Overview & Reviews

Most people think of Jeeps as tough off-road vehicles that love to get muddy, but when the Jeep Compass debuted for 2007, it wasn't like other Jeeps. It didn't look rugged, it wasn't trail-rated, and as far as we could tell, it didn't even like dirt. Instead, it was a car-based design built for the majority of small-SUV buyers who wanted a fuel-efficient runabout that was easy to drive around suburbia. Four-wheel drive was available, of course, but it was a single-speed system -- enough to get you through a snowstorm and that's about it.

As you can imagine, Jeep purists didn't much care for the Compass, which they regarded as the antithesis of all things Jeep. The company evidently took this early criticism to heart, because the latest iteration has revised styling and newfound capabilities that edge the Compass closer to "real Jeep" status. Even so, the Jeep Compass faces stiff competition among today's compact, car-based SUVs. Its low base price and interesting features may be compelling at a glance, but for those who dig deeper, its subpar engines, modest cargo capacity and relatively crude driving dynamics will likely prove significant liabilities.

Current Jeep Compass
The Jeep Compass is a compact SUV offered in Sport, Latitude and Limited trim levels. Standard equipment on the base Sport includes alloy wheels, full power accessories, cruise control, air-conditioning and an auxiliary audio jack. Stepping up to the Latitude gets you heated front seats, a height-adjustable driver seat and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with auxiliary audio controls, while the Limited gets items like leather upholstery, a power driver seat, a 6.5-inch touchscreen, a rearview camera and automatic climate control. Notable options include a navigation system, Bluetooth and a USB port.

Every front-wheel-drive Jeep Compass Sport or Latitude model comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 158 horsepower. A 2.4-liter 172-hp four-cylinder engine is standard on the Limited and all four-wheel-drive Compasses. It is optional on the others. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the Sport, but a six-speed automatic transmission can be specified instead. The Latitude and Limited come standard with the six-speed automatic.

Of the two available four-wheel-drive options, the light-duty "Freedom Drive I" system operates in front-wheel-drive mode under normal conditions and automatically sends power to the rear wheels only when needed. The Freedom Drive II Off-Road package (available on 4WD versions) includes hill ascent/descent assist and a host of other all-terrain equipment, but unfortunately it requires the undesirable continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) -- which also comes standard with the optional Altitude and High Altitude packages.

In reviews, we've found the Jeep Compass to be one of the least appealing compact SUVs. At its core, the Compass still shares its underpinnings with the thankfully departed Dodge Caliber hatchback, and suffers from the same weak and noisy engines. Acceleration is slow regardless of which engine you opt for, though the six-speed automatic does improve on the CVT's whiny, sluggish operation. In terms of refinement (or lack thereof), the 2.4-liter is almost as rough and loud as the 2.0, and neither achieves impressive fuel economy.

To be fair, the Freedom Drive II package makes the Compass an unusually capable crossover in the dirt, but if that's what you're after, there are superior alternatives, including Jeep's own Cherokee. And aside from Freedom Drive II, there's little else to recommend the Compass over its peers. Rear passenger space is adequate overall, but legroom is tight back there relative to the norm, and the harsh, bouncy ride haunts both seating rows. Maximum cargo space behind the front seats also trails the pack.

Used Jeep Compass Models
Introduced for the 2007 model year, the Jeep Compass is in its first generation, but there have been significant changes made. From 2007-'10, the Compass featured different exterior styling that was less indicative of other Jeep models. It was rounder, a little more avant garde, and if we're honest, not very attractive. Prior to an interior overhaul for 2009 that addressed both design and materials quality, the cabin was one of the worst on the market. It was upgraded yet again for 2011, which was also the first year for the current car's more capable Freedom Drive II equipment and "baby Grand Cherokee" styling. The six-speed automatic debuted for 2014 as a considerably more civilized alternative to the CVT, though the underlying shortcomings of the engines were not addressed.

