[ramnaresh_2000]

I’ve always been asked, ‘What is my favorite car?’ and I’ve always said ‘The next one.’ - Carroll Shelby

Let's first look at the beautifully made advert of the Jeep Compass and set the right mood before we dive in to my initial ownership experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhQsJyd48NM

Disclaimer: Please note that I have started writing this ownership review from the day I paid advance to the seller. Day wise progress is being captured, so that I don't have to recall from my memory and not miss any minute details.

Prologue:

It all started when FCA India unveiled the Jeep Compass in 2017, it was love at first sight. It was neither butch like a Safari or Scorpio nor having busy design like Creta. It was a simple looking SUV, it was a Jeep and it was pulling all the right strings. I was totally hooked to it from the day of launch and started watching all the reviews on YouTube, including variant wise walk arounds videos.



After a long wait, on August'17 the official review came live on TBHP and I recall reading the whole review 5-6 times on the first day itself. I lost count how many times I read in total, you learn something new about the Compass every time you read it.

Link to TBHP official review

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...al-review.html (Jeep Compass : Official Review)

The release timing of Compass was bad for me, as I already purchased a brand new TUV 300 T8 AMT aka Tank (now sold back in Nov'20). Pricing was announced and I was really cursing myself for not waiting few more months. The base Diesel variant was well within the reach of my budget . All was well and forgotten, I was in love with my black TUV and was really enjoying it thanks to it's butch presence and easy of driving. Everyone in my family was against my decision to buy TUV, but we Bhpian's always listen to our heart right?

Reason for new car:

I got everything wrong with my TUV, the AMT was a disaster and failed me many times, upshifts were felt by all passengers, overtaking was a nightmare on highways and required more planning than launching a missile, sudden jerks while driving, AMT had brain of it's own, it shifts "N" mode while driving on highway and bumper to bumper traffic, wheel spin issue, body roll, input/output sensor changed under warranty, fly wheel kit changed under warranty, clutch plates changed at just 20k kms, multiple AMT software updates, multiple trips to M.A.S.S, rusting issues etc, there was no doubt that it was Lemon vehicle. You can read more about my agony in the TUV 300 official thread. I was finally able to let go of it in the month of Nov'20 for a decent price.

Few highlights and trigger points for selling the Tank - In a nut shell it was due to AMT related issues. The AMT is a failure in M&M, and they knew it. They even discontinued the AMT variants in the newer models, but bluntly denied any AMT issues when issues raised.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post4262596 (Mahindra TUV300 : Official Review)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post4319128 (Mahindra TUV300 : Official Review)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post4853871 (Mahindra TUV300 : Official Review)

My Requirements:

• Must have solid build quality and should be loaded with safety features - No compromise here.
• Must be 5* crash rated.
• A.S.S should be competent to diagnose any issues.
• Availability of spares on time.
• I don't mind paying a premium for a reliable machine.
• Must be a diesel or turbo petrol.
• Must be an SUV.
• Doesn't have to be a fast vehicle. I hardly go beyond 80 kmph on highways.
• Should not be body-on-frame chassis.
• Ride comfort for rear passengers.
• Budget around 15 lakhs on road - can be extended for a good machine.
• Decent mileage.
• I want to own this new vehicle for at least 10 years, so decent maintenance and availability of spares is required.
• Don't care about features like sunroof, connected technology, voice commands, gesture controls, wireless charging, GPS, 4X4, AWD, ventilated seats etc. Basic comfort features are fine by me.
• I am not in to off-roading sports. 4X4 is not required for my usage.
• No mini/micro SUV's, hatchbacks for me. I just fail to connect with any vehicle apart from SUV's these days.
• My wife wanted something unique like TUV, it should stand out from crowd.

Usage Pattern:

I drive 62 kms everyday in bumper to bumper crazy Hyderabad traffic during weekdays and 300 kms once a month on highway to visit my hometown, before pandemic hit us (rest is history). Some occasional long trips, I hardly did 2 long trips in last 3.5 years.

City Usage - 90%
Highway Usage - 10%

Alternatives Considered:

I started 2 threads on this topic where I have detailed all the alternatives considered. Heads up, Jeep Compass was never in the race and was a wild card entry.

Seltos variant dilemma - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/suvs-...hout-mods.html (Kia Seltos variant dilemma - HTE with mods or HTK+ without mods?)

Replacement for my TUV AMT - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/suvs-...uv300-amt.html (Replacement car for my TUV300 AMT?)

Let me quote myself from my previous posts on alternatives considered

Kia Seltos



I almost zeroed down to Seltos without even taking a test ride based on reviews, I was only contemplating on which variant to buy, you can read more about this in the thread below

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/suvs-...hout-mods.html (Kia Seltos variant dilemma - HTE with mods or HTK+ without mods?)

However, after disastrous GNCAP rating of 3 stars and unstable body structure, I wanted to spend my hard earned money else where. So Kia Seltos was knocked of my list.

Ford EcoSport



Took a test drive of 10 km's in my hometown, the SA reached my house within 30 minutes of calling. I requested for top-end Titanium S variant in Diesel. The TD vehicle was in the Canyon Ridge color, not a huge fan of this color option. I really liked the Lightening Blue and Race Red colors.

+VE
Well built vehicle. However, after Seltos 3* fiasco, I will not make any assumptions. I need hard proof from crash testing agencies.
S variants features list (including safety list) is impressive.
Low maintenance.
Minimal or zero body roll.
Great mileage (as I drive 60+ kms per day, after Covid situation, mileage is also important but not at the cost of safety).
Bonus - Service center available in my hometown as well. This will give me peace of mind.
All the variants were well within my budget. Ford has very transparent pricing. No inflated insurance (reasonable quote), no "Handling Charges", SA did not push for any extras like accessories or extended warranty in the quotation he gave.

-VE
Coming from TUV to EcoSport, I felt very cramped. TUV offered space equivalent to a plane.
Turbo lag felt in 2nd gear. 4 adults were in the TD vehicle. I constantly had to shift to 1st gear in normal traffic conditions. I managed to stall vehicle a couple of times in the short TD I did.
Backseat is for 2 passengers only. 3 people will not be comfortable for long ride.
Mahindra has 51% stake in Ford India now. I really hate M&M for giving me a lemon vehicle as wasted my hard earned money. Staying away from M&M as much as possible, else I would have purchased XUV 300 eyes closed for it's 5* rating.
Rumors of upcoming facelift version. I don't want to own an old model, even though it ages well. After I purchased TUV 300 T8, Mahindra released T10 variant in 3 months, it really got my nerves.

Rapid TSI



+VE
Turbo petrol puts a smile on many reviewers (did not get chance to TD as no Skoda showroom in my hometown).
Solid build as it is based on Polo platform, I am sure it is 4* safety rated (assumption only).
Dad is a huge fan of Polo and Rapid. He will be happiest if I buy this.
Monte Carlo edition is a looker. It oozes character. Onyx as well.
Minimalist design, I don't care about wireless chargers, keyless entry, sunroof and other gizmos.

-VE
No service center in my hometown. I regularly service vehicles at my hometown, as I visit mostly during weekends and city ASS is always crowded.
Low ground clearance.
Turbo petrol long term reliability unknown. I want to keep my new vehicle for at least 10+ years to recover the loss of my old vehicle.
Skoda ASS in Hyderabad is not confidence inspiring. I heard horror stories about Mahavir Skoda.
High maintenance, availability of spares.
Outdated looks.
Claimed mileage of 18.9 kmpl. It will put a big hole in my pocket.
Showing it's age. I wish Skoda released the facelift model which was released in Russia.

Nissan Kicks



I did a small TD 1 year back of the diesel variant.

+VE
Unique odd-ball styling, in videos and pictures it looks like a small SUV, however, it has good road presence.
Space on offer is good. Especially back seat passengers will be happy.
Proper 5 seater unlike others.
Well designed interiors, I really love the leather dashboard and seats.
1st in class 360 camera. It is a boon in city driving and parking situation. I know the pain as TUV is a huge vehicle and often used to struggle while parking it.
Ride quality is fantastic. Minimal body roll.
Turbo petrol is fun to drive.
Felt solidly build.

-VE
Pricing was way over my budget for the top end variant. Waiting for year end discounts.
No crash test ratings. This is based on Duster platform, is it safe to assume it is not 5*?
No diesel on offer for BS6 avatar.
Turbo petrol mileage is pathetic.
Spares parts availability is a concern, we have a Renault Scala which shares same spares with Nissan, we used to wait 1-2 weeks for spares after ordering them.
Low re-sale value.



