2017 Jeep Compass Limited Review – Jeepness Distilled for Suburbia

I’m certainly an outcast among automotive journalists. So many in this line of work absolutely fetishize the Jeep brand. Mottos like “It’s A Jeep Thing, You Wouldn’t Understand” and “If You Can Read This, Roll Me Over” flow through reviews and tweets like a lifted CJ on thirty fives. I’ve never really seen the appeal. I’m a suburbanite to the bone and, as such, I’ve never had the need or desire to take a vehicle off-road.

My first experiences with Jeeps came as a service writer, where I’d drive a vehicle to try and better relay handling problems to the tech. Every Jeep I drove was a loose-steering, ill-handling pig. Of course, in that job I was always driving vehicles that needed work, but the pride of Toledo always seemed particularly nasty on the tarmac.

Jeep was listening, it seems, as it has begun offering a variety of car-based crossovers that are pavement rated. Take this 2017 Jeep Compass Limited — the big 19 inch alloys with low-profile tires make the intended path quite clear. Has the essence of Jeepness become eroded, or can this Compass point the way forward?

Let’s get the big stuff out of the way — it’s not built in Toledo. Indeed, the Compass is built on a platform shared with the Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade in Toluca, Mexico. I’m not here to debate NAFTA or anything like that — though I’m sure it will pop up in the comments — but the Buckeye in me weeps a bit when an iconic Ohio nameplate is built elsewhere.

As an avowed lover of all that is old-school, I’m thrilled that two-tone paint schemes are slowly making their way back into vogue. Sure, the Compass here has the black finish restrained to the pillars and roof rails, but it’s a compelling look. Forget the “floating roof” trend with a flash of black on a crossover’s D-pillar — from the profile view, the roof simply hides, and the bright upper window trim is most prominent.

Really, there are only a few ways to make a blocky crossover look different from every other blocky crossover out there, and Jeep nailed it. I might prefer the seven-slot grille trim be body colored (rather than roof colored) and that the sensors for the forward collision warning system be more centrally located, rather than offset to the passenger side of the lower grille, but overall this is an inoffensively styled commuter that will age much better than the first-generation Compass.

The interior works similarly well, with a single reservation. Since the driver sits relatively high and upright in the Compass, the HVAC controls are placed rather low on the console, which requires the eyes to stray too far from the windscreen to adjust. The 8.5-inch UConnect screen takes up so much real estate in the relatively narrow Compass cabin that the climate controls end up as an afterthought. I found that I was most comfortable setting the controls to automatic, usually setting the passenger temp seven degrees higher for my frigid wife, and leaving all else alone.

HVAC controls are available through the touchscreen, as well, but I’d rather not tap through menus to control the fan speed. A properly located knob is important.

That big UConnect screen controls one of the best infotainment systems I’ve ever encountered. Seven (certainly keyed to the iconic seven-slot grille!) quick links to preferred applications populate the bottom of the screen, and can easily be changed to the drivers’ most commonly used functions. All of the controls are thoughtfully laid out and simple to use.

The plastics used throughout are rather hard, giving a sense of cheapness that betrays the near-$35k sticker price for this upmarket trim. The leather seating surfaces, similarly, don’t match the asking price, though the contrasting copper-colored stitching is at least attractive. The seats themselves were surprisingly comfortable, with adjustable lumbar support relieving me after a long drive.

The beauty of the upright seating position is the legroom revealed in the second row. My growing kids had plenty of room in the rear, without errant knees pressing into my back. Thank also the relatively long 103.8-inch wheelbase within the short 173-inch overall length, which prioritizes both passenger space and short overhangs for off-road clearances.

I didn’t attempt driving this Compass Limited off the paved trails beyond this relatively flat grassy area near the river for my photos. I’ve no doubt it will perform well on maintained paths or nasty snow, but the combination of a low-hanging front air dam and the 19-inch wheels (with 235/45-19 tires!) means this road-focused trim will not be happy where the “proper” Jeeps (or even the Compass Trailhawk) go to play. On-road, I was pleased with how quietly and competently this Compass handled commuting. It’s soft and compliant, with few road imperfections making their way into the cabin with anything more than a muted thump.

It’s easy to avoid those potholes when not driving quickly, though, since the Compass isn’t exactly a speed demon. The 2.4-liter four-cylinder ekes out 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, which means acceleration is leisurely at best for this roughly 3,600-pound crossover. The nine-speed automatic doesn’t help, as it’s occasionally reluctant to kick down to a lower ratio when called upon for acceleration. At highway speeds, the transmission was fine — I never noticed any hunting between the four overdrive ratios when cruising — but getting up to speed isn’t as effortless as some competitors.

I’m finally warming to the idea of a Jeep as a daily driver. I still can’t see myself climbing into a Wrangler every day, especially as my knees and my rapidly greying beard remind me of my advancing years, but this Compass is a lovely compromise between everyday use and all-weather capability. For once, this is a Jeep thing I understand.

[Images: © 2018 Chris Tonn]