[CrAzY dRiVeR]

At the time of publishing this report, our Compass has covered ~1 month and 4000kms. The below initial impressions will be updated and relevant links included in the glossary during various stages of the ownership experience.

What we like:

• Worth the asking price. Feels built to international standards, non-compromised for India!
• Strong suite of safety features: Six airbags, all-wheel disc brakes, TCS, ESC, ABS with EBD, RBS, Rollover Mitigation, HSA, Dynamic Steering Torque, etc
• 2.0L Multijet II motor produces 170hp & 350Nm mated to a good 6-speed manual transmission. Provides fast performance and effortless driveability
• Diesel FE!
• Timeless (subjective!) exterior design and proportions - now made even better with the facelift
• The interior! Lovely leatherette white and tan interiors provide a nice contrast against the dark blue exterior shade
• Spacious, airy and practical cabin for four
• Thick sheet metal, tough build and high seating provide that ‘tank-like’ feel
• Paint quality deserves a special mention! The blue shade and the finish won't look out of place on a Beemer. Excellent colour choices even otherwise too!
• Independent suspension setup with Koni FSD provides mature ride quality & rock-solid stability on the highways
• Nicely tuned EPS is effortless at parking speeds and communicative on the highways
• Excellent mile muncher. Can do day-long drives with ease
• Features - Dual-pane panoramic sunroof, 8-way powered driver seat with memory function, 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, Dual-zone climate control with rear a/c vents, connectivity suite of features, powered tailgate, Auto headlamps, IRVMs and wipers, LED headlamps with DRLs, LED fog lamps, 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, Electronic Parking Brake, Reverse Parking Camera, Solar Control Glass, TPMS, keyless entry, etc
• Excellent dealership experience

What we don't mind, but could be misses for you:

• Compact size (compared to XUV7OO/Harrier/Safari) - Compass was in fact on the higher end of our budget and (parking) size restrictions
• The same comment goes for seating comfort of the 5th occupant, or a missing third row of seats
• Some missing features like wireless charging, all-digital instrument cluster, etc (available on the Model S) - don’t miss them personally
• Difficult-to-maintain white interiors. In fact, I prefer it and feel the cabin looks significantly upmarket in comparison to the all-black, top-end Model S
• Connectivity suite isn't comprehensive as in Hyundai-Kia cars. Again, not something I care for, personally. The same goes for ADAS
• Known devil - The service network. Having lived with a Punto for 10 years/2.06 L km without issues, I hope the experience remains similar.

What we don't like:

• Indian version has not been crash-rated. Hopefully, no shocking revelations await!
• A Jeep without 4*4! Diesel AWD AT was ~5L on-road more expensive and way out of my budget
• The excellent overall build quality has a couple of weak links. There is the occasional squeak or rattle present in the cabin
• Some of the modern 'assist' features are intrusive and irritating - Auto start-stop, HSA and the mandatory speed reminders!
• Cruise control (Available only on AT variants!) will be sorely missed
• 18-inch wheels cause stiff ride quality at lower speeds. Feels like a sorted ladder-frame vehicle inside the city
• Dummy buttons galore - even on the key! Ridiculous IMHO, considering the asking price
• Missing features such as 360 camera, ventilated seats, powered passenger seat, etc, are available only on the Model-S and Trailhawk variants. Front parking sensors are missing too!
• Pleasant, yet technically average, unbranded 6-speaker audio system.
• High GC and wide door sills make ingress difficult for parents (who primarily use our Hyundai Xcent though). The low-hanging aero-lip compromises the high GC too!

Index

1. Likes and Dislikes
2. The Punto story
3. Competition check. Why the Jeep Compass?
4. Test Drives, Booking, PDI and Delivery
5. Jeep Compass. A 5-year love story!
6. Exterior Walkaround
7. Interiors
8. Interior - 2nd Row
9. Driving Experience & Fuel Efficiency
10. Technology & Jeep Life Connectivity App

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

The Punto Story

As some of you know, the Compass replaces my FIAT Punto that was sold in March, after being part of the family for 10 years & 2.06L kms. Full ownership report here.

To summarize - a beautiful machine that taught me about mechanical competency, ride/handling/steering prowess, build quality and even reliability! The service support, though the weakest link, was never a bother as well - even if I had occasionally travelled ~400kms for service. Just one day of inconvenience for 364 days of fun!

Where it felt extremely outdated at the end of those 10 years was in terms of the interiors and features.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Why FCA again? Why the Jeep Compass?

Why FIAT? Why Grande Punto?

'When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap.' - Cynthia Heimel

As against what many would expect - it was not a natural transition from the Punto to the Compass. Agreed, I always wanted one - but then budget constraints always kept it in the wishlist. Meanwhile - I had considered a whole range of products that could replace the Punto.

Over the past few years, we had considered:

• Mahindra Thar
• Mahindra XUV 3OO
• Mahindra XUV 5OO/7OO
• TATA Nexon
• TATA Harrier Dark Edition
• Kia Seltos D AT
• Skoda Kushaq
• Skoda Slavia
• 5th Gen Honda City Petrol
• Volkswagen Taigun

Of which there were a couple of serious contenders, and two cancelled pre-bookings - Mahindra XUV 3OO in 2019 and the Volkswagen Taigun in 2021.

XUV 3OO (cancelled) pre-booking - February 2019

The reason for pre-booking:

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Saw the XUV 3OO at Phoenix Market City Mall in Bangalore yesterday and checked it out. Will let the pics do the talking - (The engine is the elusive 1.2 turbo petrol).



However, the day ended with a big twist - a disinterested better half was converted by the product, in a way only Compass has done earlier - and we ended up pre-booking the W8(O) variant. 7 airbags, ESP, Steering modes, 300Nm torque, good build quality, sunroof, cruise control - all in a small footprint of a sub-4m product, all sounds interesting very indeed - but I still have a big lump in my throat when it comes to even thinking about parting with the Punto.

Will take a final decision after price is announced, and post test drives.

Reason for cancellation:

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

No, I'm not.