Below vehicles are not considered

Hyundai Creta - My father already owns a SX(O) variant. So big no.
Tata Nexon - Tata sales and service in really bad both in my hometown and Hyderabad. I have friends and relatives who are suffering a lot.
Jeep Compass/Harrier/Hector - Out of my budget. No used car policy in my family.

XUV300



I promised myself not to buy M&M vehicles anymore, but cannot ignore the fact thay XUV300 scored 5* crash test ratings and ticks most of the boxes in my requirements (it was also recommended by GTO and many other bhpians in the thread I started). My dad wanted to check out the vehicle in person, so visited Mahindra showroom in our hometown. SA gave us below quotation. No test drive vehicle available as it was a Sunday and they were operating with skeleton staff. SA promised home test drive next day, but no follow up from them till date. They only had 1 XUV300 (black) left in their inventory.



Link to official review

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...al-review.html (Mahindra XUV300 : Official Review)

+VE

• 5* Crash ratings - Heft can be felt when you lift the bonnet. It is heavier than my TUV and my dad's Creta.
• Top variant W8(O) is loaded with features like leather seats, auto headlights, rain sensing wipers, Auto A/C, 17" alloys, dual zone climate control, TPMS, and many more.
• Top safety features include 7 airbags, front parking sensors, all wheel discs, ESP, hill assist, ABS, EBD, and many more.
• Spacious and dual tone interiors. Rear seat leg room is good but not great.
• Commanding seating position, I was able to see complete bonnet from my seating position.
• Rear seat comfort was livable, nothing to complaint about.
• 300nm of torque from turbo diesel engine.
• Low maintenance and good mileage.

-VE

• It is a Mahindra.
• Odd front and rear design, especially the rear is chopped and the same view was expressed by many reviewers.
• Boot space less than some hatchbacks.
• No rear AC vents for such feature loaded vehicle is a bummer.
• White dashboard and interiors can spoil easily.
• Already experienced incompetency of Mahindra A.S.S at my hometown and city.
• Zero discounts to a repeat customer? Also prices pumped in quotation.

The odd design was a big let down, also the pathetic boot. I was just not able to connect with it. So I had dropped it from my list.

Wild Card Entries:

These wild card entries were initially not considered due to price and other factors, having said that, all these 3 below vehicles have solid build quality and decent safety features which made me to incline towards them

• Thar 2020
• Harrier XE 2020
• Used Jeep Compass

Thar 2020



Ok let me clear something, if I had enough money I would have spent it on Jeep Compass and Thar 2020 and lived happily ever after (Until new version of Thar is released). For many people like me, Thar is a forbidden fruit and has space only in our hearts, because unlike us TBHPians all family members think with mind when it comes to daily commute vehicle. I know I wanted to stay away from M&M, but come on, everyone secretly wants to own a Thar.

Link to official review:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...al-review.html (Mahindra Thar : Official Review)

+VE

• It is a Thar.
• The real badass SUV.
• Butch road presence. Head turner.
• 4* GNCAP ratings.
• Updated interiors and livable ergonomics.
• 4X4 vehicle with go anywhere attitude and proven track record.
• High ground clearance.
• Under 4 meters length which is a boon in city traffic.
• Very well priced.
• Good spread of variants. There is a Thar for everyone.
• Modifications heaven. The most mod friendly vehicle ever known to me.
• Good resale value.
• Literally zero competitors in this price segment.

-VE

• It is a Thar.
• No family blessings.
• Bonnet bending issue reported by few people, is a serious hazard which cannot be overlooked.
• Body roll and bumpy ride. Same as my TUV. Un-settled ride quality even in city speeds.
• Ergonomics even though miles ahead of previous version, still not reached there.
• Gas guzzler.
• Many missing features in top variant for the asking price of 16-17 lakhs on road.
• Too many rough edges like ugly defogger wiring and rear carpeting.
• Boot space is laughable.
• 2nd row entry/exit requires gymnastic training.
• Niggles in M&M freshly baked products. Few owners reported water leakage in HT variants.
• MASS is not confidence inspiring.

With a heavy heart, Thar was knocked out of the list. One day I will buy one and quote this post in the ownership review. Adios my friend.

Harrier



Our home grown Harrier from Tata felt like a good replacement for my TUV. Only issue, base XE is the only variant which fits my budget and this variant is sparsely equipped, it doesn't even have a defogger, rear wiper, electrically adjustable ORVM's and audio system. Also my dad was totally against Tata products for some unknown reasons, he did a test drive of 2019 variant and since then declared Harrier as super flop (he disagrees that 2020 is better sorted version).

I went ahead and took a test drive after visiting TATA showroom 3 times (due to unavailability of TD vehicle), the internal plastics felt cheap, ergonomics are not sorted, struggled to find a perfect seating position, my left leg kept rubbing against the lower part of the dashboard bottom, clutch travel was long and rattles in TD vehicle. Too many issues and compromises to live with and hence knocked out from the list.

Initial quotation was 16,85,271/-, which I was able to bring down to 15,87,290/-. I also wanted exchange bonus but was not going to exchange vehicle as I already sold it. They agreed for 25k cash discount and 30k exchange bonus (original exchange bonus was 40k but they had to show 10k profit on exchange).



Link to official review:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...al-review.html (Tata Harrier : Official Review)

+VE

• Butch road presence.
• Spacious interiors in par with TUV 300.
• Good ground clearance.
• Fantastic and capable Fiat sourced diesel engine.
• Base variant is aggressively priced (16.69 lakhs OTR in Hyderabad before negotiations and discounts).
• Tata build quality and safety features (Even though not GNCAP tested).

-VE

• Tata A.S.S niggles - needs no introduction.
• Base variant even though aggressively priced, does miss basic features like rear defogger, rear wiper and audio system.
• Only 1 color option in base XE variant (White).
• Ergonomics needs to be sorted out.
• Plastic quality used inside is not in par with a 16+ lakhs vehicle.
• Mileage is low.
• 6 months/7,500 kms service period is a joke. Jeep has 15k service interval for same engine.
• Resale value of Tata is less compared to competition.
• Long term reliability is unknown.
• Struggling to find proper seating position.
• Adblue tank placement gives me a heart attack.

Jeep Compass



Brand new Compass was way over my budget, even the base Sports Plus variant is costing me 21.5 lakhs on road in Hyderabad. Strictly no used cars policy in my family. However, after reading through the beautiful thread by GTO on value of almost new used cars, it opened up new dimensions in my thought process and gave me necessary ammunition to convince my family. You can read the thread below

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...pped-cars.html

What I like about Compass:

• 50+ Safety features - Airbags, ESP, ABS, EBD, Hill Start Assist, 70% High tensile steel, all 4 disc breaks, Traction Control, Panic Breaks, Tijori-like doors and bonnet, running out of space here.
• Sweet 2.0L & 173 BHP fiat sourced engine. 350nm Torque.
• Stable braking, no drama on sudden breaks.
• It's a Jeep. Who doesn't like a Jeep?
• Baby Cherokee styling & iconic seven-slot grille.
• Uniform panel gaps and solid build quality.
• Independent and mature suspension setup.
• Compact size and high seating position - City friendly.
• Wide door openings facilitate easy ingress and egress to all passengers.
• Driving dynamics. Very stable at high speeds.
• 15,000 kms/12 months service internal.
• Low NVH levels inside the cabin for a massive diesel engine.
• Dual zone AC - Me and my wife always argue over AC temperature. No more fights.
• Touch and feel of interiors is premium. No cheap plastics used.
• Decent features in Limited variant.
• Electronic parking brakes on all variants is a nice touch.
• Decent highway mileage.

