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Jeep Compass SUV (2017 - 2022) review

The Jeep Compass is a mid-size SUV built to rival cars like the Volkswagen Tiguan, Skoda Karoq, Peugeot 3008 and Volvo XC40

Phill Tromans

Words by: Phill Tromans

Auto Trader

Additional words by: Auto Trader

Last updated on 9 October 2020 | 0 min read

The Auto Trader expert verdict:

3.5

The Jeep may not be the best car of this type, but it's a solid all-rounder, and has an all-American vibe that will appeal to plenty of people. You can have your Compass in a variety of flavours and it’s well kitted out with features and safety tech. However, we’d recommend checking out the numerous and highly capable rivals before you sign on the dotted line.

Reasons to buy:

  • tickPlenty of space
  • tickDecent to drive
  • tickPlenty of choice in the range

At a glance:

Running costs for a Jeep Compass

The Compass is on the pricey side compared to rivals like the Skoda Karoq, although similar cars with a more premium feel, such as the Volkswagen Tiguan and Volvo XC40, cost more. Skoda’s Karoq has a particularly impressive resale value, better fuel economy than the Compass and will be cheaper to service, maintain and repair so, overall, the Compass looks quite pricey. The lack of a hybrid option also looks a bit of a failing (especially for company drivers) as more rivals in this sector introduce this option to their ranges.
Expert rating: 3/5

Reliability of a Jeep Compass

Jeeps sell in relatively small numbers in the UK and don’t feature on some of the larger reliability rankings, such as JD Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study. As such, it’s hard to get a definitive steer on how reliable a Compass is likely to be. Jeep is owned by the same company as Fiat, and the Compass shares many components with Fiat’s 500X and the 500L. So it might not be good news that Fiat placed last-but-one in the 2019 JD Power study. Jeep also sits towards the lower end of Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index. If anything goes wrong with your Compass Jeep does at least offer an impressive five-year, 75,000-mile warranty, as well as three years of servicing and five years of roadside assistance.
Expert rating: 3/5

Safety for a Jeep Compass

All models feature automatic emergency braking and a lane departure warning system, while the Limited model has a blind spot warning system and Rear Cross Path Detection, which warns of approaching vehicles when backing out of parking spaces or driveways. There are two Isofix child seat mounting points in the outer rear seats and front, side and chest airbags.
Expert rating: 5/5

How comfortable is the Jeep Compass

The Compass is more than spacious enough for four adults, with good head- and legroom in the back. While the side seats are nice and wide, that means the middle rear seat is considerably smaller, but a fifth adult should be fine for shorter journeys. Up front we did notice the headrest doesn’t adjust very high so, if you’re taller, you might find the top of your back rubs against the bottom of the headrest, which we found very annoying. But there’s lots of seat and steering wheel adjustment, so you should find it easy to get your preferred driving position. The boot is a good size, if not gargantuan, with a large aperture and a relatively small lip for easy loading. The rear seats fold down nice and flat, although you’ll have to unlatch them from each side of the car, rather than being able to do so all in one go from the boot. Build quality is OK, although some of the plastics are disappointingly hard and lack the premium feel of rivals like the Volkswagen Tiguan. But there are still some softer-touch materials used to make it feel less utilitarian. The ride of the Compass is decent, taking the sting out of the worst British B-roads can throw at the suspension, although there’s a slight bouncing movement on undulating roads. But it handles pretty well, staying nice and flat through corners. The steering is on the hefty side, which might be worth considering if you do lots of low-speed manoeuvring, but it gives a feeling of solidity to the driving experience. Being a Jeep, off-road ability should be more than reasonable in cars equipped with four-wheel drive, and especially the off-road-focused Trailhawk model, but we’ve yet to stray away from the tarmac to test this.
Expert rating: 3/5

Features of the Jeep Compass

None of the Compass models are particularly spartan when it comes to kit, although the infotainment offerings are minimal in the entry-level model, with a 5.0-inch touch-screen and a DAB radio, but no satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. But it still gets air conditioning, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and automatic wipers. Upgrade to the Longitude and you’ll get a rear parking camera, keyless entry and engine start, and dual-zone climate control. The Night Eagle model is primarily about the exterior black bits, but you do also get leather-covered and slightly posher front seats, while the Limited model gives you electric seats, a heated steering wheel and an upgraded stereo courtesy of Beats. The Trailhawk has most of that, plus some off-road goodies like hill descent control, rock mode and a full-sized spare wheel.
Expert rating: 4/5

Power for a Jeep Compass

The Compass comes with a choice of diesel or petrol engines. We’ve tried the entry-level diesel, a 1.6-litre unit with 120 horsepower and front-wheel drive. While this might not sound like much for an SUV, it’s strong with plenty of low-down grunt, and pulls well. It is noisy though, and particularly chuggy at low speeds, which combined with a fair bit of road and wind noise at motorway speeds means the Compass doesn’t offer a particularly tranquil driving experience. The six-speed manual gearshift is quite heavy, which some people might quite like, as it adds to the overall chunky character of the car. If you want more power, there’s a 2.0-litre diesel with either 140 or 170 horsepower, and a 1.4-litre petrol engine, also with 140 or 170 horsepower. You can also specify your Compass in four-wheel drive, or with a nine-speed automatic gearbox, although these aren’t available on all versions.
Expert rating: 3/5

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