The product is excellent in the sub-4m space, and IMHO - If I'm forced to choose a sub-4m product right now, I'll still go ahead with the XUV 3OO. Its fun to drive, feature loaded, safety loaded, premium, spacious and what not - may be everything except practical and now VFM. Ecosport is almost there too, but it's so old - doesn't excite me anymore.

That said - I'm neither restricted strictly to sub-4m, nor am I in a desperate need of a new vehicle, so I decided to listen to my gut feeling and just wait for a year. BS6 should be sorted by then, a buffet of new products will be out (Kia SP, New Creta, New Ecosport, new XUV 5OO, Hyundai Carlino, MG Hector etc, basically whatever feels like it can keep me excited and happy for the next 10 years, maybe even the new Thar if the manage to chisel some rough edges to have it as the single car in family) and I could enjoy the loan free period for another year while saving up for downpayment on something nicer.

Mahindra probably would have bagged the deal if the pricing was spot on - but for now, I have to wish them better luck next time and move on.

Taigun (cancelled) pre-booking - August 2021

The original reason for pre-booking:

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

I'll vote for the Taigun because of the interiors as well. Kushaq feels a bit dull and gloomy IMHO - the grey with black being the reason. You really don't feel like sitting in a 20L car. Skoda should have opted for full black, or black with beige.

Taigun has the same grey parts, but the lighter painted shades and seats uplift it a bit. The difference may not be drastic, but enough not to be a deal-breaker anymore.

Infact, I may have put my money where my mouth is -

PS: Don't be surprised with the Kushaq pics on a Taigun post. I attended the Taigun Media drive, and cancelled before the official launch, so all my personal requirements like parking were tested with the Kushaq instead!

Reason for cancellation:

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

And now there is an unexpected 5th point, which has gone up to #1 for now -

5. Skoda Kushaq breakdowns and concerns over a freshly baked VAG product! There are atleast half a dozen Kushaq owners having reported breakdowns (see Kushaq review thread or visit Skoda Kushaq club page on FB), EPC warning and power loss issues within just 2000 kms of delivery. Preparing for the gearbox to breakdown a few times in 10 years is one thing, expecting niggles on a brand new car is another - but going in with a mindset to expect the new vehicle to break down within the first month is quite something else.

Guess that's the most fundamental expectation when someone purchases a new car? To run without getting stranded on the road. Already was a big leap of faith with friends and family advising against the gearbox! Zac says this is normal, they are working to get the cars back on the road and the number of breakdowns are less than expected for a new launch. Strangely - this is despite high pricing and less features in the name of superior Euro quality! And VW doesn't have a Zac Hollis for owners to reach out.

Is this the end of the Taigun for me? Not sure. But not sure of taking the initial batch either! Will anyways take the wife to see the car when it arrives in showrooms and if it doesnt make her fall head over heels in love (and me with the price) - will re-asses the purchase for Jan-Feb. Hope VW learns from Skoda before then - may be they have already learned and will correct before launch. Not sure if I want to find out the hard way! Thankfully not in a hurry due to the WFH situation going on.

PS: Even Compass facelift might have some good year-end offers by then.

Good. With such high volumes - they won't miss one!

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

With another half a dozen cars (Kushaq thread has details) reporting breakdowns over the weekend - some for a second time even, I went ahead and dropped the cancellation e-mail today.

No point waiting for the launch, as I'm now 100% sure I won't be spending my hard-earned money on this car for at least another six months - no matter how good (or bad) they price it.

Anyways, all is well that ends well!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

The Jeep Compass - A 5-year love story

2017:

In 2017, the very first comment on our Jeep Compass official review thread read so -

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Thanks for this extremely detailed review. Was long-awaited and it is surely worth the wait. Checked out the vehicle prior to the launch, and loved it! As Renuka Kirpalani of Autocar summed it up in her review - This is one vehicle I would really have liked to purchase myself.
...
I've never believed in owning the base variant of any vehicle, but the base Compass Sport with such an extensive list of safety features and good engine options along with that mighty impressive build quality suddenly makes a whole lot of sense as compared to top variants of cars like the SCross 1.6 IMO.
...
Coming to the big question - Am I purchasing it? The answer is - Not yet. The earlier prime contender for my upgrade was the SCross 1.6, but that has been completely ruled out now after seeing the Compass. In fact, there has never been a vehicle we checked out to date, that - the better half has absolutely fallen head over heels in love with! She used to follow the news updates till launch, watch the launch feed to know the pricing and already even started saving up for the downpayment. The word Compass would have been used more than any other car in her dictionary including our own cars. But then, reality strikes - and with the recent purchase of the Versys 650 motorcycle, I would need time to recover the finances. Hence the Compass has to wait a couple of years.

Good, it didn't happen back then, because looking at these pics I shot in 2017 (of the Sport variant that we could afford), it doesn't even feel like the same car -

2021:

As mentioned above - the Jeep Compass was always out of budget and only the Sport was ever considered. I used to drool at the Limited Plus cars available on OLX, but somehow none of that logic ever worked at home.

Fast forward to 2021, we had pre-booked the Volkswagen Taigun 1.5 TSi and decided to look at all the options in the price range once again. By then, the face-lifted Compass had been launched and the entry-level Sport 1.4 MT variant was priced against the Taigun 1.5 TSi DSG.

The showroom experience was a revelation compared to the old car. Down on features - yes! But the build quality and feel is just another level above the top-end variants of cars like the Kushaq and the Taigun.

A very strong second, but I desperately wanted to try the VAG group for a change, and decided to wait for the Taigun only instead.

2022:

Taigun came and went amidst Kushaq EPC failures. We postponed our purchase till March when the Punto turned 10 finally - a deadline I had set for this upgrade. By this time, there was a rumour that the Slavia would see quality improvements over the crossover twins - so I waited and checked it out as well. Further disappointment.

It was time to check the Compass Sport variant again. The Sport had seen further improvements and now looked even more desirable. For starters, there were the two special colours now made to order for the base variant as well and the front grille was chrome instead of the earlier silver (which she disliked!)

