2018 Jeep Compass Manual Push How to
Jeep Compass 2018 Review
Does Jeep Compass set struggling SUV brand in the right direction?
Built at Jeep's new car factory in India, the Compass leaves a favourable first impression. After a couple of days driving on Aussie roads and bush tracks in Tasmania, the new SUV performed better than expected.
It has a good level of ride comfort, it deals with corners capably, it is comfortable, has lots of technology including radar cruise control and lane departure warning and, like most Jeeps, it has a good 4WD system and can handle itself on challenging mountain trails.
The Jeep Compass is a five-seat SUV that slots above the Jeep Renegade small SUV and below the Jeep Cherokee medium SUV. Its objective in the new car market is to steal sales from likes of the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Volkswagen Tiguan.
I think this is where "access premium" is supposed to be mentioned again.
Whatever the marketing boffins want to call it, the car does have an upmarket feel. Except for the indicator stalk which feels a bit flimsy, almost everything in the car you can touch and manipulate has a quality feel, which is unexpected given its predecessor's no-frills attitude.
Like all Jeeps, it comes with the brand's recently updated five-year warranty, which includes five-years of capped price servicing and roadside assistance for the lifetime of the vehicle.
That alone won't sway customers burned in the past, but it will provide some reassurance.
Jeep Compass aims in the right direction
The steering wheel is leather wrapped on all models, 17-inch alloy wheels are standard, as are seven-airbags, a push-button park brake, reversing camera and a digital radio tuner that provides crisper audio – especially the AM stations.
In total there are four models in the Australian range and two engine options.
The Jeep Compass opens the bidding with a pair of 2WD petrol-only models, Sport and Longitude. They get a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (129kW/229Nm) paired with six-speed auto or manual transmissions.
Neither model was available to drive at the national media launch so it's impossible to say "they're great!" or "I wouldn't touch it with a 30-foot barge pole".
>> 2018 Jeep Compass models and pricing
Instead we evaluated the range-topping $40K-plus models; the Compass Limited, a trendy, sporty-looking urban cruiser, and the Compass Trailhawk, the off-road king.
The pair of premium Compass SUVs are 4WD, with locking centre diffs and nine-speed automatic transmissions as standard. The Limited can be had with the 2.4 petrol engine or a hearty 2.0-litre turbo-diesel (125kW/350Nm), which is the only choice on the Trailhawk. That's a good thing for two reasons.
Firstly, the Trailhawk is a fatty, weighing more than 1600kg. Secondly, the diesel is a better engine than the petrol, with more thrust on offer and a much gutsier bottom end that's better suited to get-and-grab off-road duties.
So the Compass Limited and Trailhawk fancy-pants models get all the fruit, such as leather-upholstered power-operated front seats, light-sensing headlights, LED brake lights, a nine-speaker Beats stereo system, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming interior mirror and a bigger 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
There's also some big-ticket options designed for the two range-toppers, including a dual-pane glass sunroof ($1950), an advanced technology pack ($2450) and a contrasting black roof ($495), the latter exclusive to the Limited model.
The advanced tech pack mentioned above adds radar-based adaptive cruise control with stop and go – so it works in traffic jams – forward collision warning, self-dipping high beams headlights, a power-operated tailgate, blind spot monitor and lane departure warning.
Tested on road and off road
We evaluated the nine-speed automatic transmission which is a smooth operator but the ratios feel a little out of whack for Aussie speed limits, especially in the 2.4-litre petrol model. The nine-speed ZF automatic doesn't offer particularly fast shifts but they're smooth and the extra cogs should deliver improved fuel economy.
The 2.4-litre petrol engine isn't as advanced as some of its rivals and although it's good at pedestrian speeds and fine around town, overtaking other vehicles on the freeway requires a bit more forethought because acceleration isn't face-slappingly rapid.
The entry-level models are more than 50kg lighter due to the lack of 4WD. A quick look at the spec sheet shows the petrol Limited to be the slowest accelerating – 10.1sec from 0-100km/h compared to 9.3sec for the base model Sport automatic.
Diesel models will do 9.7sec and they definitely feel fleeter on the road.
Ride and handling dynamics are where Compass shines, however.
Even on 18-inch alloy wheels the compact Jeep delivers high levels of ride comfort: The fully-independent suspension absorbs the worst crumbling, pot-holed country roads Tassie could muster. There is a touch of wind noise around the large mirrors, but apart from that it's a fairly quiet operator too.
Normally when a vehicle has a plush ride like this one, like an old Toyota it's garbage through a corner. But not this one. Jeep reckons the new Compass underwent 25.7 million kilometres of on and off road testing, which would require 1000 vehicles covering 25,700km each. More likely is that 100 cars did 257,000km each.
