If you are shopping for a new Jeep and find the Renegade too small and the Cherokee or Grand Cherokee too big, and you don’t need a Wrangler or a Gladiator either, then you have but one option.
It’s the Compass, the American automaker’s compact SUV that goes against the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester, and looks quite good, with styling influences coming from the Grand Cherokee. With a $22,095 MSRP, it’s also competitively priced. However, go for the Limited or High Altitude, spec it with a few options and you’ll see the price climb to almost $40,000.
Also Watch: New 2017 Jeep Compass Is Fun To Drive But It’s Not Flawless
Unfortunately, it’s all downhill from here on for the 2019 Compass, at least according to CNET’s Roadshow review that points out quite a few downsides.
For starters, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, which puts out 180 HP and 175 lb-ft (237 Nm) of torque, makes it feel very slow, and the sluggish nine-speed automatic transmission doesn’t help its cause. You could compromise and choose the 6-speed manual instead, but you’ll still have to take a second, third and perhaps fourth look at the upcoming traffic before overtaking the vehicle in front.
With an underpowered engine under the hood and 9 speeds for highway cruising, you may think that you won’t have to stop for gas that often; however, that’s not the case. The EPA has rated the Compass’ average fuel economy at 25 mpg (9.4 l/100 km) combined, and in the real world, you’re looking at 23 mpg (10.2 l/100 km).
Unless you go for the Trailhawk variant, which comes at just under $30,000 before destination, you won’t be able to do any serious rock-climbing either. Ultimately, though, compact SUVs spend practically all of their life on tarmac, so what you really want is good on-road performance. Sadly for Jeep, this reviewer points out that there are better choices out there if you’re shopping for a compact SUV.