Team-BHP - Jeep Compass : Official Review

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Originally Posted by GTO (Post 4261804)

This just in from Jeep:

10,000 orders for a Rs. 17.50 lakh (averaged) SUV is equal to the gross income from 30,000 6-lakh rupee hatchbacks. The booking volume is HUGE by any measure, especially when you consider the weakling (Fiat) backing it.

I don't think one could have put this across in a better way GTO clap:

It is just that much more astonishing when we realize that one of the most popular C Segment sedan (Hyundai Verna) was re-launched round about the same time as the Jeep, and it has apparently got around 7000 bookings :D

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Originally Posted by GTO (Post 4261804)

All of the above applies in my case. I was not even in the market for a new car, my 6 year old City serves me well. However, having checked out the Compass on 1st August in the showroom, decided to book a 4x4 then and there. Had a hard time convincing the wife on why I had taken such a decision impulsively (read: without even asking her :D). Thankfully, I did not have to justify my decision once she saw the car in person.

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Originally Posted by GTO (Post 4261804)

Style & brand play a massive role! Brand Jeep has a certain sexiness to it, as does the Compass' design. I have yet to come across one person who doesn't like its styling.

• Some D-segment sedans might need to get onto ventilator support. They're gasping already!

Well said GTO. I have been in the market for a compact SUV to replace my daily beater Punto (110k kms) from the time the Creta launched. That's nearly a year and a half ago.

I have test driven the Creta a couple of times and have done around 5 drives on the Tucson. I almost booked the Tucson last week, thinking I could beat the cess hike. I walked out of the showroom with an booking cheque signed but retained without booking.

The Jeep Compass kept tugging away ,though mind said Tucson. There is something about the Compass that makes you weak.

My requirement is a top spec diesel automatic, has to be kitted with all the safety features including 6 airbags. 4*4 is an optional , but if the top spec auto has it, so be it. Now I have decided to wait until the diesel auto is launched. The wait just goes on and on. Frustrati.

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Originally Posted by GTO (Post 4261804)

10,000 orders for a Rs. 17.50 lakh (averaged)

Nicely put as always :thumbs up

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This is just from 50 dealers

Finally something to cheer for FCA dealers. Those who hanged in must be reaping the benefits now. Bad decision by the ones who quit recently, for eg Jay-Vijay Pune. Also a good news for Fiat owners as this will surely turn into more dealerships and workshops.

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Some D-segment sedans might need to get onto ventilator support. They're gasping already!

rl:

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Originally Posted by GTO (Post 4261804)

• Have good product, customer will pay. No matter what your background / reputation is, or how many divorces you've had. Without having proven its reliability, dealerships or long-term ownership costs, Jeep is raking in the moolah. The Indian customer will take a risk if the product is compelling enough.

• Customers are slowly, steadily moving up the price bracket. The average selling price of a car in India today is far higher than it was 5 years back.

• Knockout SUV = Knockout success.

• Don't fight other well-entrenched car makers head to head. Look at opportunities in segments where they are weak or have no presence. Imagine if, instead of the Compass, FCA had to invest the same money in a sub-10 lakh hatchback or sedan. Within a month of launch, it would already have discount stickers on the windscreen.

An unqualified aye to all the above points. Methinks the Indian market is slowly maturing. This serves as a clarion call to heavyweights like Toyota, VW and Honda to bring on offerings like the RAV4 etc instead of banging away at the crowded hatch/compact sedan segment with offerings like Ameo etc (no offence to those cars).
It is also my fervent wish that car companies would have more confidence to go the whole hog and offer the highest possible variants right from launch instead of a striptease kind of sequence (in the reverse).:D

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Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy (Post 4261923)

The Jeep Compass kept tugging away ,though mind said Tucson. There is something about the Compass that makes you weak.

My requirement is a top spec diesel automatic, has to be kitted with all the safety features including 6 airbags. 4*4 is an optional , but if the top spec auto has it, so be it. Now I have decided to wait until the diesel auto is launched. The wait just goes on and on. Frustrati.

I still think you should go ahead with either a Tucson or Tiguan if you are particular about Diesel AT. If the international reviews of new Compass diesel AT is anything to go by, its 9 speed AT gearbox hasn't got a positive review. For instance the one at http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/jeep/co...ss-2017-review claims that the manual version must be better. According to the review, the gearbox seems to hold to the first/second gear for longer than expected and this isn't a good thing for a car that is going to be run in city frequently. Also, you would end up paying ~27 lakhs for a Compass Diesel AT early next year and I think Tucson/Tiguan CL are very good automatic options at that price point before the proposed GST hike.

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Originally Posted by ece2k2 (Post 4262056)

In case you haven't noticed, they do that for almost every car. Here's what they say about Tucson, even though it gets a dual clutch transmission there, as compared to the TC gearbox offered here.

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The automatic gearboxes are all-new dual clutch transmissions, and while they’re great for driving and give a more relaxed feel, we’d suggest sticking with the manual gearbox, which is cheaper and very smooth to operate.