Suddenly - a Techno Metallic Green 1.4 Sport MT looked like the best decision for our budget. The decision was made after seeing the below car (or so we thought!)!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Deciding between the 2.0 Diesel Sport MT and 1.4 Petrol Sport MT

The petrol MT was not available for a TD and had very few reviews. However, the few customer reviews we had on the forum were all ok, and more impressive than the petrol AT. However, friends (GTO, KarthikK, rbp) - all asked to take a better look at the diesel. Was going to be a bit of a stretch, hence I took a longer TD of the Petrol AT, in manual mode to try and simulate a petrol manual experience.

It went ok. Best summarised in her experience: In the Petrol AT - she felt pushed into the seat during a couple of hard overtaking manoeuvres. In the diesel - it was felt most of the time.

The petrol had a dual nature - it was either slow or breathtakingly fast, and somehow struggled to maintain a pace in between. Not going to be exciting for my driving style and hence we decided to book the Jeep Compass 2.0 Sport MT.

Stats of the 1.4 Petrol AT test drive:

Test Drive Experience:

As I mentioned above - The only dealership out of almost all the brands we visited, to insist that the 'madam also needs to drive and get a feel of the vehicle'. She doesn't prefer driving, but finally took over the wheel when they requested a couple of times. Probably played a big part in the deal!

Checking Parking Constraints:

The dealership sent the Compass home to check my parking constraints. Realized that it is the absolute maximum in size we could plan - not even a tiny bit more! What isn't apparent from the pictures is that the entry is at an angle to the parking, and the car also needs space to turn in. I have managed to park an old Scorpio inside once, with great difficulty. But an XUV 7OO or Harrier just wouldn't make it in!

Harrier/XUV bigOO, etc just wouldn't make it in -

Colour selection

We had decided on a Techno Green Metallic 2.0 Sport MT. However, on one final visit to the showroom before booking - and we were given a literal sneak peek at this customer's car, being prepped for delivery. The car was machine prepared and polished prior to delivery, and kept under the covers. Do dealers do that now?

Anyways, enter Galaxy Blue!



And the great confusion started. The outdoorsy Land Rover'ish green v/s the executive BMW'ish blue. Thankfully, the dealer called in a couple of days to inform us that a fresh batch of cars have arrived and that there are both colours available. At the showroom, we were welcomed by these two -









After a long time standing in the hot afternoon sun, we decided on blue. Reason - The green was more outdoorsy and suited the 4*4 better, which was out of our budget. Or so I reasoned after she finalised on the Blue. One car it immediately reminded me of - was KarthikK's old 320D in the dark blue shade. And somehow, in the Blue shade - it looked like from a segment above (IMHO)!





The strange part about the colour is that different cameras capture it differently -

iPhone (Probably the most colour accurate) -


Sony Mirrorless Camera -


Samsung -

Booking the Jeep Compass 2.0 Longitude MT

As luck would have it, just the same week - I got the confirmation for a much, much-needed job change! Yes, thankfully I'm part of the attrition stats for 2021. Once in the showroom, she asked the question I had in mind already - Can we afford the delta for the Longitude(o)?

And so the booking was done! Not a Sport 1.4, not the Sport 2.0, but the Longitude(o) 2.0 MT.

Upgrading the booking to the Jeep Compass 2.0 Limited(o) MT

Next came the bank process, calculating finances etc - and through this, we decided to make one final stretch - throwing all financial wisdom on car loan EMIs out of the window. One day later and having discussed with the bank - the booking was upgraded to the Limited(o).

A big upgrade in finances compared to the original budget! But then - hopefully well worth it in the long run. Genius vs Insanity moment once again. Part-2.

The wait began!

First Look, fresh off the trailer -

After almost a month, our car arrived - fresh from the oven. March 2022 (VIN) manufactured car that arrived in the last week of March. Went to check as soon as I heard the news. Couldn't find anything amiss and signed off the car for dealer PDI, to be followed by mine later.

Love at first sight:

PDI

Couldn't do a proper, full self-PDI before the registration due to a 2-day Bharat Bandh that was scheduled for the next two days after dealer PDI. Hence had to do some quick checks on the vehicle, and sign off for the registration process. The dealer was quite cooperative as well:

Delivery experience

Not a fan of the festivities, but the dealership had arranged for the customary cake cutting:





Parked at home for the first time, on the 2nd of April 2022:

Accessories

1. Cargo Mat Slush - Rs 5,000/-
2. Rubber Floor Mats Slush - Rs 8,500/-
3. Splash Guards Front & Rear - Rs 2,600/- each
4. Magnetic sunshades - 6,000/-

Charged Rs 22,500/-

Dealership Experience and Delivery

Good professionalism by Deedi FCA, Trivandrum and the SA - Mr Vinod in particular. Some of the highlights of our interactions with them:

• Was in touch from September 2021 onwards, finally booking the car in March 2022 and taking delivery in April. Good communication throughout without nagging.
• The only dealership out of almost all the brands that we visited to insist that the "madam also needs to drive and get a feel of the vehicle". She doesn't prefer driving, but finally took over the wheel when they requested a couple of times. Probably played a big part in the deal.
• Gave a TD of both the Petrol AT and diesel MT models. Longer 1.5 hour TD of the Petrol AT as per my request.
• Brought the car home to check my parking constraints
• Never uttered a word against other brands as against the Hyundai dealership who was quick to belittle everyone else, in comparison to their "perfect SUV".
• Waiting period was as communicated.
• Matched the insurance quote, or promised that if they couldn't - I could handle the insurance on my own.
• The car was machine prepared and polished prior to delivery. Do dealers do that now? A first for me, at least.

Thanking Mr Vinod for all his patience. Compass owner himself, knew exactly what to say (for the Jeep) and not to say (against other brands). No unrealistic promises either!

Thoughts on the pricing

On paper - the Compass is overpriced. Once you get to experience it, it is still overpriced in comparison to the Indian rivals like the TATA Harrier and Mahindra XUV 7OO, if you can afford the size requirements (I couldn't!). Leaving out these two Indian brands, the car feels worth what I paid (and I hope it remains that way. Touchwood!).

