2021 Jeep Compass

From the outside, the 2021 compass is bold and attractive, and the range-topping Trialhawk gets some chrome accents, making it look like a beefy SUV. The interior gets comfortable seating across all rows and offers black plastic coupled with synthetic leather. However, the panoramic sunroof limits the headroom for taller peeps. Jeep hasn't made any improvements in the sluggish 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, while the available six-speed and nine-speed automatic transmission systems are smooth and always hit the right gear. The Compass rivals Subaru Crosstrek, Hyundai Tucson, and Toyota RAV4. 

The 2021 Jeep Compass crossover is offered in four trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk. The new Compass also adds Altitude and Latitude's 80th Anniversary Edition version, adding some special features and cosmetic changes. All the Compass trim levels are powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. Excluding the Trailhawk that comes with standard AWD, all trims come with front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission on FWD models and AWD models get attached to a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Which Trim should you buy?

We would suggest buyers to buy the Limited trim from the Compass's trim lineup. The trim offers more for its price that has been kept at $29,560. The Limited offers upgraded infotainment along with an array of safety features like Blind-spot monitoring, Rear cross-traffic alert, Adaptive cruise control, Forward collision warning with automatic braking, and Lane-keeping assist.

The 2021 Jeep Compass comes powered by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine developing 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. The engine has proved its valor on several occasions, and we can say that it has more potential than it seems. Front-wheel drive is standard on all trims except the Trailhawk that comes with an all-wheel drive as standard. 

The FWD configured models use 6-speed automatic transmission, while the AWD configured models use a 9-speed automatic transmission. Every Compass is available with an engine stop/restart functionality that helps in saving some fuel while halting the vehicle. The SUV reaches the 60 mph mark in 8.7 seconds and completes the quarter-mile in 16.7 seconds. 

The Compass sprints from 0-60 mph in 8.7 seconds, which doesn't seem to be that quick. Meanwhile, the Toyota RAV4 is engaging and offers quick acceleration. You'll enjoy the Subaru Forester when it comes to handling and basic operations. The Jeep Compass manages to retain its old-school aesthetic appeal and bring out a decent performance, although the rivals are more agile in the performance department.

How well does the 2021 Jeep Compass handle?

The transmissions available across the Compass models remain responsive and smooth. Driving the Crossover is a delight in the city due to its compact form factor. It looks robust and performs accordingly as per the terrain. There is no shortage of power or torque in any situation. However, if you think of putting the pedal down on the acceleration, things won't go as expected as this SUV is not made for that. However, one can expect slight off-roading from this Jeep.

2021 Jeep Compass Braking Performance

The 2021 Compass comes with disc brake rotors enabled with ABS. Tere's an optional Brake Assist for the Compass as well. Unfortunately, the Jeep Compass lacks emergency braking. The braking performance is pretty responsive and accurate. The pedal is light and offers great feedback while hard braking. The front wheels comprise 11.5-inch steel rotors and the rear gets 10.3-inch rotors. Due to the small footprint, the rotors might seem smaller but offer generous stopping behavior.

The Compass is lighter than the RAV4, thus we can expect a decent stopping power when compared to the heavier rivals. The RAV4 is the heaviest in the group and comes with 12 inches front brake rotors and 11.1 inches rear brake rotors. The Tucson and Forester offer a similar braking distance of 118 feet. 

The Crossover's 2.4L engine is surprisingly fuel-efficient and manages to return 22 MPG in the city, 30 MPG on the highway, and 25 MPG combined. The fuel tank comes with a capacity of 13.5 gallons, getting a decent drive range of 337 miles combined. Compared to most of the other cars in the segment, the Compass is short on the fuel tank capacity. 

We would have loved to see some good fuel economy from the Jeep Compass, but the crossover manages to keep a balance between the performance and mileage. Since the fuel tank offered with the Compass is just 13.5 seconds, we can see it taking a toll on the driving range. In the city, the Compass offers a range of only 297 miles, while rivals like the RAV4 and Tucson can travel more than 350 miles in the city.

Despite having a compact design, the Jeep Compass offers a spacious cabin. You'll find an ample amount of elegance and comfort inside the Compass, still better than some promising high-end SUVs. The dashboard design looks large enough with enough controls and touchscreen but still reflects the retro appeal. The buttons are plain throughout the center console, but the quality has not been compromised. 

All the rows offer comfortable seating. The front seats get an electronically adjustable function with memory settings. The legroom and headroom are just sufficient for any tall passenger as well. With a slidable center armrest, the comfort in the front row is just impressive. The SUV offers 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space, making it the least spacious in the competition. 