What I don't like:

• No GNCAP crash test ratings for Indian version, Jeep boasts about 50+ safety features they should have voluntarily sent the vehicles for testing.
• Suitable for 4 adults only. It is strictly not a 5 seater, rear middle seat is suitable for kids only.
• Missing features on a 24.5+ lakhs on road vehicle - Cruise control, Sunroof, Auto-folding ORVM's, Auto-headlights, Auto-Wipers, Auto-Dimming IRVM's, Side Airbags etc.
• Tiny dealership network - Everyone I spoke to has raised this concern.
• Turning radius is huge.
• Blanks on steering wheel and smart key are an eye-sore.
• After thought position of push-button start.
• Black cladding all around. This is also found in vehicles like Creta and Seltos. This cladding gets dull pretty soon and if we use polish to shine them, they attract dust.
• White interiors in India? Seriously Jeep?
• City fuel economy.
• Ground clearance is low to my liking. Should have been at least 200 mm.
• Ridiculously overpriced official accessories - 40k for luggage carrier, 17k for roof rails, 15k for cargo net etc.
• Massive IRVM housing is shaky.
• As per my conversation with SA's, even small aftermarket changes like Android touch screen or headlights upgrade will void the warranty.
• Jeep is not known for it's reliability worldwide. It was ranked 15th out of 32 brands in US.
• Headlights throw of Limited variant is pathetic.
• Heard many stories about battery failures within 1-2 years.
• No dedicated space to keep my phone. The cub hole is too small for phones, we have to use cup holders.

Neutral:

• Boot Space - 438 liters.
• 7" Touch screen - Nothing major to complain, but not exciting as well.
• Fatter tires should have been provided.
• Alloys wheels design.
• Too many sensors in the vehicle, this may increase the overall ownership costs if something fails.
• Passenger airbag can be turned off - Why Jeep, why?
• Maintenance - Scheduled service will cost you more than 13k.
• MID could have been bigger.
• Height adjustment for center armrest would have been good to have.
• TUV spoiled me with space, Compass is more like a sedan from inside when it comes to spaciousness.

Buying Experience:

24th Dec 2020

It was a lazy Thursday, I was browsing through OLX app for used Compass (it was day before Christmas, no work and 90% of my team were on leaves). This new ad caught my attention, brand new 2019 Limited MT D variant for sale for 18 lakhs. It was driven 12k kms and hardly any scratches visible in the pictures. I quickly contacted the seller who said he is selling because he is shifting to abroad. He sounded genuine and I was able to negotiate to the price to 16.5 lakhs over the call. Seller shared his location details on WhatsApp, and we agreed to meet the next day.

The vehicle was certified by OLX Cars, they posted complete health report on the advert. All green ticks, no issues founds by the OLX evaluators who checked the vehicle. However, I wanted to get it verified myself at authorized service center for total peace of mind.

Vehicle Details

Asking Price - 18 Lakhs
Final Price Negotiated - 16.5 Lakhs
Manufacture Month & Year - May'19
Registration Month & Year - Sep'19
Fuel Type - Diesel
Transmission - Manual
Variant - Limited (BSIV)
Color - Exotica Red
Tire Condition - 80%
Odometer Reading - 12k
Insurance & Warranty - Till Aug'22

25th Dec 2020

Due to pandemic, I was in my hometown, the vehicle was located in Hyderabad. I started at around 07:00 AM in the morning with my dad and reached the seller location by 10:45 AM.

Behold the Red Phoenix, it was beautiful, flawless, scratch less and ready to be explored to the fullest. I tried to keep it cool and not to show my enthusiasm, but I could see that my father was already convinced and sold on the vehicle, my father is fully against used vehicles, but looking at his positive nod I was 100% sold that this is my next drive.



Image Courtesy - Jeep India

The previous owner really maintained it well. He called it his "Son". He was a bit heartbroken and emotional to sell it, as he was very much attached to it. He said he couldn't believe he was going to sell it and was not able to sleep last night at all thinking about it. A true bhpian by heart, but did not inquire if he was a TBHP member.

Me and my father keenly observed the vehicle, popped the hood first and noticed few oil marks, upon enquiry these were caused during OLX inspection when they checked the engine oil quality. We informed the seller earlier itself that we will get this vehicle checked in authorized Jeep service center, for which he happily obliged. This is always a positive sign and shows that the seller is not hiding anything and is transparent.

We reached Pride Jeep A.S.S located at Madeenaguda, as it was a holiday they were operating with skeleton staff. They asked us to wait 2 hours as all technicians were busy, we had to go back to my hometown we were not having much time left. We requested the SA to show service records and he obliged. 2 scheduled services done on-time, no warranty claims made, no insurance claims made, it had clean records.

The roof was painted black as the owner initially wanted dual tone Limited(O) variant, but this variant was not available at dealer stock. No modifications or upgrades done by previous owner, only 2 Jeep genuine accessories used

1. Floor Mats
2. Car cover

We returned from the service center, I did a small test drive in city outskirts. All felt good, no excessive engine noise or vibrations. Clutch was light, steering feedback was good, gear shifts were smooth, no rattles, interiors were neat, no signs of any excessive wear and tear, and no signs of any accidents or rusting. Tires had almost 80% life left on them, spare wheel was not used at all. Car cranked at 1st try itself so battery was healthy, no signs of any rat biting or droppings. I then keenly examined the RC and there was no bank hypothecation to it. I had absolutely no reason to doubt the condition of the vehicle or the seller.

We then sat down at sellers house and started discussing about the payment process. The seller did not ask for any advance, we initiated it from our end to show our genuine approach towards the vehicle and block it before someone could steal it from us. Paid 50k advance over google pay, exchanged Aadhar cards copies and written down sale agreement duly signed by both parties. Copy of the agreement shared with seller and we left.

He had some previous commitments and promised he will be initiate RTA NOC process by Wednesday the 30th Dec'20. He also booked online slot for visiting RTA office to get NOC.

26th December 2020

I inquired with my bank about RTGS process to transfer big amount to sellers account, HDFC has something called TPT (Third Party Transfer) limit which is by default set to 2 lakhs. I updated the TPT limit online to 20 lakhs with 2 step verification process. I also took the details of sellers bank account, added them to my list of beneficiaries. It takes 30 minutes to authorize new beneficiaries in HDFC Bank and can transfer only 2 lakhs for the first 24 hours after adding new accounts. Everything was kept ready so that we can process payment on delivery date without any hiccups or delays, touchwood.

27th December 2020

My dad confirmed that we can take the delivery of the vehicle either on 1st or 2nd or 3rd Jan'21. I preferred 1st Jan'21 as it will be easier to remember delivery date coming years and will be a great new years present for myself and family.

28th December 2020

I spoke with my personal banker with HDFC bank and requested to process personal loan as I was running low on some amount. I did not proceed with used car loan as the interest rate is stupidly high (starts at 12.5% in HDFC) and requires documentation & vehicle inspection etc. I already had pre-approved personal loan with HDFC, so went ahead with 10.75% interest rate and 1 year tenure. I just had to share my last 3 months pay slips and the money got credited to my account within 10 seconds. Now the finances are all sorted out. I am now just waiting for the seller to procure the RTA NOC.

30th December 2020

The seller messaged me that he has managed to obtain the NOC from RTA. We agreed to meet on 1st January 2021 morning to complete the exchange. It is going to be a great start for my new year with my new ride.

1st January 2021 - D-Day

Finally D-Day arrived. Me and my father started at 6:50 AM and reached the seller location by 10:30 AM. We checked all documents, also checked if any challans pending, seller handed over 2nd key and user manual. I initiated the RTGS transfer online and the seller received the amount within few minutes (thanks to RBI for making RTGS 24X7 online). We then went near the vehicle and I took over the keys around 11:00 AM. I drove directly to the nearest IOC bunk, my father noticed that the rear left tire had less air, upon inspection it was having a big nail in it. Luckily the IOC bunk had "Puncture Man", we got the puncture fixed, the hole was so big that it required 2 strips. Phoenix gulped around 4,000/- bucks worth diesel as it had only 2 units of fuel left when I took the delivery.

I then spoke with my RTA agent and submitted all documents for RC transfer on WhatsApp, made payment via Google Pay. He booked a slot for next day morning.

Next stop detailing - Car wash + Interior cleaning + Exterior detailing = Total damage 6,000/- bucks. It was worth every penny, they did a nice foam wash first and then used rubbing compound to remove scratches and then used Meguiars polish and finally some wax. Interiors were cleaned completely and all blacks parts were polished with dashboard dresser. Body cladding and tires were polished. It was shining like a brand new car. The total process took around 4 hours and 4 members worked on it.

Car wash





Detailing



Next stop - Customary Pooja, reached the famous Tadbund Hanuman temple. It was a busy day at the temple on the occasion of new year many people took delivery of their vehicles, I had to wait almost 1 hour in queue to get the pooja done.



2nd January 2021

Went to RTA office, submitted all documents and got RC transferred on my name, all done in a span of 30 minutes (thanks to Covid restrictions, only people who booked slots online were allowed inside). I then started to my hometown, I then remembered that previous owner had used Paytm fastag and the account is linked to his mobile. I requested him to transfer the tag to my name, it was done and the money got deducted from my Paytm account at all toll gates.

