Jeep Compass Review
Car Tested: Jeep Compass; Road Test No. 832; Test Location: Goa
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 17.55 – 24.95 lakhs
The Jeep Compass is a fantastic performer both on and off-road, it feels premium
The Jeep brand has entered the Indian market with a top-down approach. First, they launched the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler offerings and now the American automaker is all set to introduce the ‘Made in India’ Jeep Compass. Yes, the baby Jeep is being locally manufactured in India at their Ranjangaon facility, which is the only plant across the globe producing right-hand drive Compass. FCA is betting big on the Indian market and export markets with the Compass. We test the latest Jeep in Goa to see how capable the mini Grand Cherokee is.
Motor Quest: FCA shares the same platform of the Jeep Compass within the family. It was first seen in the Fiat 500X and it is also being used to underpin the Jeep Renegade compact SUV. This is the second generation of the Jeep Compass that we’ll get in India.
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The Jeep Compass gets simple character lines and premium styling
Exteriors – Mini Grand Cherokee, yes, this is what comes to your mind when you look at the Jeep Compass for the first time. The SUV maker has given the Compass a premium and sophisticated urban vehicle appearance. Unlike its brother, the Renegade, which follows the DNA of the Wrangler and is more focused towards off-road and rough terrains. The front profile of the Compass is quite striking having the signature 7-slat Jeep grille. Some highlights of the side profile include massive wheel arches, clean character lines, chrome strip across the body and shark fin design on the C-pillar. The rear profile also looks quite clean and characterful. The Compass comes with projector headlamps with LED DRLs and LED tail-lights. It also has a black contrast roof as an option which gives it a floating roof appearance.
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The dashboard gets a neat layout with controls in easy reach
Interiors – The interiors of the JeepCompass aren’t very swanky and lavish. The dashboard is simple yet functional having a dual tone treatment. You’ve got a chunky three-spoke steering wheel with audio controls but there are some dummy buttons for the cruise control, which is not being offered in India. The instrument cluster looks premium having a huge MID in the middle and is easy to read. There is a neatly integrated touchscreen infotainment system. The user interface looks good but the touch quality is just average. Jeep offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for smartphone connectivity. The sound quality of the audio system is rich and quite satisfying. Some of the features missing in the Compass are sunroof, electrically adjustable seats, auto headlamps, auto wipers, etc.
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The rear seats are spacious and comfortable
Interior quality feels long lasting and the space is quite practical for five
The ingress and egress is quite comfortable in the Jeep Compass and you don’t feel like you are sitting in a hatchback like other compact SUVs, it is relatively high and you have a commanding driving position with a good view all around. The quality, fit and finish is nice and you can hardly find any cheap quality panels inside the cabin. The seats are very comfortable and supportive, there is ample legroom and headroom at the back. Even the under-thigh support of the seats are pretty good. The boot is also well spaced out and can accommodate a lot of luggage.