Do note - this is from the perspective of a Limited(o) 2.0 MT owner. The opinion could significantly vary when it comes to top-end variants that go even 10L on-road extra! The 4*4 AT carries a heavy premium of 5 lakhs over the MT.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Exterior

I'll be adding my observations (specific to the Compass facelift, especially the Limited(o) variant) in addition to the points listed on the official Review of the Jeep Compass, which can be found here.

Design & Styling

Compass received a facelift in 2021 which puts it in line with the new family look. You still don't mistake it for anything but a Jeep, but looks better and has more road presence now IMHO. The facelift seems to focus on increasing the visual bulk at the front, with the new headlamps giving it a taller look, and all the horizontal features trying to give a wider feeling. Sleek LED fog lamps are a modern touch. On the Limited(o) variant - the grille is chrome and the lower lip is finished in bright silver, whereas it is a dark grey finish on the top-end Model S variant. Not a fan of chrome generally, but I like the contrast against the dark blue colour.

The side profile remains the same, sans the new alloys and the rear remains identical to the pre-facelift model. The facelift seems to have added 10mm to the length - making the dimensions 4405*1818*1640mm, with an identical wheelbase of 2636mm.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

Build quality is excellent. Thick sheet metal, tough build and high seating provide that ‘tank-like’ feel! In fact, when the Compass originally came out - I remember the salespeople converting walk-ins to bookings by just asking the owners to lift the bonnet. Lol!

Paint quality deserves a special mention! The Galaxy blue shade and the finish won't look out of place on a Beemer, IMHO. Excellent colour choices even otherwise too, be it the new Techno Metallic Green or the ever-popular Exotica Red and Brilliant Black!

Wheels & Tyres

The alloy wheels are new for the facelift and the diamond-cut finish compliments the chrome pillar-line and the blackened roof. The original car came with 17 inchers that looked small from the rear 3/4th. No such complaints with the 18 inchers. However, the compromise is on the ride quality.

Ground Clearance

Ground clearance is sufficient for a crossover at 208 mm unladen, and 178 mm laden. Irritatingly, the low wind deflector is the sole part of the vehicle that will scrape when taken over the broken stuff, sometimes even over "Bangalore'ish" speed-breakers!

Standard & Extended Warranty

The car came with a 3-year / 100,000 km standard warranty. MOPAR Extended warranty program takes the coverage up to 5 years and 1.5L kms.

Lighting

Sweeet - DRLs are switched on as soon as the car is unlocked. Looks kickass during low light situations.

Lights are just average in low light situations and found lacking in the rain, as is the case with most modern white lights. Low beam performance is better than the high beam. Overall, the old HID setup was way better IMHO. LED fog lamps with cornering function do a good job though and are extremely useful in slow-speed situations, adding some much-needed illumination just ahead of the car - for example when taking a bad road close to the curb, just couldn't see the edge of the footwalk till I switched the fogs on! Cornering lamps turn on when the steering is turned beyond an angle, when giving indicator, etc at speeds below ~35 km/h.

Safety

Jeep Compass has not been crash-tested by Global NCAP for the Indian market. I hope no nasty surprises await (à la Hyundai/Kia)! There is a rumour that the RHD Jeep Compass with the 2.0 Multijet II diesel is untested worldwide and is only a 3-star rated car, along with the likes of Harrier and MG Hector - due to the design of the diesel motor, but the Euro NCAP 5* rating clearly specifies the applicability for RHD models with the Multijet diesel.

Anyways, the only real result that would matter is once tested for the Indian market.



Safety features on offer (Limited(o)) include -

• 6 airbags
• Electronic Parking Brake
• Traction Control
• Electronic Stability Control
• Tyre Pressure Monitoring
• ABS with EBD
• ISOFIX
• Roll Mitigation
• Hill Start Assist

Compass received a facelift in 2021 which puts it in line with the new family look. You still don't mistake it for anything but a Jeep Compass, but looks better now and has more road presence IMHO.



The facelift seems to focus on increasing the visual bulk at the front, with the new headlamps giving it a taller look, and all the horizontal features trying to give a wider feeling. Sleek LED fog lamps are a modern touch.



On the Limited(o) variant - the grille is chrome and the lower lip is finished in bright silver, whereas it is a dark grey finish on the top-end Model S variant. Not a fan of chrome generally, but I like the contrast against the dark blue colour.



Side profile remains the same. However, the alloy wheels are new and the diamond-cut finish compliments the chrome pillar-line and blackened roof. Roof rails are functional and have attachment slots for cross rails, that fit with enough clearance for the panoramic sunroof to open.



The original car came with 17 inchers that looked small from the rear 3/4th. No such complaints with the 18 inchers. However, the compromise is on the ride quality.



The rear remains identical to the pre-facelift model. The rear wiper covers only a small area, but crucially - that is also the most useful area between the two headrests.



The irritatingly low wind deflector is the sole part of the vehicle that will scrape everywhere, sometimes even over tall speed-breakers!



Subtle bonnet hump, as compared to deep central one on the new Meridian. The Jeep logo is placed perfectly upfront:



The 7-slat grille continues to be a sealed unit. The actual air intake is in fact from this wide slot below, and the air dam at the bottom. I have been told this makes people feel it would be an EV. Well, no such confusion once the diesel motor is fired up.



Look closer and the front bumper, irritatingly, contains dummy slots for the parking sensors. Could either be for the export variants or may be reserved for later. Even the Meridian has these dummy slots!



The new Compass gets LED reflector headlamps on all trims except the Model S and the Trailhawk (LED projectors on these two). Although sleeker than the outgoing models, the performance of these lamps are average when compared to the HID setup of the original.



Although not evident from the front, these are swept back quite a lot towards the fender:



Branded 'Jeep Performance LED':



Looks good, but the performance is strictly average. The old HID setup was way better IMHO. LED fog lamps with cornering function do a good job though and are extremely useful in slow-speed situations.