I was able to extract 24 kmpl for around 100 kms drive. I was hypermiling, AC at 24 degrees, speed around 75-80 kmph. It was really hard to maintain speed without cruise control. This is missed badly. In city driving conditions I was able to drive for 55 kms and it took almost 4 hours due to heavy traffic and it returned a mileage of 10 kmpl. All are MID figures.



4th January 2021

I visited Jeep showroom and requested them to update owner details in their system. They asked for new RC soft copy and said will inform me once updated. I also inquired on extended warranty details, the SA said it will cost around 41k and said he will share quotation. I told him it should be around 38k, he then came back to me after a week (as they were busy in nee facelifted version training) and confirmed it is indeed 38k.

Next stop - 3M, got rodent treatment done. It hardly took 30 minutes. They charged 1,140/- bucks and said it will last for 3 months. They cleaned the engine bay first with degreaser and then sprayed the rodent treatment chemical all over the wires visible.



Contacted BhartiAxa insurance and requested them to transfer existing insurance on to my name. The SA informed that the NCB bonus of 20% claimed by previous owner cannot be transferred to my name, and I should pay the discount amount which was around 2,118/- bucks to initiate name transfer. The SA requested new RC copy, NOC from previous owner and receipt from RTA office. As per SA if insurance name transfer is requested within 14 days of vehicle purchase, then no physical vehicle inspection is required, if name transfer request is made after 14 days of vehicle purchase, then physical vehicle inspection is required. Future buyers please do make a note of this point.

I shared all requested documents and made the payment online. The SA said new policy will be dispatched soon. All formalities done and dusted. Officially I am the new owner now on all documents.

Brand Warranty:

All variants of Compass comes with 3 years standard warranty or 1,00,000 kilometer (whichever is earlier) and can be extended to 5 years.

Extended Warranties & Service Packages:

The vehicle is still under warranty and as per Jeep website the existing warranty can be transferred to second owner. Below is the screenshot from Jeep's official site. The SA at A.S.S also confirmed the same.



Extended warranty costs around 38,000/- bucks for Limited variant, if taken before 2 years of purchase and is valid for 4th and 5th year. I will be taking this once the vehicle is transferred to my name. This also comes with RSA for 4th and 5th year.



Safety Features:

Jeep has loaded Compass with best safety features starting from the base variant itself. Good job done Jeep, I hope rest of the manufacturers follow the same trend (Harrier is one such another vehicle which has good safety features on base variant). Only concern is, side airbags available only on Limited Plus variant. This is one major miss by Jeep, hopefully this will be corrected in the facelift version which due on 7th Jan'21.

A look at complete list of safety features can be seen below.

Source (Meeting the Jeep Compass. EDIT: Priced between 14.95 to 20.65 lakhs)




If you want to know in detail what each safety feature means, then check out below video

https://youtu.be/7S9-nDP2o84

A look at the side guard door beams in Compass below.



Dimensions and Features:

Source:

Compass Dimensions:

• 4,395 mm in length
• 1,818 mm in width
• 1,640 mm in height
• wheelbase of 2,636 mm
• Kerb Weight of 1584 kgs

Ground Clearance:

The laden ground clearance is 155 mm and the unladen ground clearance is 178 mm, this is slightly less than my TUV which had 184 mm ground clearance. In my personal opinion this is a bit less, Jeep should have offered 200+ mm of ground clearance for Indian road conditions. I had seen many Compass having scratches on the bumper lower end, this maybe due to lower approach angle which is 17 degrees, just for comparison, the approach angle of the new Thar is 36.8 degrees and Trailhawk is 26.5 degrees.



The approach angle of the UK version is 30 degrees and ground clearance is 216 mm.



Engine & Transmission, Initial Driving Experience and Turning Radius:

The 1956cc Fiat sourced 2.0L Multijet II diesel engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission is a gem of an engine, it has an aluminum cylinder head with two camshafts. I felt little turbo lag at 1000-1300 rpm, it flies at 2000 rpm all the way to 4-5k rpm. Sweet spot was 2000 rpm, the mid-range punch was instant. MID is suggesting up-shifts at around 1700 rpm.

The clutch was light (not Hyundai light), gear throws felt longer compared to Creta, but nothing to complaint. Silver round shaped gear rod was a joy to hold. It was slick and smooth. I was able to reach only the 4th gear during the test drive due to traffic, but it was a good experience. The dead pedal resting point is a bit high to my liking. You have to lift the dog collar to engage reverse. I was able to cross speed breaker in 2nd gear, there isn't a need to downshift to 1st. I was also able to move from a standstill in 2nd gear. While commuting in urban conditions, the engine doesn't feel lugged if spinning at 1,400 - 1,500 revs.

The turning radius in Compass is big for it's size, it is around 5.65 meters. This is higher than the mighty Safari Storme and my TUV300. I do not understand the reason behind this, U-Turns in tights spots will be a problem and will require some effort.

Engine Specifications:

• Displacement - 1956 cc
• Cylinders - 4 Cylinders Inline
• Valves - 4 Valves/Cylinder, DOHC
• Fuel Type - Diesel
• Max Power (BHP) - 171 bhp @ 3750 rpm
• Max Torque (NM) - 350 Nm @ 1750 rpm
• Mileage (ARAI) - 17.1 kmpl
• Transmission Type - Manual
• No of gears - 6 Gears
• Emission Standard - BS IV
• Drivetrain - FWD
• Turbocharger / Supercharger - Turbocharged

Suspensions:

Jeep Compass comes with "Frequency Selective Dampening Suspension" from KONI, in plain terms it mechanically adjusts the dampening based on the roads you are driving and give inputs to driver to fit the needs. It provides more stability during cornering and braking on bad roads.

A look at how this independent suspension system works is below. You can see from the image that Compass is resting on 4 different height blocks and yet the tilt on body is minimal.



Source

KONI ACTIVE feature is a hydraulic amplifier that delays the build up of pressure. One could say that an extra tuning option has been created in order to get the best possible combination of handling and comfort.

During the test drive the suspension behavior was very mature. I noticed very less to zero body roll. Coming from TUV's body on frame chassis this was decades ahead in ride comfort. Compass eats pot holes for breakfast, lunch and dinner (including evening snacks). My dad who was sitting back all throughout the drive to A.S.S and my test drive has not raised even a single complaint, this was reassuring because in my trip from Hyderabad to Shiridi in TUV, he faced back ache problems. I had purchased a massager back cushion just for this trip for him.

Compass is equipped with DST (Dynamic Steering Torque), it uses the integration of the ESC system with the electric power steering to increase the safety level of the whole car. In critical situations (understeering, oversteering, braking with different grip conditions), through the DST function the ESC system controls the steering to implement an additional torque contribution on the steering wheel, to suggest the most correct maneuver to the driver. The coordinated action of brakes and steering increases the safety and car control feeling.

[ramnaresh_2000]

Engine performance & drivability in the city:

The city driving is comfortable, the light clutch and slick gear shifts are a boon. Slot the gear in 1st, slowly release the clutch and no need to press the A pedal, it will move slowly forward. The same is applicable for 2nd gear, you can move the vehicle from standstill in 2nd gear itself. Speed breakers can also be crossed in 2nd gear without a need to downshift. The steering felt little bit heavy while parking, but I am used to this from TUV.

Hill start assist is a boon, I regularly drive near Gachibowli area which has sharp inclines. In TUV I had to use the hand break on inclines, especially while waiting at traffic signals, few times it did roll back. Thanks to hill start assist, it gets engaged automatically even on small inclines and holds the vehicle for few seconds before we move forward. This feature can also be turned off, I would not suggest this.

3 major observations made in city driving conditions:

Observation 1: Visibility of pavements on passenger side is minimal. I already managed to scrape the lower part of bumper on day 1, I missed some rocks which were left on the road.

Observation 2: The turning radius is big for car of the size of Compass, I ended up making 3 point U-turn in places where I normally would not require to do in my old vehicle. In heavy traffic conditions few people might panic and end up jamming the traffic.

Observation 3: There is a small blind spot near the A pillar. I did miss a biker who was waiting on the other side of the road near a signal. Even though not very near to me, I like to see everyone who is around me. I tend to panic break when I see someone even far way appearing suddenly in my view.

