Jeep Compass Review 2024

If you're looking for a competent family car that's going to stand out from the usual mix of SUVs, the Jeep Compass is a respectable choice. The updates made for the 2022 model year Jeep Compass mean it's easier to justify than it originally was, while mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid power also helps its case. It could also be a good option if you actually need or want to venture off the tarmac. But there are numerous other cars that do several things better than the Jeep.

If you can, look for a 2022-onwards Jeep Compass. The updates, particularly to the interior, make it a lot more competitive than the old pre-facelift model. The plug-in hybrid will be a desirable choice for its low running costs, but a higher purchase price may make it harder to justify for many private buyers. The mild-hybrid could be a good option if you do a lot of driving around town – its ability to run on electric power only for short distances pays dividends here and can really keep your fuel costs down.

The Summit model has extras like heated front seats as well as extra safety gear. While it’s pricey when new, it’s much better value when used. If you don’t plan to do much off-roading, it seems the best all-round trim to have.

If you're in the market for a Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson or Nissan Qashqai, the Jeep Compass offers something a little different, including a trendy badge and rugged 4x4 image. It also faces competition from the Skoda Karoq, Peugeot 3008 and Volkswagen Tiguan. You could also compare it to slightly bigger family SUVs like the Toyota RAV4, practical Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and Ford Kuga. It's quite an expensive option which means it's also up against premium SUVs like the Volvo XC40, modern Audi Q3, stylish BMW X1, classy Mercedes GLA and smart looking Jaguar E-Pace.

For a car priced in line with premium competitors, the interior of the pre-facelift Jeep Compass was pretty dismal. A lot of the finishes were hard to the touch – which is not necessarily a bad thing for longevity – but they didn't look particularly posh, and there were a few flimsy plastics on show, too.

The 2022 update brought with it improved interior quality, with the aforementioned multi-layered dashboard and more soft-touch finishes. The Compass interior is still disappointing compared back-to-back with an Audi Q3, but it looks (and feels) a bit more competitive than earlier versions.

The infotainment is another area in which the Jeep Compass was improved significantly in 2022. You now get a smart 10.1-inch touchscreen display as standard across the range, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It's a pretty easy system to navigate, while its positioning high up on the dashboard means it doesn't feel too distracting to use on the move. Oddly, there are actual, physical buttons for some features but not others. You can adjust the temperature of the climate control without having to navigate the infotainment, for example, but the heated seats are part of the touchscreen display. 

In an ergonomics oversight, the heated steering wheel 'button' is way over on the left hand side of the infotainment display. Oh, and turning off the over-sensitive lane-assist system requires negotiating various sub-menus every single time you get in the car.

All Jeep Compass models since 2022 also come with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster in place of old-school dials. This lifts the Jeep Compass in the quality stakes, although it's not a patch on Audi's Virtual Cockpit.

At 438 litres, the boot is smaller than you’d find in a Skoda Karoq or Peugeot 3008, with the rear wheel arches noticeably intruding on space. A false boot floor reduces the amount of lip that you'll need to lift heavy items over (as well as providing room to hide away odds and ends, including charging cables on plug-in hybrid models). 

Access to the back seats isn't particularly easy, either, due to a rather tight door opening. Things are a bit on the cramped side for rear passengers, while the relatively high window line means it feels fairly claustrophobic for adults and children alike. You can squeeze a passenger in the middle-rear seat but it's fairly tight, while a lump in the floor means they'll struggle to find anywhere to put their feet. It's a long way off the three individual rear seats you get in a Citroen C5 Aircross.

Things are a bit more positive in the front, where there's plenty of space to get comfortable and a reasonable view of your surroundings. The centre console prevents any awkward arm or leg bashing with your front-seat passenger, while there are two useful cupholders. There's a fairly small stowage area underneath the central armrest, while the door bins are annoyingly narrow.

In terms of exterior dimensions, the Jeep Compass measures 4404mm in length, 1629mm in height (including roof rails) and 1874mm in width (with folding door mirrors).

The engine line-up has changed quite significantly in the relatively short time the latest Jeep Compass has been on sale. It was initially offered with a choice of 1.4-litre petrol and 1.6-litre or 2.0-litre diesel engines, as well as two- or four-wheel drive and a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes.

Unless you cover mega miles, we'd pick the petrol 1.4 out of this initial line-up. It's a punchy turbocharged unit available with 140PS or 170PS (the former with two-wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox; the latter with a nine-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive). 

No doubt reflecting the change in customer demand, Jeep removed the diesels from the Jeep Compass line-up when the facelifted model arrived in 2022. The petrol was also replaced by a 1.3-litre petrol delivering 130PS and 270Nm of torque, combined with a six-speed manual gearbox. This entry-level unit was available exclusively with front-wheel drive. It has since been dropped from the line-up.

There's a mild-hybrid Jeep Compass, badged initially as the e-Torque Hybrid and later as the e-Hybrid, which uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with electrical assistance and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This is our pick, at least when it comes to fuel economy – the fact that it can cut the engine and run for short periods on electric power only really helps, and the transition between petrol and electric power is pretty seamless. The seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox, into which the electric motor is integrated, isn’t the smoothest or fastest-shifting on the market, but it’s entirely acceptable. The electric motor also adds a bit of vim to the acceleration – it’s hardly scintillating at 130PS in total, but it works well around town.

Topping the range is the Jeep Compass 4xe (said 'four-by-e', like 'four-by-four'). This is a plug-in hybrid combining a 1.3-litre petrol engine with an electric motor positioned on the rear axle (hence the name). The hefty price premium of the PHEV means it's difficult to justify when new, but a used Jeep Compass 4xe could be a very desirable purchase – especially if you cover a lot of short, urban journeys or want a car that can coast across a campsite in silence.