Chrome should have ended at the window-line. I really like the subtle contrast between the black and the dark blue though! On the top-end Model S, you get a dark grey dual-tone roof instead of black.



Diamond-cut 18" alloy wheels shod on 225/55-18 Bridgestone Turanza T001 tyres:



Black plastic cladding runs around the car, on all versions except the Model S (where it is painted in body colour). Compass badging continues to be on the sides, rather than the traditional placement on the boot lid:



Sufficient ground clearance, except for the aero-lip at the front. Showing it with a bottle is so old-fashioned, here is a cutie instead:

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Interior

I'll be adding my observations (specific to the Compass facelift, especially the Limited(o) variant) in addition to the points listed on the official Review of the Jeep Compass, which can be found here.

Cabin Design & Quality

While the original 2017 interior was pretty straight-forward and often remarked as lacking the wow-factor, the 2021 facelift rectifies that completely. Even some of the smaller items like the door handles are new and improved! The top half plastics continue to be black, however, the middle section is now covered with Brown leather whereas the plastics at the bottom are finished in Steel Grey. Could be a personal preference - but I really prefer this interior over the all-black interiors of the top-end Model S variant. No complaints on the material used either, which are good - especially the soft-touch plastics on the top half. Build quality, in fact, is excellent. However...

Some owners of the facelifted Compass have been complaining of rattles. I have been informed that the recent 2022 updates of the Compass have improved on most of the reported complaints. Heard this first from BHPian arun.josie and then from the highest management levels at the Jeep Meridian media drive. Maybe because my car is from the updated batch - it has the odd squeaks, but no irritating rattles yet. Hope it remains that way. Fingers crossed.

White seats may be impractical, but boy - do they look great! The slightly odd-looking neck restraints have been changed. White interior is now becoming common anyways (with cars like the XUV 7OO), and I've seen the ones on the Compass age decently well. Fingers crossed on this one too! Unexpected: With the seats set high to my preferred position - it feels like a tall and substantial SUV, unlike what the exterior dimensions suggest.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

Driver seat comes with 8-way adjustable powered seats with memory function. The seat is very comfortable and I had no complaints after an 800km drive. Lumbar support seems to be slightly more than expected at the lowest setting - but not uncomfortable by any means. I would have preferred the seats to be a bit more snug-fitting though - as it feels built with larger people in mind.

The passenger seat could have had power adjustments, but then again - that is available on the Model S. Issue is with my budget, not the car. Lol!

The steering wheel is new and looks more chic than the original. More than a couple of friends/BHPians commented that the wheel feels the right size and the leather-wrapping is just lovely to hold. Controls on the left side are for the instrument cluster and voice telephony. The RHS should have housed cruise control buttons, but the MT models get blanks! Ridiculous.

The horn pad is small though, and everything being built with a heavier bias, feels tough to operate with just one outreached finger. The ball-shaped, aluminium-finished gear lever is an absolute pleasure to hold.

Space & Comfort

The rear doors open wide (they claimed 80 degrees for the Meridian, and it looked similar!). The Compass is best for four people, who can travel in comfort. A good gap between the pillar and the seat, but the high door sills mean the elderly will need to sit first and lift their feet up into the cabin.

The lack of a 3rd headrest clearly hints at the positioning - this is nothing more than a 2+1 seater at the rear. Although legroom is sufficient, the width makes three people at the rear - a squeeze. . Good back support, a long seat base and the slightly-soft padded armrest (along with the good ride quality) ensure the two passengers are comfortable at the rear.

Cabin storage

Much better than my Punto (which couldn't even accommodate a cup or bottle properly!), but still not too well thought out! Two cupholders between the front seats (with a rubber base and extrusions to hold items in place without rattling), large storage space below the armrest, a deep slot for the phone (in place of the wireless charger of the Model S variant), and two cup holders in the rear armrest offer good storage options for 500ml bottles. Even the door pads are best for 500ml bottles.

Air-Conditioning

Air conditioning is a mixed bag. On the aesthetics front - the aircon vents are very slim and almost concealed at the sides. And just as you would assume by the way they look, these are not the best at airflow volume.

On the plus side - the cooling is decent and can handle a hot summer (May) day drive through TN. With external temperatures showing up to 38 degrees - the cabin was kept cool without any issues and it did not struggle even in the peak afternoon heat. No cooling issues! I know because my other car is a Hyundai.

On the negative side - the ACC is not a 'set it and forget it' affair - unlike my experience with the Punto, where I just had set 22.5 constantly and it used to be perfect for the day as well as the night, maintaining the same temperate throughout! On the Compass, firstly 21.5 has to be set to achieve a similar cooling effect and even then - sometimes it needs to be dropped to 21 at noon to cool the cabin better, and 22 at night to reduce the cooling. Maybe something to do with the logic of the thermostat and climate control unit.


The biggest 'wow' factor of the new Compass is the interior, which has truly transformed with the facelift. While the original dual-tone dashboard was functional - the new one has many more layers (white/tan/steel/black) providing a rich experience:



Open the heavy front doors, and the door pad strikes you as different and more vibrant than the older model. The dual-tone dashboard has soft-touch black plastics on top, with harder, but good-looking white plastics down below. Piano black, tan leather and silver inserts have been used wisely to add class. I like how all of this contrasts against the dark exterior shade:



Even a simpler item such as the door handle is new. The piano-black casing of the door handles also houses the switches for the driver seat memory function.



Switch design is different, but the set of controls remain the same. The separate switches provided for the door lock/unlock button is very convenient to use. Door pockets are best suited for 500ml bottles and some small items or an umbrella etc.



White seats may be impractical, but boy - do they look great! The slightly odd-looking neck restraints have been changed. White interior is now becoming common anyways (with cars like the XUV 7OO), and I've seen the ones on the Compass age decently well. Fingers crossed.