Apart from the above mentioned, no major concerns. Overall drivability is fantastic and top notch. You barely hear outside noise and engine noise inside the cabin.

Engine performance & drivability on the highway:

It is on highway this beast roars. The instant power at 1700 rpm is addictive. Sometimes I couldn't believe how fast I was actually going on highway. I was cruising at 100 kmph on ORR and I barely heard engine noise or vibrations (vibrations were indicators in my previous vehicle that I touched 100). The speed limit on NH163 which I use regularly is 80 kmph and I was exceeding it without noticing (no speed dings after 80 and 100 kmph, you can set them up manually). I was not comfortable doing 80 kmph in 6th gear, 5th gear was more suitable for such speeds.

In some scenarios overtaking did not required downshifts, I was cruising on 6th gear and was able to easily overtake trucks ahead of me by slightly pressing the A pedal. In quick overtakes, just 1 shift down and you are done. What a fun car to drive on open roads. The vehicle is planted at high speeds, it doesn't break a sweat at triple digits speed. The first owner mentioned that he once drove it at 160+ kmph speed on Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway and it felt planted on the road. This is a true sign of solid build quality. My TUV used to feel planted at 140 speeds, but vibrations were felt after hitting 100 inside the cabin and it was noisy (cannot compare both the vehicles at any level, but it was the only point of measure for me).

I did another small trip of 100 kms with my family, 4 adults, 1 kid and no luggage. Phoenix managed to pull cleanly. The road was bad in few places, none of the passengers complained about body roll or ride comfort. I was able to extract 15 kmpl with 4 on board, AC at 21 degrees and speeds ranging from 40-80 kmph due to bad roads.

Cruise control is badly missed here. In Hyderabad ORR the speed limit is 100 kmph, even small deviations will lead to 1,000/- bucks fine. In my father's Creta, I used to set the cruise control at 98 kmph and used to give much needed rest to my right leg, however, this is not the case with my Compass.

Fuel Efficiency:

ARAI certified fuel efficiency - 17.1 Kmpl for BSIV variant.

Mileage figures as reported by 1st owner (MID readings):

City - 13-15 kmpl
Highway - 18-20 kmpl

Mileage figures as per my driving style (MID readings)

City - 13-14 kmpl
Highway - 18-22 kmpl

Tankful to Tankful mileage figures as per my driving style:

City - 12-13 kmpl
Highway - 17-21 kmpl

I came across an interesting video which claims a highway mileage of a whooping 32.1 kmpl. Off course he was hypermiling on Yamuna expressway, so these figures were expected. Having said that, Harrier which has the same engine returned somewhere around 23 kmpl under similar test conditions. Can experts throw some light here on why similar engines delivered contrast mileage? I understand it has to do with body weight and transmission, but just curious if any other factors influencing the mileage.

https://youtu.be/4YMjjPiktnw

The fuel door opens automatically when you unlock the car. After taking it for the IOC bunk for a refill, I was searching for the button to unlock this. I couldn't locate it and called the first owner, he said just unlock the car push the cap. It has cap-less fuel inlet, once the filling is done the pump should be removed after waiting for few seconds (as per the instructions on the inlet).

Steering, Tires, Brakes & Alloys:

The steering has black leather stitching with red thread work (GT Style?), it has tilt and telescopic function. The steering is not big and at the same time it is not small, it felt great in my hands, please note that I have very dry hands and the feeling of leather in my hands was good for the grip. The Jeep logo in the middle of the steering puts a smile on the drivers face, it also has 2 chrome rings on it, stylish yet subtle.



The steering feels sharp and did not notice any dead spots on the turnings. The feed back to tires from steering was instant. The blanks on the right side of the steering was eye-sore. This has been fixed in the facelift version which gets cruise controls here. Jeep has placed the volume control and source controls on back side of the steering, I love this implementation, they fall very well in to the hands. On left side of the steering you will find call accept/reject buttons and voice commands button, along with MID control buttons.



Limited variant comes with 225/60 section Firestone tires. I have never heard of this brand prior to it being introduced in Compass. On smooth roads I barely heard any tire noise inside the cabin, however, while riding on concrete roads, I was able to here tire noise creeping in to the cabin. The first owner filled 35 psi in front wheels and 32 psi in rear wheels as per the recommendation, but we think this was not providing comfortable ride and it was a bit bouncy. I intend to drive it alone for most of the times, so will maintain 32 psi on all wheels (also planning to purchase SensyAir TPMS which is compatible with Android Auto). As soon as the existing tires show their age, I intend to replace them with Yokohama or Pirellis based on price and budget at that time.



All variants of Compass are equipped with disc brakes on all tires (Front wheels get ventilated disc brakes and rear wheels get solid discs). I did not drive much distance in my test drive, but during this small drive the brakes performed well, no complaints here. The disc bite was good, it behaved well in sudden breaking. It will take some time for me to getting used to this breaking setup, sometimes I press them hard and bringing it a sudden hard stop.

After few highway and city runs, I was finally able to get hold of the breaks. Slight touch is required (unlike my previous vehicles) and the vehicle comes to standstill. The Compass does not panic in emergency breaking and will stop without any sideways movement.

The 17" alloys were neutral looking, nothing exciting and not boring at the same time. I really love the 18 inches alloys on Limited Plus variant and Harrier XZ/XZ+ variants, but I heard the ride quality on 18 inch alloys was not very plush and was a bit bumpy compared to the 16 and 17" alloys. No plans to upgrade or change alloys as of now. It will be hard to clean the stock alloys due to the design which has 10 spokes, I would need a dedicated alloys cleaning brush just to clean the disc dust off the wheels.

Spare wheel comes with steel rim and is 215/65 R16 in size which comes in Sports variant I guess, cost cutting from Jeep's end? Ford gives alloy spare wheel on few top end variants of EcoSport, common Jeep.



Exterior Styling & Design:

It is a Jeep, so no escape from the 7 slot grille, you will not mistake it for anything else. TUV had aerodynamics of a brick wall, due to sleek design Compass has better aerodynamics, it also has a great personality. Usage of chrome is kept to minimal and I like it.

Side profile of the Compass has a sloping roofline with sweeping A pillar, giving it a squatted rear. The raked 'A' pillar along with downward slopping bonnet reduces the drag coefficient. Estimated drag coefficient:0.35 cd. The lines along the door are muscular at the same time subtle. The wheel arches are square shaped.

All variants of Compass comes with roof mounted pointy stick style antenna (no shark fin antenna here, new updated version has it), functional roof rails and chrome finish exhaust pipe. It has some chrome elements on doors, ORVM's, lower bumper lip and tailgate. Roof rails are functional and have four attachment insides, cross bars can be attached and are sold as part of accessories by Jeep. Cross bars will cost you 14,990/- bucks if you buy from Jeep.



NVH Levels:

Jeep has used a lot of noise deadening materials in the Compass to improve the NVH levels. Compass comes with acoustic windshield glass, triple door seals and cast magnesium steering wheel structure to reduce weight and the noise levels inside the cabin. It also comes with acoustic wheel liners and 28 acoustic baffles to reduce airborne noise. The NVH levels are next segment altogether. You hardly hear any engine or tire noise inside the cabin on smooth terrain.

In idle state when you turn off the A/C and radio, you will hear some engine noise creeping inside the cabin.

Overall build quality:

Jeep had passed with flying colors with respect to fit and finish. Paint quality is very good, the panel gaps are uniform and overall build quality is fantastic. The door panels of the Compass do not flex when you try to hit them or push them hard. It is built with 27 hot stamped parts and even the doors are laser welded. I enjoyed closing the doors and love the thump. The Compass is over 1500 kgs. The bonnet is H-E-A-V-Y, I struggled to lift it with single hand, Jeep should have provided bonnet struts.

Comfort & Convenience:

The Air Conditioner is a chiller, not as powerful as the one found in my old TUV, but it did a good job cooling the cabin. It comes with Auto A/C and dual climate zone. The dual climate zone feature is also found in XUV300 and I love it. I always have a fight with my wife regarding A/C temperature. I like it at 23-25 and she wants it at 19-20 degrees. Now we can set our own temperatures and not fight over it. Well done Jeep, you just saved my marriage (just kidding). The fan speed till level 3 is silent, the moment you change it to level 4, you hear them screaming loud.

You can also find the park assist off buttons and passenger airbag on/off indicator light here on the controls. The passenger airbag and park assist can be turned off from the MID. The screen off button is also available, as name suggests, screen will be turned off and music will continue playing. The screen actually doesn't turn off, it goes greyish black, and will not distract you in night drives.



