Compass Takes Jeep in Unexpected Direction on Compact SUVs

Point a Jeep towards the backwoods and it leaps at another opportunity to traverse boulders, woods, canyons, streams or whatever else among Mother Nature s wonders there may be in your path. Unless your Jeep is a Compass, that is. It is tempting to say the Compass is a JINO Jeep In Name Only because it is really a car-based crossover, not an off-road-capable SUV. The Compass shares with its Dodge Caliber stable-mate the same essential Dodge Neon underpinnings, including a four-cylinder engine. Being a compact crossover/SUV, the Compass is intended by Daimler-Chrysler executives as a rival for such existing entries as the Ford Escape, Hyundai Tuscon and Toyota RAV4. My Compass Limited 4X4 tester was a pleasant enough around-town tooler, thanks mainly to front seats that are quite comfortable. The Compass looks good, too, with a clearly identifiable Jeep front end, but a more contemporary overall shape. But there are some big buts, starting with the powertrain. The 172 horsepower 2.4 liter four-cylinder is willing enough but it has to pull too much weight and do it through a power-sapping Continuously Variable Transmission. I ve never liked CVTs and this one did nothing to change that view. Even with the AutoStick option, the CVT reminds me of a slipping clutch. Moving the 3,300+ pound Compass from zero to 60 mph requires 10.45 seconds and the nagging feeling that the Compass just doesn t quite want to join in the driving fun never really goes away. Turbocharging another 30-50 ponies is clearly called for with the Compass. A second “but” concerns the interior. I like the seats and the overall layout of the passenger cabin is appealing and practical, though cargo space seems slightly less than you get with other compact SUV. The problem here, though, is the Compass interior looks a little cheap, thanks to excessive use of hard plastics. Jeep execs say they hope to attract non-Jeep enthusiasts with the Compass. This interior needs a rethinking if legions of non-traditional Jeep buyers are going to take the Compass seriously. Having said all these negative things, let me hasten to add that I will not be surprised if Jeep still sells a good many Compasses. Through the end of November 2006, nearly 14,000 folks had bought a Compass, motivated I suspect by the exterior looks, comfortable seats and reasonable pricing. Jeep Compass Cars Car reviews