A Jeep is always a Jeep. No matter how big or how small, the vehciles that wear the badge are known for being capable. The Jeep Compass is the company’s entry-level vehicle now that the Renegade isn’t sold in America.
A week behind the wheel of the Compass, using it as a daily driver, yielded some easy results for this list. The year before its generational redo, the Compass still has some good left in it. But, it’s not all good.
What we tested: Newsweek drove a 2024 Jeep Compass Latitude 4×4 for this review. It has a starting price of $30,170. As delivered, the MSRP was $36,335 after a host of options were added on and the $1,595destination fee was applied.
CHANGE: The powertrain
The Compass came equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that provided middling power despite being rated at 200 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. Jeep’s eight-speed automatic transmission is smooth enough, but nothing to write home about.
Granted, the Compass doesn’t feel as slow as the new Forester, nor is it as noisy as many SUVs with continuously variable transmissions.
All trim levels of the Compass come with the same engine-transmission combination, making the same amount of power.
Jeep
Jeep
KEEP: Knobs and buttons
Sure, the Compass does not have the most sophisticated climate control and radio system in the world, what it has going for it is physical controls. They’re simple to use, intuitive, and straightforward.
The controls are also easy to use with gloves, which is a win for those in cold climates.
CHANGE: Cruise control
I can get a Hyundai or Nissan for $8,000 less that comes standard with adaptive cruise control. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t come standard on a $30,000 vehicle.
CHANGE: The shifter
I prefer a standard, older-school shifter, but in small vehicles where space is a premium, they just don’t make the best sense. Jeep has a rotary shifter available and if implemented here, it would yield enough space back to designers that they could add a dedicated storage space for a smartphone.
AGNOSTIC: Two-tone paint colors
Like Nissan, Jeep offers many of its vehicles with two-tone paint, Compass included. The look is… fine. For me, it’s not a maker or a breaker, but for someone else it might be.
For only a $595 up-charge, the option isn’t a bank breaker, and it’s an easy way to get a bit of customization without having to shell out a lot of money.