User Reviews:

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  Bad investment!! - 2017 Jeep Compass
  By Marsha p. - March 17 - 3:16 pm

  Noisy, I just bought the Jeep in November and the unconnected is already not working.. so pissed off. I did not know that a lot of people had the same problem. People even sued over defective product. Acceleration is horrible. The damn thing is so damn slow I feel like Im driving ms. Daisy. It kills the gas because you have to press the gas pedal so hard to take off.... old fashioned looking features.. technology sucks. Which I did more research before investing. Now I am stuck in a82 my loan which the dealer failed to explain...

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  Rain in Seattle! - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By Grammy - March 9 - 9:03 am

  I love my car. It was a gift from my family. There are more positive things about my car than negative however I have had serious water leaking in my car problems. Seattle get a lot of rain. This winter my entire floorboard has been flooded due to a leak from the roof rack. A week in the shop and now I have massive water leaking through the front light dome dripping on the gear panel. The dealership is working with me and willing to replace the carpet. Because I didnt buy the extended warranty, they would not give me a loaner and they want a good review in customer service! I have complained about squeaky brakes and the rust that build up on the tire rim. Their response is that is normal. Lemon law!

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  A Great Crossover - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By DWH - March 6 - 4:40 am

  I have had my Compass for two months and have 3,000 miles on it. So far the vehicle is everything that I expected. I enjoy the ride, handling, and the fuel economy. While some have said that it isnt a true Jeep it is to me. I knew when I bought it that it was designed for the road but how many of us truly run a Jeep off road.

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  First time Jeep owner - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By gil - March 3 - 9:36 pm

  Its nice to see an American car manufacturer doing what should have been standard in the industry 5 years ago. A smaller SUV with good fuel economy. Also a lifetime and I mean lifetime powertrain warranty. This vehicle rides better and drives better than my last SUV (Ford Explorer). You can tell its a Jeep by the extra safety features like ESP and anti-roll mitigation. Everyone that likes small SUVs should buy this model. Im 6ft and 340lbs and can put the front seats all the way to the rear and I can still sit in the rear seats with my knees barely rubbing the front seats. And I love the shoulder room.

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  The Unexexpected Buy - 2017 Jeep Compass
  By julianglewin@gmail.com - January 27 - 1:58 am

  I was shopping for a KIA Sorrento or the smaller version; the sitting is not comfortable, I pass by a Jeep Dealer, liked the shape and size of the vehicle and the seating was excellent; price comparable , big difference the doors are heavy, you feel secure. the KIAs , and other brands are not.

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  not good car - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By mike - January 9 - 8:33 pm

  This car always had some problem, I had to have a computer mod replaced twice the breaks went bad after 32k miles the front wheel bearing went bad the ball join, the control arm and the tie rods. This all went bad about a month after the car was out of warranty I would not buy another jeep product. I also have a wrangler that has had a bunch of problems.

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  Jeepy - 2012 Jeep Compass
  By Vehicle Salesman - January 1 - 3:41 am

  Not to bad for price, steering very tight , like a Nascar, to tight for me. Brakes ! mercy still cant get rid of the squeaking when backing up, they were replaced at like 10k , still have noises. believe the rotors get damp and rust over nite ( in garage) , if too early in morning , you need to put lite pressure on brakes as you back up, that helps muffle the squeaks. Problems we had seemed a bit early for miles, latest was the turn signal switch ( whole stick) , when you put left turn on , the interior lites blinked ( no warrranty) R&R stick $94.00 LR Hub Bearing (now warranty ) wear item ( ha ha , fast wear) we have 47740 miles on the vehicle. Bearing $243.00 one not all four. Hope the others spread time out a bit. Replaced original tires at 47140 miles also ( not too bad for factory tires) All in all not bad except for the Hub repair. I sold GMC/Chev/ Jeeps for over 40 years, first Jeep, might be the last. Oh, I called factory customer service , kinda waste time , didnt even ask for Vin Number. Good Luck