Like most PHEVs, the Jeep Compass 4xe plug-in hybrid is impressively refined around town. It'll bimble about in near-silence like an electric car, but then the petrol engine will kick in and spoil your tranquillity. There's a skill in coaxing as much electric range as possible out of the Jeep Compass; it's just so much nicer if you can avoid pressing the accelerator too hard and waking up the petrol motor.

For a less pricey alternative, there’s a similar story with the mild-hybrid model, which surreptitiously starts and cuts the petrol engine to lean on its electric motor whenever possible, and does a good job at it, too.

Refinement isn't quite so good out of town, where there's a fair bit of engine noise and the 19-inch alloy wheels of our S-specification test car created quite a din. It's nothing that can't be drowned out by turning up the radio, but you're not isolated from the outside world as much as you would be in a Volvo XC40. 

The Jeep Compass is available with a wide range of driver-assist systems to make your journey safer. These include a Traffic Sign Recognition system (which reads and interprets road signs), Intelligent Speed Assist (which can automatically keep the car within the speed limit) and Drowsy Driver Alert (which notifies you when you're not paying enough attention).

There's also an Automatic Emergency Braking system that can detect pedestrians and cyclists, slowing the car down to a complete stop if necessary to prevent (or mitigate) a collision. Jeep's new Highway Assist feature is also offered, providing Level 2 autonomous driving by combining the Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Centering features. 

The Jeep Compass was given a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was crash tested in 2017 – including an impressive 90% score for adult occupants. However, safety standards and testing criteria have moved on since then, so newer rivals will have been tested to a higher level.

We've heard very few reports of issues with the Jeep Compass. That said, the brand often returns a fairly mediocre performance in ownership surveys. In the 2020 HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index, the brand ranked bottom of all the car manufacturers. A Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V is likely to be a more reliable choice in the long term. 

Entry-level versions of the Jeep Compass are rated in insurance groups 16 and 17, while the Jeep Compass PHEV sees this jump to group 31 to 33. As such, the plug-in hybrid could cost considerably more to insure, particularly if you've only recently passed your test. It's worth shopping around for quotes. The e-Hybrid model sits in the middle, in group 26.

After the first year, all cars registered since 2017 are currently taxed at a flat rate of £180/year. Alternative-fuel vehicles (including hybrids) qualify for a £10/year discount, meaning you'll pay £170 a year for plug-in hybrid or mild-hybrid Jeep Compass models.

There's a 'but'. Vehicles with a list price of more than £40,000 (which includes most versions of the Compass PHEV) are stung with a premium-car tax (currently an additional £390 a year) for five years from the second time it's taxed. This is based on the official original retail price of the car, including optional extras, and not what you've paid for it on the used market, so it's worth double-checking before you hand over a deposit.

When the second-generation Jeep Compass first went on sale in 2017, buyers were given a choice of four trim levels: Sport, Longitude, Limited and Trailhawk.

The Jeep Compass Sport is a fairly basic model, with highlights including a five-inch touchscreen infotainment system with DAB radio (note: no navigation), cruise control and air conditioning. It rides on silver 16-inch alloy wheels.

The Jeep Compass Longitude adds chrome window surrounds, fabric and faux-leather seats with electric lumbar adjustment, ambient LED interior lighting and dual-zone climate control. There’s an 8.4-inch touchscreen navigation system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a reversing camera and keyless entry. The wheels are upgraded to 17-inch alloys.

The Jeep Compass Limited looks a bit flashier, with silver and grey 18-inch alloys (diamond-cut alternatives are available as an option), various chrome exterior highlights and LED signature lighting. The interior gets heated leather seats with eight-way adjustment, a heated steering wheel and a seven-inch colour instrument cluster. The radio is upgraded to a Beats unit, while parking is aided by a front and rear park assist system. Blind spot and cross path detection is added, too.

If you want to look like an off-road adventurer, look for a Jeep Compass Trailhawk. This gets all of the desirable 4x4 features including hill descent control, rock mode, bespoke front and rear bumpers, raised off-road suspension, skid plates and a rear tow hook. Inside, there’s a heated steering wheel, all-weather floor mats and heated leather seats with eight-way electric adjustment. 

The line-up was updated when the Jeep Compass range was given a refresh for 2022. The trim levels available became Night Eagle, Limited, S and Trailhawk.

The Jeep Compass Night Eagle was the entry-level version and featured, as standard, front and rear parking sensors, a 10.1-inch infotainment system with wireless smartphone integration, a 10.25-inch full digital instrument cluster and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The Jeep Compass Limited trim builds on this with standard Adaptive Cruise Control, exclusive 18-inch alloy wheels, front and side parking sensors with automatic parking function, Keyless Enter & Go and Nappa leather-wrapped dashboard.

The Jeep Compass S version – the top of the range trim - adds body-colour front bumpers and fascias, 19-inch alloy wheels, a hands-free power tailgate and leather seats that can be electrically adjusted to eight different positions.

The line-up was completed by the Jeep Compass Trailhawk – the off-road specialist model which stands out for its muscular, bold appearance and offers specific equipment for off-road driving. It comes with high-performance suspension and benchmark off-road angles and figures: approach angle of 30.4 degrees, departure angle of 33.3 degrees, breakover angle of 20.9 degrees and ground clearance of 21.3 cm. Standard on Trailhawk is also the five-mode Selec-Terrain traction control system, which includes a specific Rock mode, exclusively available on this model.

Since then, the names of the trims have chopped and changed a bit, including monikers like Altitude, High Altitude (later Summit) and Overland, but the essential provision of equipment is broadly similar.