Methinks some of that 'testing' may have been simulated.
Either way, the car has a really good attitude through corners, sitting flat and allowing the driver to glide through turns with more speed (if they want) than expected in a high-riding SUV.
Of the two engines, the diesel is the pick simply because it delivers power and torque right where you need it – low in the rev range. Jeep claims the diesel mill achieves 5.7L/100km. I recorded closer to 8.0L/100km which is decent given a couple of hours of at-times challenging off-roading.
The 2.4-litre petrol engine is claimed to return fuel economy of 9.7L/100km, which is not exactly frugal when compared to a 2.4-litre Kia Sportage at 8.5L/100km. The trip computer fuel economy readout was 11.8L/100km after 300km of driving.
I should mention that there was plenty of robust driving involved with the Jeep Compass Limited too, on and off-road. Given a chance to lope along in top gear that number would've come closer to the claimed 9.7L/100km.
Off-road the Limited didn't miss a beat.
The 4WD system is one of the best in its class. It apportions torque to the wheel that needs it, meaning even slippery rock climbs didn't stop it. The only thing that hampers the Limited is its sporty front bumper, which touched rocky outcrops a couple of times.
The Trailhawk features different front and rear bumpers which improve approach and departure angles significantly. It also has a raised ride height, underbody protection plates, mud-slinging tyres, recovery tow hooks, hill descent control, a full-size spare wheel and low-range gearing with a 20:1 crawl ratio to scrabble up steep inclines.
At one point the compact Jeep got stuck on a smooth rock (operator error, that one!), but after a second or so it simply shunted drive to a wheel with grip and up we popped. Wheel articulation on the Trailhawk is impressive on undulating terrain and Jeep reckons the 225mm ground clearance is best in class. The next closest is the Subaru XV with 205mm.
Attention to detail, improved quality
So, the Compass has improved its on and off-road capability, standard features and warranty. But how does it feel inside? Pretty freakin' good. Upon poking around in the cabin, everything has a high-quality look and feel. It's a remarkably classy place to spend time.
There's soft-touch dash plastics, the leather seats feel good, the doors shut with a nice thud and except for that indicator stalk and the engine starter button, all the controls have an upmarket feel. Some people might be suspicious of the vehicle's Indian manufacture but if first impressions are anything to go by, this is a very neat and tidily put together car.
The 8.4-inch infotainment screen is a winner, displaying various Jeep menus at the bottom of the screen, even when Apple CarPlay is on. The Beats stereo system offers comprehensive audio and although there's nowhere to put your smart phone and only one USB port, incidental storage is good.
There's a secret stash under the front passenger's seat, cup holders, bottle holders and a nicely-sized glovebox. Rear seat passengers get lots of head room and leg room – fine for my 182cm frame. I liked that there's a USB port in the back as well, plus seat back pockets, a fold out arm rest, bottle holders in the doors and air vents too – handy on hot days.
Cargo space in the boot (438 litres) ain't bad for a vehicle that measures just under 4.4 metres long and the option of a powered tailgate has appeal. Given its size it's also easy to get into tighter car parks.
Five-star safety… for now
Jeep has been crowing about the Compass's occupant protection, promoting the vehicle's 70 security and safety features and five-star ANCAP safety rating.
The Compass was given a five-star ANCAP safety rating in late 2017 when cars began arriving in dealerships but if it was tested now – just a couple of months later in 2018 – it wouldn't have snaffled the top rating.
Why? The lack of autonomous emergency braking, or AEB as it's known to car nerds. To get five-stars in 2018 you need AEB, and the Jeep Compass does not come standard with it – you'll have to fork out another $1000 for the safety pack.
It is good though to note that Australian Jeep Compass vehicles get seven airbags, with the extra knee airbag exclusive to this market.
The road has been a rocky one for Jeep over the past few years. In 2014 it was on top of the world, swinging from chandeliers but by 2017 sales had fallen off a cliff. The Jeep Compass is the brand's first all-new vehicle since 2015 and while it's not perfect it poops on its predecessor from a great height.
The new Jeep Compass also brings the vehicle closer to its rivals, such as the Kia Sportage, with vast improvements in cabin quality, connectivity and drivability. I'm still no closer to puzzling out what "access premium" is, but this I know: Jeep is starting to get its mojo back.
2018 Jeep Compass Limited pricing and specifications:
Price: $41,250 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 129kW/229Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 230g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2017)
2018 Jeep Compass Manual Push How to
Source: https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/jeep-compass-2018-review-110957/