Image via Complex Original
When you think Jeep, you think Wrangler. You think Grand Cherokee. You think big and bold. But what about the people who want a Jeep, but don't need some giant, imposing SUV? That's where the Compass comes in, a compact utility vehicle that attempts to fill in the gaps made noticeable by the increasingly large hunger for crossovers of all shapes and sizes in today's market. We were able to spend a couple weeks with the new 2014 Jeep Compass Limited 4x4 and see whether it's really deserving of that legendary name. These are 5 things we learned from the experience.
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It drives like a car.
The Compass is by far the most compact and smallest vehicle in Jeep's lineup. It measures at 3,192 pounds, 175.1 inches long, and only 65 inches tall. For a comparison, the current Ford Focus sedan is 2,960 pounds, 178.5 inches long, and 57.7 inches tall. It's a bit of a strange feeling stepping into it, if you're so used to Jeeps towering over most other vehicles on the road. And that feeling of being small translates into the driving experience.
The Compass has four-wheel independent suspension with a MacPherson strut in the front and an independent multilink set up in the back. The ride isn't shockingly smooth, but it isn't fat-gigglingly bumpy either. The steering is pretty direct, with a little bit of cushion, and there's never a feeling of any part of the CUV getting in the way of driving the way you normally would. It feels like it's always within arm's reach.
And it's not as sloth-like as you might expect.
The Compass is powered by a 2.4L DOHC I4. It has 172 horsepower and 165 lb-ft of torque. That's linked to a new 6-speed automatic transmission. And to my surprise, that was actually a pretty zippy little package. I say zippy, because it wasn't fast by any means, but I wasn't left sitting at the line for 2 seconds waiting for the car to go anywhere. It had some pep to it. The transmission was pretty smooth, as well, and it didn't jump around on me a ton.
It's still a pretty awkward vehicle.
The exterior on the first generation of the Compass was pretty awful. The face had chipmunk cheeks, and the proportions just didn't work well with the circle headlights. It was actually a car I'd call ugly. The new compass is a big improvement, as it moved more toward its big brother, the Grand Cherokee, but it's still not something I'd ever call stylish or attractive. The Compass is a car you'd likely just glaze over in a random lineup of vehicles.
But, the interior can actually look really nice ... for a price.
The interior was by far the best part of my experience with the Compass. When I opened the door, my eyebrows raised and I was legitimately like, "oh, well, that's a pretty warm, inviting-looking cabin." The color combo that my Compass had was Dark Slate Gray and Saddle Tan.
The two-ton appointments worked really well together, and the dark leather looked extremely creamy and rich. It was an interesting contrast with some of the Jeepy guages and dials, with everything looking very round, but the satin chrome was subtly classy enough to pair nicely. There were still a few harder surfaces, but it didn't feel cold at all. The seats were a little stiff for how the Saddle Tan made you think they'd feel, but they didn't leave me needing a visit to the chiropractor or anything.
However, this was teh top trip and top spec of the Compass, which was priced at $30,075. The base 4x4 Limited starts at $27,795. That's kind of a lot of money for this car.
It doesn't really feel like a Jeep.
Like I said earlier, this thing just feels like a mid-size car. Jeeps inherently are supposed to evoke a sense of adventure, but you don't exactly feel inspired to take a sudden right turn into the woods with this thing. It's still a 4x4, still has skid plates under it, still is Trail Rated, still has hill start assist, and still has tow hooks (for whatever those are really worth). And it's 8.1-inch ground clearance is fine, but it's just not something that I would be confident tackling any sort of legitimately difficult terrain in. I feel like I'm in a crossover, not a Jeep. Jeeps are kind of a category of their own, and I didn't get that sense of badassery from the Compass.