That said - the seats are comfortable, have power adjustments including lumbar and provide good support. For my 5'11" 86kg frame - I wish the seats fit tighter though as I don't feel tightly held even though side bolstering is pretty good otherwise. I wish the lumbar adjustment could be further reduced than the least position - but the body did not complain even after 800kms behind the wheel.



View of the driver's space. Could be a personal preference - but I really prefer this interior over the all-black interiors of the top-end Model S variant. Good to have both options, but Jeep should have given the option across variants - for those who prefer one or the other.



The steering wheel is new and looks more chic than the original. More than a couple of friends/BHPians commented that the wheel feels the right size and the leather-wrapping is just lovely to hold:



Controls on the left side are for the instrument cluster and voice telephony. The RHS should have housed cruise control buttons, but the MT models get blanks! Ridiculous that cruise control is only for AT variants! We had reviewed a Linea TJet in 2014 that had an MT gearbox and cruise control - so I don't understand what is stopping Jeep from implementing the same logic.



The horn pad is small though, and everything being built with a heavier bias, feels tough to operate with just one outreached finger. Nice Euro dual-tone sound though! Speaking of nice tones, the indicator clicks sound rather artificial and weird. Anyways, back to the topic, a sleeker new Jeep logo takes center stage on the wheel:



The ball-shaped, aluminium-finished gear lever is an absolute pleasure to hold. Gates are well defined and shifting is mostly a pleasure. However, there is an artificial (spring-loaded, I believe) heft to the lever which gets pronounced at times - especially towards the 2nd and reverse gears. The reverse is engaged by lifting the collar and engaging towards the first gear, but I found it works perfect only 7/10 times.

Attention to detail, even when hidden from view - the leather cover for the lever holds the traditional 7-slat logo.



The sexiest (stock) MT gear lever in a dying market?



View from the passenger side when getting in:



The different layers of the dashboard, as seen from the passenger side. On top - there is the soft-touch black plastic (with fake-double stitching that imitates leather-wrapping), followed by a steel/chrome band (ends up as aircon vents on either end), followed by tan leather with double white stitching. A brushed finished insert is placed below it, enclosed in a thick steel/chrome band that runs the entire width of the dashboard. The bottom half of the dash is made of hard white plastics. The glovebox is strictly average-sized.



Aircon vents are almost concealed. And just as you would assume by the way they look, these are not the best at airflow volume:



The poorly positioned Start/Stop button from the original has made way for a more conventional placement. Is illuminated and comes with a piano black finished ring for cosmetic enhancement:



My version comes with Dual-Zone climate control. There are a couple of dedicated buttons for the music system as well, apart from the steering mounted controls which are conveniently placed behind the wheel. Most importantly (for some), the large screen can be switched off completely if needed.



The door sill area is comparatively wide. Jeep branded plates come standard:



As many would know already, Jeep tries to include several easter eggs in the car. Some of these, as mentioned in the official review, include - the lizard underneath the front wipers, the Loch Ness monster on the rear windscreen, several Jeep logos with keywords placed in different parts, etc.

But, my favourite undoubtedly is this:



The rear doors open wide (they claimed 80 degrees for the Meridian, and it looked similar!). As with the front, the rear door pad is also different post the facelift, is dual tone and piano black and tan leather inserts to make it look good.



Good gap between the pillar and the seat, nice legroom, but the high door sills mean the elderly will need to sit first and lift their feet up into the cabin. Thankfully the seats are at a walk-in height. White seats, the large glass area and the panoramic sunroof ensures the cabin feels anything but claustrophobic.

For those who want to opt-out, there is always the all-black option with the Model S.



The lack of a 3rd headrest clearly hints at the positioning - this is nothing more than a 2+1/2 seater at the rear. Although legroom is sufficient, the width makes three people at the rear - a squeeze. Good back support, good long seat base and the slightly-soft padded armrest (along with the good ride quality) ensure the two passengers are comfortable at the rear.



Good legroom at the rear with the front seat set to my (5'11") driving position:



The rear a/c tunnel isn't very intrusive in terms of legroom and the floor hump is also manageable. The seat is raised in the middle though, and the backrest is harder due to the armrest. Not comfortable for longer distances.



The rear a/c vent tower is a different unit and much improved, finished in Piano black. Strangely, even the Meridian doesn't get this premium treatment. USB socket + 12V plug at the bottoms provides practicality:



Jeep's (expensive) "slush" mats are a perfect fit and look better than most after-market 3D mat options out there:



Boot space is about average as expected for the segment. Two cabin suitcases and a large travel bag can easily fit in, and a few smaller items too. The button for closing the powered tailgate is placed at a convenient height on the left side inner cladding.



There is no prominent ambient lighting provided in the car as seen in some competition. Subtle LED ambient lighting is provided in the door handles, the cupholders, etc. There is also a faint light thrown from the roof console to the gear lever area which adds to the cabin experience at night. View of the cabin at night:



The roof console now houses controls for the sunroof as well as the (conveniently positioned) button for the power-lift tailgate. IRVM is auto-dimming, as expected for the price point:



Speaking of the sunroof, the massive panoramic sunroof covers the full cabin and certainly transforms the in-cabin experience:



India may offer only dusty environs and hence may not be sunroof-friendly, but open the inner blinds and it surely makes for an open and airy cabin - especially at the rear. The difference is drastic! The glass may never be opened (except for cleaning), but the blinds are going to be closed only for blocking the afternoon sun.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Driving the Jeep Compass 2.0 MT

Instead of re-inventing the wheel, I'll be adding my observations in addition to the points listed on the official Review of the Jeep Compass, which can be found here.

Ours is a diesel Compass in the BS6 spec - which means it is powered by the 2.0 L Multijet II Diesel which produces 170 hp @ 3750 rpm and 350 Nm @ 1750-2500 rpm. The initial impressions summed up - absolutely love this gem! The motor has lost 1HP post BS6 and gained .2 km/L at ARAI - now rated at 17.3 km/L.