Coming to the 6 speed torque converter box that we get, our own Team Bhp review of the Tucson says its an average unit -

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The 6-speed slushbox is a regular torque converter unit, and I would say it is satisfactory in performance and behaviour. You can't compare it with the DSG or ZF boxes, yet it does the job and no owner will be complaining

Can't deny the possibility that the 9 speed ZF in the Compass might end up better than the Tucson in the Indian context. However, the VW DSG might still be superior to both, however at a higher price tag.

Standing applause for writing this exhaustive review full of detail to eye. Deserves seven stars for such a stellar review.

Now coming to JEEP I took a short test drive and my initial impression of the jeep is as follows. It's build quality is solid. Driving dynamics are good and the power is adequate. You won't feel too much lag even in heavy traffic. I didn't feel any sluggishness in crawling speeds. The vehicle has a tendency to stall in 2nd gear if the rpm is lower than 1700. Needs getting a bit of used to I guess to overcome the stall. Braking is excellent. Steering input is nice and you feel confident. Interiors are plush though white seats would need a lot of cleaning after 6 to 8 months of use. Fiat should have gone with a darker option IMHO. The dummy button for the cruise control is a sore point. Jeep should have offered it at least in its top trim.

It's overall a great product but will FCA be able to provide great after service is still a question which time will answer. I am contemplating on buying it but rather let me put it this way "My heart wants it badly but my mind is stopping me right now" Why? I seriously am not able to reason out why, but it's just there for now. I hope my mind syncs with my heart soon as I would love to get this beauty. ��

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Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR (Post 4262065)

In case you haven't noticed, they do that for almost every car. Here's what they say about Tucson, even though it gets a dual clutch transmission there, as compared to the TC gearbox offered here.

While the Tucson review says that the manual is better than the DCT, it doesn't pin point any particular issue with the Hyundai AT transmission as far as I can understand.

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Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR (Post 4262065)

Coming to the 6 speed torque converter box that we get, our own Team Bhp review of the Tucson says its an average unit -

Despite being average in terms of shift speed (may be half a second lag compared to my BMW X3's 8 speed ZF), the drive remains smooth at almost all speeds in Tucson. It doesn't hold on to some gears unnecessarily. Any diesel AT that holds on to lower gears for a longer time doesn't feel refined to drive IMHO.

Also, our own Compass review says that Tucson has a bit more refinement. I guess Compass manual was compared to Tucson AT during the review. From my limited experience, a manual transmission car always feels smoother than its own AT version under spirited city driving and the refinement level of the AT version of the diesel Compass might go down further - unless FCA does some magic to the 9 speed AT.

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Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR (Post 4262065)

May be, but it is still a gamble when there is an imminent price hike - especially if someone is ready to purchase right away. If the car is going to be used on highways predominantly, then Compass makes more sense due to its better handling and FTD factor. But for someone who wants a smooth city car that is going to be used only occasionally for highway runs, Tucson seems to be a better bet.

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Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy (Post 4261923)

Well said GTO. I have been in the market for a compact SUV to replace my daily beater Punto (110k kms) from the time the Creta launched. That's nearly a year and a half ago.
I have test driven the Creta a couple of times and have done around 5 drives on the Tucson. I almost booked the Tucson last week, thinking I could beat the cess hike. I walked out of the showroom with an booking cheque signed but retained without booking.
The Jeep Compass kept tugging away ,though mind said Tucson. There is something about the Compass that makes you weak.
My requirement is a top spec diesel automatic, has to be kitted with all the safety features including 6 airbags. 4*4 is an optional , but if the top spec auto has it, so be it. Now I have decided to wait until the diesel auto is launched. The wait just goes on and on. Frustrati.

+1 Arjun Reddy! I second your sentiments in toto. As GTO put it aptly - there is unlikely to be anyone left untouched by the styling - plus, of course, the "JEEP" association in our national psyche!:D

In these circumstances, where emotions rule the roost, common sense prudence has no place. Despite the abysmal record that FIAT has in India regarding its dealer and service network, that '10000 bookings' number must be sweet music to the makers.

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Originally Posted by igp_79 (Post 4261440)

The info is that the 4x4 cars are dispatched as 2 cars per dealership and the more anxious customers with early bookings (mine was the 71st in the country, I guess) are getting 4x4 cars from the second consignment onwards. The second consignments are arriving at dealerships across the country now. Also, I guess it helped that I was steadfast that I would either pick up the 4x4 before the price hike or cancel the booking and pick up the Innova crysta. ( It was a genuine threat. I felt the Crysta was more value if I wanted a powerful 4x2, as dimensions are not so big a problem for me)

Thanks a lot igp for your info. I had booked my Jeep in end of June which was way before we had concrete info on the variants let alone price. I don't know whether that was as early as yours or not. It would be great if you could share with us when did you book your car?

I was very sure I wanted 4*4 and had conveyed the same to the SA at Landmark Mathura road Delhi on the day of booking. Now my SA is clueless and says I have not received any 4*4 and he can only get me the car next month. I feel he is taking me for a ride since he is the only dealer in NCR (Moti nagar showroom is also landmark) and so he has a monopoly in the biggest car market in the country. I guess if you have other dealers have got their allotments for 4*4 landmark should not be far behind.