Jeep Compass SUV Review
SUV Reviewer
The 2011 Jeep Compass is an all-weather, premium, compact crossover vehicle with improved styling and comfort from earlier models. The interior cabin is more modern in design with greater high quality materials and bright chrome accents. The exterior is designed more like the Grand Cherokee with quad-reflector headlights, a new hood, front fenders and front fascia with a seven-slot Jeep-style grille that make the Jeep Compass more refined and serious in its styling. The appearance in the back is improved with a rear spoiler in the same color as the body and LED headlamps. The lower body black cladding not only protects the vehicle but serves to make the vehicle appear shorter than its predecessor although the ride height has been increased by one inch.
Standard equipment on the Jeep Compass now includes air conditioning, power windows, cruise control, keyless entry and 17-inch wheels with an option to upgrade them to 18 inches. Other features include side curtain airbags for the two rows of seats, stability control with roll mitigation, fog lamps, LED-backlight gauges, backlit interior switches for the door locks, windows and power mirror controls, tilt steering, a padded center console with split lid for additional storage, front and rear floor mats, a fold-flat rear seat with carpeted cargo area and optional seat-mounted side airbags. Also available are a 30 gigabyte hard drive for storage of digital music and pictures and a Garmin navigation system with voice-guided directions.
Specs:
The base model Jeep Compass has a 2-liter four cylinder engine that produces 158 horsepower and 141 pound-feet of torque. This engine is available with a manual five-speed transmission. The higher end version of the Jeep Compass has a 2.4 liter four cylinder engine that produces 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque with either a manual or continuously variable transmission with either an AutoStick shifter that allows for either fully automatic shifting or driver-interactive manual control with six simulated stepped-gear ratios or off-road capabilities with an active all-wheel drive system. The suspension system includes added rebound springs, higher spring and damping rates and a rear sway that is heavy duty.
Fuel economy is rated as 23 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway for the lower end engine and 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway for the higher end engine. The towing capacity of the vehicle is 2,000 pounds.
The Jeep Compass seats five with available cargo space depending on whether the rear seats are upright or folded down. The front seats are heated and all versions have bucket seats with premium cloth and the rear seats recline. The higher end versions of the vehicle introduce leather trim and French seam accent stitching with power controlled driver seats with the ability to adjust the seat in six settings.
The Jeep Compass sports an impressive drive with a quiet interior made possible by added sound absorption materials in the rear wheel wells and the rear quarter panels. The four cylinder engine is also quiet at idle times and only makes itself known during acceleration and while passing other vehicles. The continuously variable transmission can still be somewhat noisy with the noise also variable and not seemed linked to vehicle speed. However, due to the excellent tuning of the suspension, which is somewhat firmer than in previous models, the vehicle is nimble and makes for a better control of the ride.
Standard equipment on the Jeep Compass now includes air conditioning, power windows, cruise control, keyless entry and 17-inch wheels with an option to upgrade them to 18 inches. Other features include side curtain airbags for the two rows of seats, stability control with roll mitigation, fog lamps, LED-backlight gauges, backlit interior switches for the door locks, windows and power mirror controls, tilt steering, a padded center console with split lid for additional storage, front and rear floor mats, a fold-flat rear seat with carpeted cargo area and optional seat-mounted side airbags. Also available are a 30 gigabyte hard drive for storage of digital music and pictures and a Garmin navigation system with voice-guided directions.
Specs:
The base model Jeep Compass has a 2-liter four cylinder engine that produces 158 horsepower and 141 pound-feet of torque. This engine is available with a manual five-speed transmission. The higher end version of the Jeep Compass has a 2.4 liter four cylinder engine that produces 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque with either a manual or continuously variable transmission with either an AutoStick shifter that allows for either fully automatic shifting or driver-interactive manual control with six simulated stepped-gear ratios or off-road capabilities with an active all-wheel drive system. The suspension system includes added rebound springs, higher spring and damping rates and a rear sway that is heavy duty.
Fuel economy is rated as 23 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway for the lower end engine and 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway for the higher end engine. The towing capacity of the vehicle is 2,000 pounds.
The Jeep Compass seats five with available cargo space depending on whether the rear seats are upright or folded down. The front seats are heated and all versions have bucket seats with premium cloth and the rear seats recline. The higher end versions of the vehicle introduce leather trim and French seam accent stitching with power controlled driver seats with the ability to adjust the seat in six settings.
The Jeep Compass sports an impressive drive with a quiet interior made possible by added sound absorption materials in the rear wheel wells and the rear quarter panels. The four cylinder engine is also quiet at idle times and only makes itself known during acceleration and while passing other vehicles. The continuously variable transmission can still be somewhat noisy with the noise also variable and not seemed linked to vehicle speed. However, due to the excellent tuning of the suspension, which is somewhat firmer than in previous models, the vehicle is nimble and makes for a better control of the ride.