Comparatively, the Forester offers the most spacious cabin in all rows. The Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson offer identical interior designs. Though making a smaller footprint, the Jeep Compass is not cramped and offers decent space inside. Although the trunk space is a bit cramped on the Compass, the rivals offer better cargo room. With 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space, the RAV4 offers a spacious trunk in the segment. The notable interior features of the 2021 Compass include:

• 7-inch Digital Driver Display
• Climate Control with Interior Air Filtration
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Multifunction Steering Wheel with Tilt And Telescopic adjustment
• Bucket Front Seats with heating
• Premium Cloth or Leather upholstery
• 8 -Way Power Adjustable Driver Seat with Height Adjustment and Power Lumbar adjustment
• 6 -Way Manual Passenger Seat Adjustment with Height Adjustment
• Split-Folding Rear Seatback with Fold Flat capability

What’s there to keep you entertained?

Uconnect 4 is known as one of the best infotainment systems in the market. The infotainment system comprises an 8.4-inch touchscreen. The user interface is good and responsive. The graphics offer great contrast and colors. Smartphone integration can be done via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Some of the notable infotainment features are:

• Bluetooth
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• 6-speaker audio system
• 4G WiFi hotspot
• 6-month subscription to SiriusXM satellite radio

Jeep has adopted a unified design layout for the Compass. Keeping a compact footprint, the 2021 Compass looks identical to its bigger sibling Renegade. The front fascia houses Jeep's signature seven-slot grille that makes it bold and distinctive. The entire chassis gets off-road and rugged treatment. The LED headlights are bright and well-rounded like previous models. 

As you move to the higher trim levels, the Limited and Trailhawk offer a good amount of design updates and accessories. The front gets Bi-Xenon HID headlamps accompanied by a dual-tone paint scheme. There's also a roof rail offered on these trims. As you move from base to higher trims, you get bigger wheel sizes. The Limited and Altitude trims come with 18-inch wheels. The special 80th-anniversary Latitude trim comes with exclusive 19-inch wheels. 

On the rear, the Compact SUV gets smart with 8.5-inches ground clearance. Compared to the rivals, the Compass is quite weighted, and this works in its favor most of the time. The SUV gets a slightly shorter wheelbase keeping its small footprint in mind. Hyundai Tucson is the highest option along with having the least ground clearance in the competition. The exterior features of the 2021 Jeep Compass include:

• Fully galvanized steel chassis material
• Bi-Xenon HID Headlamps With LED Signature
• Bodyside cladding
• Heated door mirrors
• LED Taillamps
• Rain-Sensitive Intermittent Windshield Wipers
• Gloss Black Accents
• Rock Rails by Mopar 
• Dual Tone Color palettes
• Power liftgate
• Rear lip spoiler
• Windshield Wiper De-Icer

The 2021 Jeep Compass managed to score a "Good" safety rating in all six crash tests conducted by the IIHS. The standard headlight failed to reflect satisfactory results and received a Poor rating. In the NHTSA crash tests, the Compass scored four out of five stars. The SUV scored five stars in the side crash test, four stars in the front impact test, and three stars in a rollover. The crash test results are subpar, and we expect the ratings to improve in the upcoming Compass models. Some of the standout safety features of the Jeep Compass are:

• Driveline Traction Control System
• Anti-whiplash front head restraints
• Forward Collision Warning-Plus forward-collision mitigation
• Cornering Lights
• Passenger Airbag Occupant Sensing Deactivation
• Remote Anti-Theft Alarm System
• Auto Delay Off Headlamps with Dusk Sensing
• Blind Spot And Lane Departure Warnings Accident Avoidance System
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System

2021 Jeep Compass vs. 2021 Toyota RAV4

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 is heavily optimized in terms of power and performance. The RAV4 offers a value for money proposition compared to the Compass. More than the design and exterior elements, the RAV4's mileage is impressive. Being a Toyota, there's less to question the reliability of the RAV4. Jeep needs to work on some major issues with the Compass that would make it safer for passengers and increase the reliability of the crossover. 

2021 Jeep Compass vs. 2021 Hyundai Tucson

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson is quite reliable and safer compared to the Jeep Compass. The Tucson is easy to handle in the city and comes feature-packed across its trim levels. Hyundai also offers the best-in-class warranty cover with the Tucson. With the available trim options for the Jeep Compass, buyers get much more freedom to customize the crossover, while Tucson has some limitations on this part. In Tucson, you will explore features on the higher trims, and the base trim is just not sufficient enough to get through the buyer's buying decision. 

2021 Jeep Compass vs. 2021 Subaru Forester

The 2021 Subaru Forester is a punchy SUV with a boxer 4 cylinder engine. The ride and handling of the Forster give the Compass a tough competition. It is spacious from the inside and offers best-in-class MPG figures. The Jeep offers a more bold road presence, rugged design, and comfortable cabin. Also, the pricing of the Jeep Compass is dearer compared to the Forester. 

The 2021 Jeep Compass has significantly improved from its previous models. In terms of infotainment and safety aid, the Compass has made a good leap. In terms of looks, the 2021 Compass looks rugged and well-designed. You can expect some off-roading with this compact SUV. With attractive pricing and trim levels, the 2021 Jeep Compass places itself competitively among the other prominent cars in the segment.