliveries of both scheduled to begin early next year. We asked six readers to take a closer look at the electric version and issue their verdicts.

Nigel Perdue

Age 62

Job Retired operations director

Drives Nissan Ariya

“The lease on my Ariya runs out in a couple of months’ time , so I’m looking for a new, slightly smaller EV to replace it.

“For me, the most appealing thing about the Compass is the way it looks. It’s very modern on the outside, with an imposing profile that will stand out on the road. I love the front and rear light clusters, which are inspired by the original 1940s Jeep.

“It’s great that Jeep has managed to retain some genuine ruggedness, too; the paintwork is protected by an anti-scratch coating and the bumpers are reinforced to lessen the risk of damage.

“On the inside, the Jeep Compass feels roomy and the boot is a decent size; that suits me, because I occasionally help my sons get to and from university and move flats. My only concern is that the driver’s seat seems quite high up and my left knee was brushing against a hard plastic surface.

“It’s good to hear that heated and ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel will be offered on higher trim levels. These features are important to me. I’ve also got used to having an app to remotely pre-heat my car and check its charge level; I understand this will be standard, too.

“Now that I’ve seen the Compass in the metal, I’m really keen to take a test drive.”

Star rating 4

Stephen Doughty

Age 67

Job Aviation consultancy director

Drives Suzuki Ignis and Volkswagen e-Up

“I’m looking for a larger electric car to replace our petrol-engined Ignis, which we currently use for longer journeys. I’m a convert to EV power and have been looking for a small electric SUV that looks good, but, until now, I’ve not found anything that really inspires me.

“If you’re going to have a car on your drive, you want to be glad you bought it – and the Compass is something I would be happy to park outside my house. I think its styling is great, especially with this metallic paint finish; it seems to shimmer when it catches the light on the lines of the bodywork.

"Our e-Up is a great runabout for driving around town, but we’d like our second car to have more range and improved technology. Often with EVs, you need a larger car if you want a decent range, but the Compass’s official range of up to 404 miles would be more than enough for us.

“My wife prefers a car with a fairly high driving position, too, and since the Compass is an SUV, it ticks that box.

“I like the simple interior design, especially the row of buttons on the centre console that let you operate frequently used functions without having to use the touchscreen. That makes total sense for safety, in my opinion.

“I also think that Jeep has got the pricing right. It’s great that you can buy a high-spec electric car for less than £40k.”

Star rating 4

Cameron McKenzie

Age 58

Job Retired enterprise account director

Drives Cupra Born

“Now that I’ve taken the leap of faith and joined the EV revolution by buying my Cupra Born, I’m keen to go for another electric car in the future.

“The Compass looks truly impressive on the outside. It has a modern, fresh look, but it manages to retain the identity of the Jeep brand without looking like a typical big American SUV. It’s appropriately muscular, and I like how Jeep has preserved the go-anywhere theme with the unpainted plastic wheel arches.

“The build quality seems quite good, and I like the fact that the designers have chosen to fit chunky LED headlights instead of the narrow slits you see on a lot of other new cars.

“Inside, I’m pleased to see that not all of the controls are reliant on the infotainment touchscreen; that’s a huge plus for me. The interior is fairly roomy, and while the boot is deeper than it is wide, I think it would be more than adequate for most people’s requirements. It definitely looks like it would take a set of golf clubs.

“To me, the Jeep Compass seems like it could even be a rival for smaller Range Rover and Volvo models, but it’s much cheaper than those brands’ family SUVs.

“In fact, the way the Compass is priced is really impressive. I’ve not seen any other new EVs with an official range in excess of 400 miles that have an asking price of less than £40,000.

“Although I appreciate that you’re not guaranteed to achieve such a long range when driving in the real world, I’d expect the Compass to manage more like 300-350 miles between charges. That would be plenty to tackle most of the trips I make.”

Star rating 4

Tim Lyon

Age 63

Job Retired software engineer

Drives BMW 1 Series, Kia Sorento and Vauxhall Corsa

“I’m looking for a fairly large electric car to replace our Corsa. I regularly transport four ‘ladies who lunch’, one of whom is 92 years old , so I need a roomy car that has good access.

“The Compass looks big enough inside, plus it has tall door apertures and the doors open nice and wide. The boot is a decent size, too; that’s good, because we often carry walking aids and other equipment.

“My wife and I will both drive the new car, and she is much shorter than me, so it’s helpful that there is plenty of adjustment on the driver’s seat. It’s good to know other features, such as a driver’s head-up display, a powered tailgate and electric seat adjustment, will be standard on some versions.

“One of my pet hates in cars is a lack of buttons, and the Compass provides some physical controls for heating and ventilation, but it’s a shame you have to use the touchscreen to change certain audio settings.

“I like the styling, too. Although it’s based on the same underpinnings as the Vauxhall Grandland, it looks bigger to me, and I think it’s better looking.

“I’m also glad there’ll be a plug-in hybrid version; this should offer the best of both worlds, with petrol power for long trips and the option to run purely on electricity around town.”

Star rating 4

Richard Long

Age 74

Job Retired company director

Drives BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz SL and Toyota Yaris Cross

“I intend to replace my BMW 5 Series with a small SUV this year. I’ve driven the previous Compass and I liked it, but it felt a bit underpowered for me. Hopefully, the four-wheel-drive electric version will suit me better.

“The size increase over the previous model is certainly noticeable. I find the styling quite aggressive, which is all right for me but might not suit everyone. The way it pays homage to Jeep’s history – even through to the X-shaped rear lights – is neat.

“I’m quite tall, but the door openings are just tall enough for me to get in without bumping my head, and there’s a reasonable amount of room in the back seats for passengers.

“My main disappointment is that the PHEV version won’t have four-wheel drive. At the moment, I can’t commit to going fully electric, so the PHEV would be my first choice, but I’d like the extra all-weather reassurance that four-wheel drive brings.

“The boot is great. My daughter has a Belgian Malinois dog called Bosco, and I sometimes look after him; he’d fit in there easily. All my usual luggage would fit in fine, too.

“I think the interior fit and finish has improved ; it was a bit of a letdown in the previous model. The amount of interior storage is really good, too. I think it would make for a very good family car .”

Star rating 4

Casper Gorniok

Age 55

Job Marketing consultant

Drives Lexus UX

“My first experience of driving a Jeep was in 1998 when I hired a Cherokee while on holiday in Florida. I loved that car’s capabilities, especially on the beach and rocky terrain, and its distinct personality won me over.

“Despite sharing so much with other Stellantis models, the Compass has plenty of Jeep DNA, along with a rugged stance and commanding driving position. I like my UX, but I think the Compass has much more character. It’s a modern take on the classic Jeep, with a fairly vertical windscreen, a long bonnet and an imposing grille.

“From sitting in the Compass, it seems that the Stellantis link certainly hasn’t done any harm to the interior fit and finish, and sharing mechanical bits with Peugeot and Vauxhall could be good news for the Compass’s reliability, too.

“It’s spacious inside, and the 350-litre boot is a boon for me, because it’s a fair bit larger than that of my UX. I always pack more than I need when I go away, and it would be reassuring to know my car could easily swallow everything.

“I’m glad to hear that Jeep has committed to keeping the electric Compass’s price below £40,000, because having to pay the additional ‘expensive car’ rate of VED for six years could have quite an impact on some EV buyers .”

Star rating 5

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