The A/C vents are similar to the Grand Cherokee's. The air-flow control can be adjusted or can be closed completely.



There are A/C vents under both driver and passenger seats. There is also a dedicated rear A/C vent without any controls. This is a big miss from Jeep, the rear passengers should have been give speed controls. They also get USB power socket with which they can control the Android Auto & CarPlay, nice touch.

Limited variant comes with one 12V power socket and 2 USB's (front & back). Both the USB's can be used to connect to Android Auto and CarPlay. Keyless entry and push button start starts from Longitude variant. I really hate the placement of push button, it looks like after thought and poorly implemented. Limited variant also comes with headlight off and ignition key off reminders.

Visibility & size of mirrors:

The IRVM is manual day/night adjustable. It should be a punishable offence for charging 2 million for a car and providing manual IRVM, vehicles which cost less than half have this feature. I purchased a blue tint IRVM extender just for this purpose, but ended up not using it as it awkwardly huge. A bit disappointed with OEM IRVM as the rear headrest will restrict the rear view.



ORVM's are decently sized and provide clear view of vehicles behind, they also get convex area which extends the coverage area and reduces the blind spots (nifty feature). They get integrated blinkers for Limited variant. These are Indian friendly ORVM's, i.e. they also fold the other way to avoid breaking if a biker decides to kiss it with his handle. ORVM's are electrically adjustable and can be closed from inside, however, they do not auto-fold when the vehicle is locked. One thing I noticed was the reflection of the right convex mirror is appearing on the RPM meter, this has distracted me a few times.



Doors, Windows, Mirrors & Wipers:

Doors are again H-E-A-V-Y, Tijori like heavy and they are laser welded. Wide door openings facilitate easy ingress and egress. The satisfying thud sound is present in the Compass, however, this is not a metric used to conclude it's safety. Door handle grips are a bit small to my liking but nothing to complaint about. The doors can accommodate a small 500 ml water bottle, we can squeeze in 1L bottle as well, but only the ones which are made of thin plastic. No Tupperware bottles here. The doors have the same dual tone theme as the dashboard. The top half have the soft touch material and the lower part have the white plastics which soil easily.



All 4 power windows are standard across all variants, mirrors come with anti-glare tinted glass. One tap up and down functionality is available for driver and passenger door. Front passenger also gets door lock/unlock switch.



Doors also get a small cub hole for holding keys. It is perfectly sized for the key fob. Even if you leave the key inside and try to lock the vehicle, it will not lock itself. The cub hole has removable mat with 3 clips on the back, easy for cleaning any dirt, however, I struggled to put it back in it's position after cleaning. Need to get this properly fixed at A.S.S whenever I visit them.



Wipers are frameless and have good sweep, they clean windscreen well. Power windows will work for some time even after we switch off the engine. This gives us some time to roll up any windows that are left open by mistake.

ORVM's can be electrically adjustable and retractable with a button. There is no auto close option available on locking the Compass. Exterior door handles are body colored in all variants. Door pockets are well sized and will handle 1 liter bottles with ease.

One unique feature which can also be classified as a safety feature that I like in Compass is related to central locking, we already know it has keyless entry, but when you approach the Compass from driver side, it will unlock only driver window and will not unlock other doors. If you approach Compass from passenger side, then all the doors will be unlocked. Nifty safety feature to eliminate entry of outsiders in to the vehicle. This feature can be enabled from touchscreen system. If you try to lock the vehicle by leaving your keys inside, it will beep for 3 times to get our attention and it will not let you lock the vehicle.

No sunglass holder on the roof console, the individual map lights are adequate and look nice. The empty are is for sunroof controls which is available in Limited Plus variant.



Lighting:

Limited variant comes with Halogen headlights with LED DRL's at the bottom. The throw is not at all satisfactory, the fog lamps had better throw. Unfortunately I cannot upgrade the bulbs without voiding the warranty. Jeep should have provided HID's or LED's at this price point, the top variant Limited(O) gets HID's and blackened roof prior to the launch of Limited Plus variant. I prefer not to travel at night most of the times, but the headlight throw is important to me. We cannot ignore the fact that the situation to drive at nights may come at anytime.



The headlight controls are oddly placed on the dashboard. This is not convenient. Although got used to it quickly. The cluster LED brightness level controls also available here.



Fog lamps are placed on the lower part of the bumper with turn indicators which houses a small halogen bulb. The fog lamps are surrounded with u-shaped chrome strip.



It also comes with follow me home headlamps, cornering lamps and fog lamps. Rear lights are LED's, under panic breaking conditions, the rear lights will blink 3 times to alert incoming traffic from behind, nifty feature also found in many modern day cars like Seltos etc.

Seats, Upholstery & Storage:

The seats are comfortable, with harder bolstering, the back and under thigh support for the driver's seat is great. Compass has a nice driving position (not on the levels of my TUV) provides a clear view of the road ahead. Only issue is visibility from passenger side is low, as they do not get height adjustable seat.

Rear seats too are very comfortable and although some older passengers might find it slightly more difficult to step into the Compass as it is a tad bit high, once in, they will be treated with a lot of leg space and headroom. My mom loves Compass rear seat more than my dad's Creta, she also said that Compass is more smooth and silent than Creta (sign of relief as these are the only 2 factors she cares about in a car).

Limited variant and above gets Ski-Grey McKinley leather upholstery with ruby red stitching (McKinley is an esteemed leather company in USA). They look premium and spacious, but they spoil easily. You will end up visiting detailing shop more often than a regular vehicle with dark interiors. There is no lumbar support, my cheaper TUV had this feature.

The Limited variant comes with white leather upholstery with red stitching, even though it looks premium it is a very bad choice for Indian conditions. They get soiled easily, the same was iterated in almost all reviews. Nothing a 3M visit cannot fix, but it is a burden and OCD people like me will feel it.

Driver seat is 8 way manually adjustable (seat forward/back, backrest tilt forward/back, headrest up/down, seat height up/down), the new version of Limited Plus get electronic seat adjustments with memory function. Front passenger gets 6 way manually adjustable seat (seat forward/back, backrest tilt forward/back, headrest up/down).



Front seat belts are height adjustable.



Driver gets armrest storage, not a huge one, but you can store items like wallet or sunglasses in it.



Glove box opening mechanism is awesome. It opens slowly and steadily, unlike my other vehicles which just drop down as soon as you open them. The attention to detail on small things from Jeep is excellent. Glove box is again decently sized, neither too big nor too small. It comes with light inside, no cooling vent here.



There is no dedicated slot to place your smartphone in Compass, this is a glaring missing in this age of technology. I can understand not having wireless charging pad (which updated version has), but not even a cut out to keep your smartphone is irritating. I rely heavily on AndroidAuto and Google maps, I have to keep my phone either in the cup holders or the center armrest. I use one of the cup holders for air purifier, and I have to place the phone in portrait position in the remaining cup holder. If I place my phone in center armrest box, then I cannot connect to AndroidAuto as there is not USB connection in it. This is a daily inconvenience I have to live with. The only alternative is to get a smartphone holder either on dashboard or the A/C vent magnetic holder. I already have the magnetic holder, but the airflow will be disturbed due to the placement of my phone, on the other hand my phone does not get hot and will be cool all the time.

Rear seats get ISOFIX feature with 60:40 split from base variant itself. Cup holders are also provided to rear passengers. They offer decent legroom and headroom. All my family members are below 6 feet, no complaints from anyone here.



Compass has a decent sized boot. It can easily hold your airport luggage and your occasional long trips, the boot floor has height adjust feature. You can adjust the boot floor manually in 2 levels to match the rear seats height if they are folded down. It also has side cups for storing small items on both sides. The boot floor is reversible. The boot also comes with luggage net hooks, handy feature if you have some lose items, it will prevent them from rattling and being thrown around. Boot net has to be purchased as part of accessories for 15k (cheaper ones available on Amazon).



Entertainment, Information & Instrumentation:

The Limited variant comes with a 7 inch Uconnect high definition touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with 6 speakers setup (4 on the doors and 2 on the dashboard) and all connectivity features like AUX/Bluetooth/USB etc. It also has A/C controls and compass display in it. The sound from the speakers have cleaner vocals, there is also a bit of bass effect from the speakers. The moment we increase the volume level to 12 and above, we can hear bottle rattling sounds from the doors. The bezels on the touchscreen are ugly and large, they have glossy black finish and prone to scratches.



