Jeep Compass 2.2 CRD 163 CV 4x4, road test (Equipment, overall assessment and prices)

Diego G. Moreira 2 June 2012 4 min.

Jeep Compass 2.2 CRD 163 CV 4x4, road test (Equipment, overall assessment and prices)

Over the past week we have been testing the Jeep Compass. It is the smallest SUV the Italian-American brand has on the market, but it does not lose its off-road abilities because of that. Specifically, we tested the version equipped with the 2.2 CRD 163 CV diesel engine, sourced from Mercedes, and with four-wheel drive.

We covered everything about the engine, performance and handling (as well as its off-road behaviour) in the first part of the test, while in the second we analyse the design and tell you about the changes brought by the facelift carried out just over a year ago, and we also looked at the interior, interior space and finishes.

Equipment

As always, before talking about the equipment in general, we review the safety equipment, a controversial topic on the Jeep Compass due to the poor results it obtained in the EuroNCAP tests, and which we will also analyse in detail to see what went wrong and how safe the car is.

The first thing to review is what safety equipment it comes with as standard. Elements such as dual front airbags and stability control are not missing, but side airbags, for example, are optional.

In the tests carried out this year by EuroNCAP, it only achieved two stars under the current standards. The problem came from two sides. On the one hand, in adult occupant protection it only scored 61% (compared with the typical 70-80%), because the tests revealed injuries to the femur and knees of front-seat passengers. The second side is side protection, where it did not show its best results.

Now that we have analysed everything related to the Compass’s safety, we move on to the general equipment, again reviewing first those elements that come as standard on a Compass. In this respect it starts from a favourable position, because there are only two trim levels, the Sport and Limited. Our unit was a Sport and it already comes with a good standard specification.

It does not miss features such as air conditioning, electric mirrors, a sound system with CD-MP3 player and audio controls on the steering wheel, stability control, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED rear lights, front fog lights, cruise control, among other items. In other words, we are already talking about standard equipment that is more than sufficient for what is normal in the segment.

There are hardly any notable extras. That said, features such as hill start assist or cruise control coming as standard is positive. The multimedia system available on the Limited trim is UConnect, but our unit had the basic radio, which performed its functions correctly. It is a pity it did not have greater connectivity (USB for example), but it did have hands-free and an AUX input.

Overall Assessment

The Jeep Compass has benefited considerably from the new design. It may or may not appeal, but it is now aesthetically much more modern than its predecessor. On the other hand, the car’s strong points are its engine and four-wheel drive system, because the engine responds forcefully to our commands and keeps consumption under control. Meanwhile, the four-wheel drive system and, in general, the Compass’s off-road behaviour live up to the brand whose name it bears.

On the other side of the balance we find some interior finishes, where too much plastic is used on some surfaces. During the test the fit and finish seemed correct, but the abundant plastic dulls the interior. That said, some best-selling reference models have similar materials in the interior and dashboards, which are not exactly noted for quality.

The Compass is a more personal car, for people who are looking for something different, who want an effective SUV off the asphalt, or simply an SUV that is different from what you normally see on the street.