Jeep Compass Test Drive Review

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.

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.

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.

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.

Performance – The Jeep Compass will be available with both 1.4-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engine options. We got to test the 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel engine at the drive which makes its debut in the Indian market with the launch of the Compass. It produces 173 PS of power and 350 Nm of twisting force. This is one cracker of an engine that loves to pull in the magical mid-range. There is some lag under 2000 RPM post which you get fantastic acceleration. The motor keeps pulling until redline but the top end of this powerplant gets quite loud and coarse.

The 2.0-litre MultiJet is super thrilling to drive with its satisfying acceleration

This engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission and Jeep won’t be offering an auto box with the diesel motor initially. The 1.4-litre petrol will come with both manual and auto transmissions but the petrol Compass will be available later. The 6-speed gearbox is quite precise and offers great feedback while the clutch is light, making it easy to drive in city conditions. The first three gears have short ratios while the rest are long legged offering balanced driveability in both city and highway driving conditions. Ingear acceleration is good too but you need to shift frequently if you hit the turbo lag zone. NVH levels are quite strong and the motor feels smooth but once it’s past 3500 RPM, the loudness gets quite apparent inside the cabin. You can expect a fuel efficiency of 12-14 km/l in real world conditions.

Driving Dynamics – Jeep has impressed us in this department by offering Frequency Selective Damping suspension. The Compass is dynamically rich both on and off-road, having such equipment such as Dynamic Steering Torque (DST), Selec-Terrain and Jeep Active Drive. The ride is fantastic that filters out the bumps and potholes very well. The suspension is well damped and it’s only on huge craters that you feel the thuds filtering inside the cabin. There is some amount of body roll when you push around the bends but the steering feel and feedback is quite impressive for an SUV of this size. The Compass handles corners cleanly maintaining its line very well, thanks to the grippy all weather tyres and the AWD system.

The AWD system comes with four modes Auto, Snow, Sand and Mud. The power is front wheel biased and when it feels the need, the rear wheels come to action. We had an off-road session with the Compass in Goa in slippery and muddy conditions including water fording and a couple of steep inclines and declines. The baby Jeep proved to be quite capable in the rough terrain and it can handle some serious off-roading. The ground clearance is good but still, the front lip panel manages to touch the ground. The brakes are quite effective and offer strong stopping power.

Safety and After Sales Service – The Jeep Compass comes loaded with safety equipment such as 6 airbags, All-Speed Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), ABS, Isofix seat mounts, Electronic Roll Mitigation, Hill Start Assist, etc. One of the biggest questions for the Compass’ success in India is the after sales and poor service network across the country. The American carmaker is setting up new dealerships but currently, there are very few of them in India. Since the Compass is locally produced, we expect relatively affordable spare parts and maintenance costs.

Verdict – FCA has made a huge effort for getting the Jeep brand in India and especially setting up the Compass project in India for making it the manufacturing hub for right-hand drive export markets. The SUV is quite capable and feels good to drive too. It also comes with a reasonable amount of equipment, however, there are some missing features for a car belonging to this segment. It will be interesting to see the price point in which it is being offered and how it is positioned against the competition in the Indian market. If priced attractively, the Jeep Compass is one SUV which will pull people from both smaller and bigger SUVs as it offers the best of both worlds.

What’s Cool

* Appealing Jeep design, road presence
* Spacious and practical cabin
* 2.0-litre diesel engine grunt
* Super driving dynamics and off-road ability

What’s Not So Cool

* Jeep limited after sales network
* A few essential features missing

Alternatives: Hyundai Tucson, Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Volkswagen Tiguan

Jeep Compass Specifications

* Engine: 1956cc, DOHC, 4-cylinders, 7 injectors
* Power: 173 PS @ 3750 RPM
* Torque: 350 Nm @ 1750-2500 RPM
* Transmission: 6-speed MT
* 0-100 km/hr: 10.95 seconds
* Top Speed: 201 km/hr
* Fuel Consumption: 12-14 km/l
* Fuel Type: Diesel
* Suspension: Frequency Selective Damping Suspension
* Tyres: 225/60/17
* Brakes: Discs (Front & Rear), ABS
* Safety: 6 Airbags, ABS, EBD, Hill Hold, ESC, TCS

Jeep Compass Dimensions

* Overall length x width x height: 4395 mm X 1818 mm X 1640 mm
* Boot Space: 408-litres
* Wheelbase: 2636 mm
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 60-litres