Press the clutch + Start/Stop button and the engine comes to life with a significant sound and shudder. This isn't a refined start and sounds like an angry motor waking up (I like this, and it reminds me of old-school SUVs!), before settling down at a refined ~900rpm idle. In the first gear - the crawling speed is 8km/h and this really aids in reducing half-clutch action in traffic - the first gear being enough to modulate speeds of between 8-20 km/h in such situations. What takes getting used to though - is an anti-stall rpm increase (to 1200 mostly) upon releasing the clutch. Mostly have noticed this when starting off from idle, and it brings in more torque than generally needed in stop-go traffic. Anyways, just a matter of getting used to it!

Clutch engaging point is high, action is not heavy, but isn't the lightest unit around either (and owners complain it gets heavier over time. Would need to watch out!) With the BS6 variant - Jeep has added a clear warning message to come down to 1st gear at speeds below 8 km/h, although you could ride the clutch and get a move on from idle in 2nd gear itself (and cause premature wear?).

The ball-shaped, aluminium-finished gear lever is an absolute pleasure to hold. Gates are well defined and shifting is mostly a pleasure. However, there is an artificial (spring-loaded, I believe) heft to the lever which gets pronounced at times - especially towards the 2nd and reverse gears. The reverse is engaged by lifting the collar and engaging towards the first gear, but I found it works perfect only 7/10 times, going into first otherwise.

The diesel engine is audible in the cabin, but not in an intrusive way, especially at lower rpms. At cruising speeds - the engine is barely even audible. At 100km/h - the engine is barely ticking at 1800rpm in 6th gear, whereas it touches 2000rpm at 120 km/h! In comparison - my Punto used to do 100 km/h @ 2500rpm.

There have been a lot of discussions on the 2.0L engine recently, especially if it is adequate in the Meridian. Make no mistake - any questions on the performance aspects of the Compass/ Meridian arise from the 9 AT transmission and not the engine itself. For city usage - the nature of a large diesel motor + e-VGT turbo makes the turbo lag well-controlled and overtakes come easy, without much planning required. With the 6MT gearbox - the Compass is a joy on the open highways. 170hp, tall 6th gear, solid suspension and a nicely tuned steering - all come together on the highways. The only real miss is the lack of a cruise control option. Ridiculous that cruise control is only for AT variants! We had reviewed a Linea TJet in 2014 that had an MT gearbox and cruise control - so I don't understand what is stopping Jeep from implementing the same logic.

NVH

NVH is a (strange) mixed bag! The cabin is both extremely refined and slightly noisy depending on the frequencies in question. Let me explain -

The triple-seal doors and ample insulation make it a quiet cabin, so much so that in traffic - barely any external noise gets intrusive on the inside. A bus standing next to you in traffic, two people talking loud on a two-wheeler next to you, someone honking right behind - all these are relatively muted compared to the open-window experience. In that sense, the NVH is commendable indeed! In fact, so much so that - I can sometimes clearly hear and get irritated by minor things like a packet of chips inside a plastic cover making noise in the rear seat or even the boot, the sound from the horn pad plastic when pressed, etc.

And then there is the average stuff - like engine noise, which is heard inside but not intrusive. There are some muted thuds from the suspension over the broken stuff too, thanks to the stiff ride. The transmission also makes a muted thud when the torque suddenly kicks in during hard acceleration.

And then some bad stuff - like squeaks, the occasional rattle and the consistent road noise at higher speeds. Thankfully, no irritatingly consistent rattles for me yet, but I do get the occasional plastic against plastic sound when going over the bad stuff. From the Compass thread -

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

During the media event of the Jeep Meridian - I took up this rattle issue faced by Compass facelift owners.

I was informed that the recent 2022 updates of the Compass have improved on most of the reported complaints. I believe they are not bluffing here as our arun.josie had informed me about this earlier as well. The issue has visibility at the highest management levels (we talked to them directly) and is being ironed out.

We did hear of couple of squeaks and rattles from our media car, but it was abused around the offroad track like 99.9% owners will never do! My car is from the updated batch, has run 3k kms and has the odd squeaks but no irritating rattles yet, and hope it remains that way. Fingers crossed

That said - there is no way to believe if the claim is true. Don't shoot the messenger. The final verdict on this will only be from Team BHP's long term ownership reports. I'll also update on my car as I cover more kilometres.

I feel the biggest irritant is perhaps the amount of road noise from the Bridgestone Turanza T001 tyres (supposedly not so cheap tyres either!). This is clearly heard at higher speeds - despite full plastic clad wheel wells, etc. Surprisingly, the Dueler H/Ts on the Meridian felt slightly better in this department.

Ride Comfort

The official review called the low-speed ride comfort 'liveable & compliant enough for daily use'. However, with the 18-inch wheels and 225/55-18 tyres of the new Compass facelift - the ride quality is stiff IMHO. You are always made aware of the road conditions underneath and at city speeds - it is better to slow down for potholes - just like you would do on a sedan/hatchback. Make no mistake - this is one area where I am reminded of how brilliant my old Punto used to be! That said - it is stiff, not harsh and not a deal-breaker for me.

Where the Compass shines is when the speeds pick up - even inside the city. At 40-50 km/h or more - you can start ignoring potholes depending on the size and at highway speeds - you can just carry on over broken patches without bothering (Disclaimer: I won't be responsible for any rattles that set in afterwards. )

Vertical movement is so well controlled on the highways, even in the rear seat, probably the biggest advantage of the FSD suspension.

Handling & Dynamics

A lot has been said about the handling characteristics and thankfully, those hold true. Considering the high GC nature of the vehicle, the Compass does truly live up to the hype.

Steering

EPS is nicely tuned. It is communicative on the highway and effortless in the city - and overall much lighter than the hydraulic setup of the Punto. No negative feelings about switching from an excellent hydraulic setup to an EPS.

Braking

Stable, progressive and confidence-inspiring.

EPB turned out to be very intuitive - just need to remember to imitate the action of the lever - up to engage, down to disengage, just as with a manual handbrake. When the vehicle is switched off, EPB is automatically engaged.