The first owner claimed that the speakers were from Bose, I was not sure about it (maybe sales pitch from SA). He even claimed that Compass has an in-built sub-woofer on dashboard which was factory fitted, he went in to BASS settings controls and increased the Bass levels to maximum, I was able to feel nice bass thump from speakers. TBHP official review stated that it is a dummy housing on dashboard in 2017 model, not sure if Jeep made any changes in the 2019 model.

Link: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post4258583 (Jeep Compass : Official Review)

Some international variants get a central speaker here, we get a blank.

I need to verify the owner claims, can someone throw some light here? As per Wikipedia & inida.com the speakers are from Beats.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Compass

Available features include FCA's UConnect 4C 8.4 and 8.4N touch-screen infotainment systems, a Beats Premium Audio System with a 506-watt digital amplifier.

Source: https://www.india.com/auto/jeep-cars/jeep-compass/

The dashboard layout is typical Jeep with the trapezoidal central console which houses a 7.0 or 8.4 inch Uconnect touchscreen system with GPS, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reverse camera coupled to Beats premium audio system.

The touchscreen response was average, I had to press it twice sometimes for it work, I hope Jeep will fix this with a future update? The 7 inch unit was tiny for my liking. The 8.4 inches screen in Limited Plus was perfect, maybe I can get it fitted at dealer end without voiding the warranty (any thoughts?). I will keep exploring alternatives which will not void my warranty.

Having said that, it is not a horrible unit like the one found on Harrier. I love the black theme and graphics, top notch stuff. It comes with CarPlay and Android Auto, this is a boon as I rely highly on google maps. The reverse camera was not of HD quality and was a bit pixelated and dull, again not at a horrible levels as a Harrier reverse camera. I tried reversing inside poor lit conditions inside sellers apartment parking, it was satisfactory. The guided lines are a boon.

Some of the other controls in touchscreen system include enable/disable auto brakes, adjust ambient lighting, headlight off delay, DRL's, cornering lights, and flash lights on/off when you lock the vehicle. You can also adjust park sense features like rear park beep volume, camera delay and guidelines on/off from the infotainment system.

Voice commands is a feature that I don't use on my phone and have no intention to use it in my Compass, same with AUX connectivity.

MID also has below features:

• Electronic Trip Meter - 2 Trips
• Average Fuel Consumption
• Average Speed
• Digital Clock
• Outside Temperature
• Low Fuel Level Warning
• Door Ajar Warning (shows which door is open)
• Radio Display
• Shift Suggestions (upshift and downshift suggestions)
• Service Reminder (days and kms left for next service)

A.S.S & Showroom Experience:

As of the date of writing this review, there are around 81 Jeep showrooms in India. I visited a total of 3 Jeep dealers, and the experience has been good. All SA's assigned instantaneously, they were well trained and had good knowledge about Compass. All showrooms I visited have delivered a premium experience with well maintained customer lounges and great ambience. Customer service was top notch and nothing to complaint about, coming from Mahindra this was very important to me.

Source: https://www.cardekho.com/Jeep/cardealers

Cost of upkeep & maintenance:

Free service:

5000 Kms or 6 Month - General Inspection

Paid Service:

Paid Service at every 15000 Kms or 12 months from last service, which ever earlier. The first owner has got the 2nd service done on 07/08/20 and was charged around 11k.



The service center we visited has a display board with the estimated service costs for each interval, the pricing ranged from 12k to 25k based on the kms. Good to know that Jeep is transparent on the service costs. It is on higher side coming from M&M, but I also expect the premium service from Jeep for the premium they are charging me.

Service costs breakdown

Engine Oil (with GST) - 3600
Oil Filter (with GST) - 650
Air Filter (with GST) - 750
AC Pollen Filter - 500
Fuel Filter (with GST) - 3500
Timing Chain/Belt & Drive Belt - 4890
Wheel Alignment & Balancing (with GST) - 1800
Labor Charge including Belt/Chain replacement (with GST) - 5600

On demand work charges

Transmission Oil - 1300
Power Steering Fluid (Top up) - 1300 per liter
Wiper Blade Set (Front) - 2190
Wiper Blade Set (Rear) - 1990
Horn Assembly - 9000
Front / Rear Brake Pad with Labor and GST - 6000
Windshield replacement - 15000
Clutch Plate & Pressure Plate - 16000
Clutch Release Bearing - 9500
Fly Wheel - 36000
Timing Belt, Belt Stretcher 2690 (Belt) + 2200 (Belt Stretcher) + 2300 (Labor) = 7200
Front Strut Assembly - 6000

Source: https://www.mycarhelpline.com/index....=786&Itemid=91

Planned upgrades:

Bhpian vsrivatsa has 2 dedicated threads on modifications related to

(Jeep Compass: Morimoto HID Headlights + FE Retrofit Projector Foglamps Upgrade)HID

and

(Operation Jeep Compass : Foxfire Android Head-Unit with a 360-degree camera)Android HU with 360 degree camera.

These threads are well documented along with the installation process, time consumed, output and pricing details. I always wanted the 360 degree camera after experiencing it in Kicks. It is a boon in tight parking situations and riding through tight spots.

My list of planned upgrades/accessories before and after warranty period are below:

During Warranty period:

• Air purifier (Blaupunkt)
  
  
  
• 70mai Dashcam
  
  
  
• Magnetic sunshades
• Oneplus brand car fast charger with cable
• Magnetic A/C vents mobile holder
• TPU Key fob cover
• Bonnet PPF (got quotation of 20k for bonnet & front bumper, full body 55k)
• TPMS

After Warranty period:

• 10 inch Android HU or Tesla style unit (Min 4 GB RAM variant)
• 360 degree camera
• HID or LED lights (Osram or Phillips)

Any recommendations are more than welcome.

Niggles & Issues:

Issue 1 - During car wash I observed mild fogging on both rear lights. No issues observed on front headlight. The TBHP official review vehicle also had the same issue. 3 years and Jeep unable to fix it?



Issue 2 - The other issue was around control stalks, the indicator control stalk is placed on left side unlike most of the cars. This is the first vehicle I am experiencing this, I normally keep my left hand on the gear lever rod and use my right hand for using indicators. This is more of a ergonomics issue than actual issue.

[ramnaresh_2000]

Miscellaneous:

Color Choice: If you are wondering why all the vehicle images in this thread are Red color variants? Well I asked my 4 years old son what color car should I purchase, he replied RED, and it was final.

Looks like I am sucker for 5 slot and 7 slot grilles

• My wife named it Asura, because she knows that I am going to spend more time with my Phoenix than her. She is just jealous and told me she named it Asura because it is villain in our family keeping me away from her.
  
• Cleaning a Red vehicle is not as tiresome as cleaning a black one, but again not as easy as cleaning a white one. Thanks to black roof, which requires constant cleaning, my daily dose of workout is met.
  
• This is my 3rd vehicle, first vehicle was 1st generation Verna, then TUV 300 T8 AMT and now Jeep Compass Limited. All diesel engines only.
  
• Every person who inquired me asked "When did you purchase the NEW vehicle"? Not even a single person suspected it to be a used vehicle. Compliments to 1st owner for maintaining it very well and the detailing guys.
  
• Everyone loved the red color on the Jeep. It just shines and attracts everyone.
  
• I did not consider MG Hector due to it's size. It felt bulky and daily usage was a concern due to this.
  
• FCA has invested over 1800 crore in the Compass project, and yet many members are commenting that Jeep will exit India due to lower market share. This was a bit concerning earlier. I just hope they bring in a sub-4 meter SUV to bring in volumes to dealerships and keep them afloat. Jeep has been selling consistently around 600+ vehicles every month and as of Nov'20 they currently have only 0.25% of market share in India.
  
  Source: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...-analysis.html (November 2020 : Indian Car Sales Figures & Analysis)
  
  This below article from newspaper should put an end to all such comments. FCA is here to stay.
  
  
  
• There are also rumors floating around in my hometown that the Jeep is going to shut down it's dealership due to weak sales. I had visited the showroom few times and noticed only 1 display vehicle and no test drive vehicle available (reasons quoted Covid precautions). After few days I noticed the showroom was open, but zero vehicles on display. I went to inquire about extended warranty and the SA confirmed they are waiting for updated model and they sold all their inventory, including the test drive vehicle. My mind was at peace after talking to the SA.
  
