The Third-Gen Jeep Compass Has Arrived, And It’s Chunky

The current generation Jeep Compass has been with us since 2016, and we’ll be honest, even though we’ve driven one, we can’t really tell you a whole lot about it. It’s just not a very memorable car. That’s something that the new third generation Compass looks to change, though, especially in the looks department.

Yep, this beefy, boxy character is Jeep’s latest challenger in the hugely crowded mid-sized family crossover arena, and we have to say, it rather stands out among the swathes of Qashqais, RAV4s and Tiguans.

Really, though, the new Compass is a bit like a chicken alfredo – something with an Italian core given a dash of American razz-matazz. Like the outgoing car, Euro-market versions will be built at Stellantis’ plant in Melfi, Italy. It sits on Stellantis’ STLA Medium platform, which also underpins the latest versions of the decidedly un-American Peugeot 3008, Vauxhall Grandland and Citroen C5 Aircross.

All those cars offer both mild hybrid, PHEV and full EV drivetrains, and the Compass is no different. The first of those setups is covered by a powertrain shared with its close siblings, a combination of a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder, a 48V battery and a little electric motor making a peak of 143bhp, sent through a six-speed dual-clutch auto.

Next up is an equally familiar-sounding plug-in hybrid. Its constituent parts are a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-pot, a 21kWh battery pack and a 123bhp e-motor, good for a combined peak of 192bhp. This one features a seven-speed DCT. There’s no electric-only range figure provided yet, but the recently-revealed C5 Aircross will do a quoted 62 miles. Jeep’s yet to confirm if either of these hybrid setups will be available with all-wheel drive, but we suspect they'll be front-led only.

Finally, there will be three full EV versions, although Jeep’s only given us details on the bookends of this trio so far. At the bottom of the ladder is a 210bhp front-wheel drive single-motor setup, while at the top of the tree is a 370bhp dual-motor version with a dedicated rear motor. The longest-range electric versions will do a quoted 403 miles on a charge, thanks in part to aero tweaks like an active grille shutter on the front bumper.

Jeep likes to ensure that even its most mass-consumer friendly crossovers still have some Jeepiness in their bones, so the new Compass is touting some better-than-average off-road cred for its class. All-wheel drive versions, it gets up to 200mm of ground clearance, a 27-degree approach angle, 16-degree breakover angle and 31-degree departure angle.

All-wheel drive cars also get standard hill descent control in addition to range-wide ‘Selec-terrain’ off-road drive modes, and some versions will ford up to 470mm of water. This may not be strictly relevant on the Sainsbury’s run, unless you live somewhere that floods a lot.

On the inside, there’s greater legroom, boot space and interior storage room than the outgoing car, and a new 10-inch instrument cluster and 16-inch infotainment screen, both of which will receive over-the-air updates throughout their life.

Pricing’s yet to be confirmed, but orders will open up in the summer, with the first deliveries taking place in Q4 this year, spearheaded by a kitted-out First Edition.