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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  Loving it! - 2010 Jeep Compass
  By Marine_Wife - July 8 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love this vehicle. Its comfortable to drive, and i have plenty of room for my toddlers seat in the back. The back seats are adjustable, so my husband was able to get her seat in super snug. I love the gas mileage with this. I live by the beach, so a 4x4 wasnt necessary. Just a great car for the price. The metallic paint is just gorgeous, too.

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  Love My Compass! - 2012 Jeep Compass
  By polarbare49 - June 29 - 12:31 pm

  After doing 4 months of extensive research on various small SUVs, the Compass Lattitude 4x4 proved to be the best value for my dollar. Love the new baby Grand Cherokee design. Decent gas mileage with surprisingly more power than I was lead to believe from reading the expert reviews. Handles like a car but still has the solid build of a Jeep SUV. All in all, IMHO, beats the Rav4,

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  Urban CUV - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By UrbanGuy - June 26 - 1:23 am

  Sport 4x4 26E pkg. Tough American look in a sea of foo foo Asian lookalikes. Simple and easy to clean interior with just the right amount of functions. Lots of get up and go, steep hills and merging on highway no sweat. 511" and I have room to stretch in all seats. Snow & ice are no challenge and ABS stops jeep straight and true on ice. 2,500 miles and no problems.

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  Stalls out - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By virgin island - April 26 - 9:40 am

  Is a fairly comfortable ride, somewhat fun, but stalls out in the morning hours. Currently have a computer installed on the car to try to find the problem. Im hoping my family does not get hurt in a car accident, cause by the car stalling out. Might have to sue the dealer and Chrysler.

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  Excellent car!! - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By amairs - March 22 - 1:50 am

  I love this car! I havent had it long, but it handled beautifully through the 16.5 inches of snow we got. I feel very safe having my 1 year old son in it. It is so comfortable, and the space is just perfect. It is a smaller SUV- not meant for hauling big loads, so the trunk isnt what youd find in a large SUV. I havent had any problems, and get very decent gas mileage.

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  Disappointed - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By Kelly - March 20 - 6:03 am

  I bought this car after a Liberty because I was trying to save on gas. Saved there lost elsewhere. I am 510 and this car is NOT for tall people. The roof is not like other cars and when I pull up to stop lights (on the white line) I have to duck my head to see what color the light is. I do like how it whips around corners and handles great. However, after having this car for a week, I am in the process of returning it. I wish the roof was better and didnt have the extra material by the windshield. Jeep struck out with this one for tall people.

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  Please Dont Buy! - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By Sharb22 - March 4 - 8:23 pm

  I traded my Jeep Liberty for Compass with 123 miles. Loved it at first, disappointed with mileage (av 21 mpg) because that was one of the salesmans biggest selling points, but it was better than old Jeep so I was happy. I didnt start putting a lot of miles on it until the second year (80 miles/day commute) and things then began going wrong. Have replaced R inner tie rod at 42,000 and now am replacing R and L ball joint at 59,000. Very expensive repairs. Ive no kids and interior still isnt holding up well. Plastic parts break easily and fabric seats stain and dont come clean. Will never, ever buy another Jeep or use Chrysler Financing.

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  Always in the shop. - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By Megan - March 4 - 4:16 pm

  I had my Compass for a little over 2 years. Those years, I had my car in the shop more than it was on the road. The entire front end broke, I had to replace the control arms three times, the wheel pulled to the left no matter how many times I got alignments or my steering checked, the glue holding in the headlights gave out and I replaced the drivers side headlight twice, plus the fuel economy sucked. I filled up about every two days. The material of the seats were of poor quality and got easily stained. In my opinion, I found the backseats comfortable. My Compass was recently totaled due to hitting a deer. Sadly, I was not going fast, under 10, and it it pushed everything under the hood back and caused major damage. As far as I am concerned, I will never buy another Compass and am leery of Jeeps in general now.

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  BUYER BEWARE! RUN AWAY - 2007 Jeep Compass
  By Natalie - February 28 - 9:39 am

  This Jeep is horrible! i originally wanted a jeep wrangler but settled for the compass because i read it had good mpg, bought used with only 15k couple months in and had front end issues, have replaced front rotors,front and rear brakes, new tires .. has had multiple alignments, three months ago needed new ETC system ! Im at 87k and now the alternator gave out today! something rattles when i hit any bump and slips even with a little bit of rain or snow on ground ,

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  Great Jeep - 2008 Jeep Compass
  By daclasn - February 3 - 5:16 pm

  We have put almost 4K miles on our Compass and love it! This is my 2nd Jeep, previously had a Grand Cherokee. This jeep is perfect for what we use it for. Seats are comfortable, the ride is good and power is acceptable with the manual tranny. I have grown to love the looks of the Jeep. The build quality appears to be very good as well. The reviewers are way off on this vehicle. I would recommend it to anyone!