• Also please read through the beautifully compiled ownership review of arun_josie of his 4X4 Scarlett-
  
  https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...00-kms-up.html
  
  Behemoth's Silver Surfer (D) Limited
  
  https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...2-limited.html
  
  and Limited Plus Petrol AT ownership review from Roadster17
  
  https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ct-review.html (American beauty from Italian parents | My Grey Arrow | Jeep Compass 1.4 Multiair DCT Review)
  
• Many reviewers are comparing Compass with Creta and Seltos. I totally disagree. Compass should and should only be compared with Harrier, Hector, XUV500, Tucson, Thar, T-Roc or maybe updated Scorpio.
  
• The below video explains most of the features. The SA in video sometimes exaggerated some features, but this is expected from sales team.
  
  

  https://youtu.be/uMtNxXDtU0Y

  
  
• Compass facelift is already launched in China and India, videos are pouring out already. Initial impressions are very positive. I love the new floating touchscreen, all black interiors, updated headlights, new placement of push start button, new alloys design and 360 degree camera function.
  
  More information on the facelift model can be viewed in below video. No regrets in purchasing older model as the new facelift model will surely come with price hike and will be not be in my reach anyway and the Jeep Compass has aged very well. I also read in one of the threads that Jeep may update the sheet metal quality and provide lighter material to reduce the weight and increase mileage, I am not sure if this 100% authentic, only official review will confirm this.
  
  

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fGjD1cCUMM

  
  
  Compass facelift thread - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...-unveiled.html (Jeep Compass Facelift unveiled)
  
• I noticed after 2 days of purchase that I the lost battery cap. Not sure how I managed to do it. I did not bothered to check inside bonnet before taking delivery. Clumsy me. Checked with SA in my hometown and it was around 500 bucks, quickly placed the order for the part.
  
  
  

Note: All observations and statements made are my personal opinions only. I tried my best to provide sources to most of the technical aspects and numbers. Members please feel free to point out any issues or mistakes made here. Happy to learn more about my Red Phoenix/Asura.

Some clicks:

Chilling at my home



Side view



Back view



Jeep body cover - They want to make sure that everyone knows that there is Jeep inside the cover



From back as well



Extra key box



9th January 2021: Went on a small trip to Bheemuni Paadam waterfalls near my hometown

https://goo.gl/maps/jQAt2kBBTXFZ7FHu7



After parking the vehicle, we have to walk around 1 km to reach the waterfalls. The path is also beautiful, filled with rocks and water stream.



Reached the waterfall, there was less flow of water, best time to visit is during rainy season.



We then visited Pakala lake, and got a new admirer checking out my Compass



As Omkar mentioned in official review, Compass is an instant hit with ladies. Random people clicking photos with my Phoenix without my permission, but hey they admire the beauty of it, so all forgiven



The lake was mesmerizing













The logo we all love



Thank you for reading through my ownership experience. This is just the beginning, the best is yet to come. Please pardon my photography skills .

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Jagann13]

Cool acquiring and a smashing write up. I have been a silent follower of your TUV hassle and I am happy to see you getting rid of it.

Wishing you million miles with the Phoenix!

[WhiteSierra]

From the problematic rusty TUV to Jeep Compass, congrats on the new acquisition. You treated your vehicle well, but Mahindra build quality and service personnel disappointed you by not giving proper solution for rusting on a very well maintained TUV.

You rightfully deserve much more than that and Jeep compass is a perfect enthusiast's car, I'm sure your car will be very happy the way you take care of it. You are lucky to find such an immaculately maintained Jeep. Wish you many miles of happiness, your Jeep looks smashing in Red.

[swami69]

Buying a fantastic used car is always a joy. You will derive the best VFM on these purchases. The car looks smashing and a great buy. I recently bought my Innova Crysta Top end MT for a similar price and the vehicle is in almost pristine condition.

Even I went through my HDFC internet banking for the 10 Sec Personal loan as it made more sense rather than going for a used car loan, ending up endorsing in RC and all those hassles. The way you have been pro-active on keeping everything ready with your finances for a quick RTGS transfer just reminded me of exactly all that I did as well

All the very best.

Swami

[saikishor]

Congratulations brother! You just got yourself a car which was maintained like a gem. One thing that caught my attention was the 3M rodent thing. Where did you get it done? Can you elaborate more about it? We really need to get it done on our Beat. There was one incident a few years ago when rodents chewed off the ABS wire.

[Harsha89]

Congratulations on such a fine write up. You have covered all aspects of the car and it was a very interesting read. Wishing you plenty of happy kilometres of driving.

[Iyencar]

Your TUV thread was awesome and this one is even better. Glad you found such a capable replacement to the problematic TUV AMT. Wish you many happy and safe miles with the Compass!

Timing Belt, Belt Stretcher 2690 (Belt) + 2200 (Belt Stretcher) + 2300 (Labor) = 7200

Your car is practically new so why did they need to even touch the timing belt? Also, what's a belt stretched and again why would it need any stretching on a low run, almost new car?

[vsrivatsa]

Excellent write up and you got yourself an excellent deal on a well maintained Jeep Compass Wishing you many Safe and Happy miles with it.

[tirumalavoleti]

Congrats buddy. Red jeep compass is smashing.

I was following your car search thread and was waiting if you would buy Harrier. But Jeep is awesome

Have a safe ownership

[rosh_aveo1.4]

That was a brilliant writeup and very very detailed! All the very best on yur lovely pre-owned Jeep. I had purchased the Jeep Petrol AT last year via the same pre owned route and got it for 16 lakhs for a 2018 model. It was to replace our 2008 Honda CR-V AT, its definitely not a 'performance' oriented car like the diesel but we are mainly driving in city and the AT was a must have. There are still some points I miss in the Jeep which the CR-V had in spades but still an overall happiness for choosing this.
You had highligthed every single likes/dislikes I had thought of the Jeep, especially the horrible headlamps. My humble Sunny has a far better reach than this!
I seriosuly doubt its using speakers from Beats or BOSE for that matter and no center speaker/subwoofer. But the speakers sound good, could be the fact due to proper solid doors/doorpads and proper damping provided, although the touchscreen is just meh. Not sure if you mentioned this but long press of the voice command button in the steering brings up the Ok Google voice command prompt which is way more responsive. And I currently place my mobile in inverted potrait mode so that the USB cable does not have an issue and works fine for me, although not ideal.
The best part is how well the overall seats color, laminated glass and A/C all works to cool the cabin down and keep it that way no matter how hot it is. I know this as my wife and kid makes a big fuss if i suggest we go out anywhere in the afternoon saying its too hot even if the A/C works fine. And this was the case for all the cars I ever have or had, except the Jeep...we went out few weeks back to a bit far off place by around 2 and it was HOT....but the car remained utterly comfortable and they both were pleasantly surprised how good the journey was. Just like you, point of reference of whether the purchase was good lies in the feedback from family/loved ones :-) And this was confirmed by the previous owner who said this was the only car that despite being outside parked in the heat, when you get in the heat isn't as bad as the other cars he owns if in a similar situation. Could be the seat color that does not absorb heat and the glasses and the fact that I have a white colored car.
Oh and the white seats are actually easy to maintain, read and saw this in various Autocar long termers and experienced it first hand but yes, the lower plastic near the feet area/below the door gets dirty fast. But the overall seats have still have that new look all this time.
BTW I was suprised that you put in 32 psi in front...that's like 3 psi less than the recommended one. Won't that be a problem for the tyre life and driving dynamics? Do let me know cause I have the same issue and doubt (the petrol version has the same tyre pressure but I would have thought that might be required for a diesel due to heavier engine.)
Wish it had auto retracting mirrors when locked/unlocked, there are accessories shop that can fit a module to do that for just 2.5k but was not sure how that can affect warranty, planning to do that for the Sunny for the time being.
I did have my ABS sensors failed and replaced twice under warranty though. And yes, coming from Hondas and Nissans which ususlaly comes to 5k or below, the service cost felt high but when I asked a friend, he said its almost the same for his VW Vento which is half the cost or so of Jeep. Only then i was relieved.
Anyway, amazing writeup and looking forward to hear more from you on this journey! Take care.

[fast&curious]

Congratulations on your new Jeep. It certainly is a worthy upgrade for a serious enthusiast like you. Love the detail that you've gone into in your write-up.

[Aakash118]

Congratz. Compass is a true enthusiast’s car and it looks best in red colour. A used Compass is high on my list too for my next car.