Amongst the community of automotive media that cover events like the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, there is a running joke that we have a standing order with Mother Nature for several days of brutally cold temperatures and snow during the show. The rest of the winter can be and often is in recent years relatively mild, but we have a reputation to keep up, especially for our colleagues from California. Thus I do my best to schedule something suitable drive that week. This year, the Fiat Chrysler press fleet did not disappoint, offering up a 2018 Jeep Compass Limited.
The second-generation Compass hit the market in 2017 it is so much better in virtually every way that it’s hard to understand why it wears the same badge as its predecessor. A decade ago as Chrysler was still going through its protracted divorce from merger of unequals partner Daimler, it was decided that Jeep needed to be a player in the burgeoning compact crossover segment.
For reasons that have never been entirely clear, Jeep developed two models of the Dodge Caliber platform, the boxier, more traditional looking Patriot and the funkier looking Compass. To be brutally honest, neither was a particularly good vehicle overall, being particularly let down by their powertrains which initially consisted of a distinctly mediocre 2.4-liter four cylinder paired with a CVT.
However, simply slapping a Jeep badge and seven-slot grille on a car-based platform simply would not do. While today’s crossover market includes everything from the front-wheel-drive only Toyota CH-R to the electric Chevrolet Bolt, The Compass and Patriot simply could not be part of the Jeep family if they didn’t offer variants with true off-road capability no matter how feeble the base vehicle. Sure you can buy base front-drivers, but why be a poseur when you could have real four-wheel drive, not just something that sends a trickle of torque to the rear axle when the front is hopelessly slipping.
While the Patriot is now gone, the new Compass is so much better than before, I doubt anyone will notice. The new design looks like a melding of elements the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and that’s no bad thing. It’s a clean, purposeful design without any of the awkwardness of the original. The overhangs are relatively short and the stance is wide enough to give it a look of stability. One unique element of the Compass relative to other Jeeps is the black roof on Limited and Trailhawk models. It gives these premium variants a distinctiveness that further sets them apart from the crowd.
The Compass along with other Chrysler vehicles got a major interior upgrade following the post-bankruptcy formation of Fiat Chrysler and that continues into the new model. While you won’t likely mistake the cabin for a Range Rover Evoque or something from a premium German brand, you also won’t be embarrassed to transport your partner and friends to the ski resort. The Limited model I drove features very comfortable, leather wrapped seats along with thick-rimmed steering wheel.
One much appreciated feature that I rarely see mentioned anywhere but that I really appreciate on FCA vehicles is the auto-on for the driver’s seat heat and the steering wheel. Whenever the outside temperature is below freezing, the heaters come on automatically when the engine starts. When it’s five degrees out, using the remote start while I put my coat and shoes on and then going out to already find a toasty wheel and backside is much appreciated.
All Compasses get a touchscreen UConnect infotainment system. The Sport and Latitude models come standard with a five-inch version but have a seven-inch optional. The Trailhawk and Limited get the high-end 8.5-inch UConnect 4 that also includes support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Jeep’s Active Drive four-wheel-drive felt utterly sure-footed in the fresh snow that came down as the auto show was getting ramped up. A knob on the center console allows you to selec between auto, sand, snow and mud calibrations that change the allowable slip for optimal control on any surface. If you opt for the Trailhawk model, the system adds hill-descent control and low range for a 20:1 crawl ratio. With the Trailhawk’s standard skid-plates, you can go almost anywhere with relative ease.
Powering all of this is the 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder. This is basically the same engine that came in the original a decade ago but with the addition of Fiat’s Multi-Air variable valve lift system. At 180-hp is adequately powerful for the relatively modest 3,327-pound curb weight. However, by today’s standards it’s not particularly refined and the sounds it makes would be better off suppressed by an active noise cancellation system. Hopefully, in the next year or so, we’ll see this engine replaced by FCA’s new global four-cylinder family that powers the new Cherokee and Wrangler. Thankfully, at least the mid-cycle refresh on the previous generation version dispensed with the terrible CVT and replaced with Chrysler’s ubiquitous nine-speed automatic that has been much improved over the years.
Overall performance was more than adequate considering that there is no sporting variant of the Compass (unless you are talking off-road crawling then the Trailhawk has you covered) but fuel economy was relatively unimpressive at just 21 mpg. Granted, the temperatures during the week I drove the Compass were mostly in the teens and single digits and the roads were often slick or snow covered, both of which will degrade overall efficiency.
At about 96 cubic feet of passenger volume on a 103-inch wheelbase, the Compass is by no means cavernous but it will carry four adults in relative comfort. The 27 cubic feet of cargo space behind the seats will carry four people’s worth of stuff for that weekend ski trip or plenty of groceries.
Aside from that gnarly engine, the second-generation Compass is a vastly superior machine to its predecessor in every way and if you want a smaller crossover utility vehicle that can handle really bad weather with ease this is probably one of the best choices out there. If you want a compact crossover that can also handle terrain that used to be restricted Wranglers, CJs and Land Rovers, the Trailhawk is pretty close to the only real option. The base front-drive Compass Sport starts at $21,000 but really, if you are going to buy a Jeep, then buy a Jeep. The Trailhawk starts at $28,695 and the loaded Limited I drove peaks at $34,955 including delivery. While that's not an inexpensive price, it's comparable to others in the segment and arguably more capable than most.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/samabuelsamid/2018/02/01/2017-jeep-compass-limited-a-crossover-thats-a-real-jeep-too/
2018-02-01T13:02:00+00:00