Auto-hold is irritating and needs to be switched off every single time the vehicle is restarted (Auto start/stop doesn't count). It brakes the vehicle in position on an incline for almost a full second before releasing, giving enough time for a newbie driving to move forward without the vehicle rolling backwards. However, for any experienced driver - this becomes more of an annoyance than an assist. Wish it could be permanently switched off.

Jeep, I can understand the functionality- but please improve it or remove it. Thanks!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Fuel efficiency

ARAI rated at 17.3 km/L. Tankful method fuel efficiency figures as below -



One advantage of diesel is the tank range. I can push 700-800kms on a single tank if needed. Mostly for me, it would mean Bangalore-Trivandrum drives without needing a fuel break.



Efficiency on two-lane highways (with less traffic):



Efficiency on four-lane highways, and cruising speed of ~100 km/h:



PS: Doubt I'll have such patience ever again, and I really really missed cruise control on this drive. This was only to test what's possible once.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Features & Technology

With the facelift, Jeep has done a thorough revamp of the feature list, updating it significantly over all the shortcomings of the outgoing car. If anything feels missing (such as a 360 camera, ventilated seats, powered passenger seat, wireless charging, premium branded audio, etc) - it is because I could not afford the top-end Model S variant.

The biggest miss, as mentioned earlier as well, is cruise control (available only on all the AT variants).

Unique & Noteworthy Features in the Limited(o)

• Dual-pane panoramic sunroof
• 8-way powered driver seat with memory function
• 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
• Dual-zone climate control with rear a/c vents
• Connectivity suite of features
• Powered tailgate
• Auto-LED headlamps with DRLs. LED fog lamps.
• Auto-dimming IRVM
• Auto-wipers.
• Electronic Parking Brake
• Reverse Parking Camera with dynamic guidelines and sensors.
• TPMS
• Keyless entry and go, etc.

Instrument Cluster

Instrumentation consists of two beautiful analogue meters with a 7" digital cluster in between providing all needed information. A full digital cluster is available on the Model S (and also the Meridian), but i honestly like the more traditional setup on my car.

Some of the information presented by the cluster include -

• TPMS readings
• DEF fluid meter
• Instant and average FE meters
• Digital speedo readout (easily got accustomed to this!)
• Vehicle control settings (HSA, passenger airbag deactivation, speed warnings, etc)
• Two trip meters.
• Battery voltage, etc

On the negative side - there is a lot of reflection on the cluster by noon, affecting visibility.

Infotainment

A 10.1" UConnect touchscreen system takes centre stage on the dashboard. It is used for functions ranging from climate control to music - and integrates seamlessly with the phone through wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Haven't tested Carplay much, but android Auto has been working well with only a couple of disconnections over the last month of usage.

The sound stage is formed by a pleasant, yet technically average, unbranded 6-speaker audio system. It is best suited for low-volume, soft listening and sounds good for such purposes too. A pathetic 3-band equalizer adjustment on the HU doesn't help either!

I will miss my 'Clarion +DLS +JBL +PHD Audiophile Sound Systems' combination setup from the Punto

10.1" UConnect touchscreen system:



Reverse camera with dynamic guidelines:

JeepLife App and connectivity suite

Jeep offers a very basic connectivity solution through their JeepLife app. The vehicle comes with an e-SIM enabled and helps do stuff like this in case of emergencies.

That said - the feature list is pretty basic and does not allow you to remote start the car.

[bblost]

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

[AYP]

Congrats on the Jeep mate! I remember suggesting you to go for the Diesel Longitude over the Sports a few months back but it's great to know that you went with the Limited(o) as it is from this variant that you start to get the 'Luxury feel' in the Compass.

The Compass is definitely the best diesel MT option in its segment. BTW, how would you compare the VAG 2.0 TDI(150 BHP tune) vs the FCA 2.0 diesel? I know a straight comparison would be difficult but it would be great to know your opinion.

[abhi_tjet]

Thanks for sharing an awesome review @CrAzY dRiVeR. Your observation on Petrol engine is spot on.
I wanted to know if there is any difference in terms of any features or extra readouts which is available on fully digital instrument cluster of ‘S’ variant as compared to Limited?

Happy kms to you! Congratulations again

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Some more images taken over the last month:

Size reference, though everyone knows the Compass over the past 5 years:





Imagine my happiness seeing all these Galaxy Blue Jeeps together, at the Jeep Meridian Media drive:



Quite a difference in the all-black cabin:


Brilliant black v/s Galaxy Blue:



Boot filled with two cabin suitcases, a large travel bag and one laptop bag among other smaller items:



Some more random shots:

Originally Posted by AYP

Congrats on the Jeep mate! I remember suggesting you to go for the Diesel Longitude over the Sports a few months back but it's great to know that you went with the Limited(o) as it is from this variant that you start to get the 'Luxury feel' in the Compass.

The Compass is definitely the best diesel MT option in its segment. BTW, how would you compare the VAG 2.0 TDI(150 BHP tune) vs the FCA 2.0 diesel? I know a straight comparison would be difficult but it would be great to know your opinion.

Thank you. Yes, glad things worked out and the Limited(o) came home.

Regarding the two, the main differentiator is the gearbox and not the engines. This discussion compares the two.

Originally Posted by abhi_tjet

Thanks for sharing an awesome review @CrAzY dRiVeR. Your observation on Petrol engine is spot on.
I wanted to know if there is any difference in terms of any features or extra readouts which is available on fully digital instrument cluster of ‘S’ variant as compared to Limited?

Happy kms to you! Congratulations again

Thank you.

Didn't spot any extra features. TPMS used to be exclusive to the Model S, but is standard now. Here are the screen options on the Merdian, shared with the Model S:

[ramnaresh_2000]

Welcome to the Jeep Compass gang. Fantastic 5* rated thread. The color looks dashing, maintenance maybe a pain but concern for some other day. Wishing you happy miles ahead.

I really don't understand why Jeep has missed out Cruise Control and auto dimming IRVM in my Limited variant which costed 24.5L on road in 2019. The cars 2 segments lower to Compass have these features these days. Really surprised to see your Limited (O) also doesn't have Cruise Control