2012 Jeep Compass: Styling, performance, and economy on and off road

Posted Jan 19, 2012 By Brian Turner

EMC Lifestyle - The compact sport utility market (CUV) is very crowded these days driven by consumers looking to downsize from truck-based sport utilities and those moving up from traditional two-wheel drive vehicles. Jeep has never been a company to shy away from competition, especially in the four-wheel drive territory where they have been segment leaders for decades. The 2012 Jeep Compass is the second generation of a very popular CUV which was introduced in 2007.

Pricing for the Compass starts at a competitive $18,995 for the entry-level front-wheel drive version and goes up to $32,545 for a fully loaded Limited trim edition. My Jeep Compass North model courtesy of the good folks at Hinton Dodge Chrysler in Perth crosses the price line at $26,195. All prices are before destination fees, taxes, and any incentives. This well equipped model comes with the 2.4 L variable valve timed engine which puts out a respectable 172 hp. It's mated to Chrysler's second generation continuously variable automatic transmission to maximize fuel economy. Power to all four wheels is supplied by Jeep's Freedom Drive I system. The trail-rated Freedom Drive II is also available and brings with it a true low-range and hill-decent control for those who take the less travelled path.

The Compass North edition comes with power windows and locks, remote keyless entry, air-conditioning, cruise control, CD player, and driver's seat height adjustment just to name a few features. The first impressions that you get when taking to the road are the solid feel of the Compass and its quiet interior and smooth ride. The continually variable transmission (CVT) makes the most out of the engine's power and provides acceleration usually only found on V6 equipped competitors. Front and rear seats are wide and supportive and the rear passengers get recline adjustments. Rear cargo space is at the head of the class with almost 23 cubic feet with the rear seats in use, 53.6 cubic feet with those seats folded down and a whopping 62.7 cubic feet when the passenger front seat fold-flat option is exercised. All this makes the Compass a serious family hauler that can go up against many mid-sized cross-overs.

The 2012 Jeep Compass also boasts more than 30 safety and security features, including standard electronic stability program (ESC), electronic roll mitigation, Hill-start Assist (with manual transmission), side-curtain air bags for all rows and available front-seat-mounted side air bags. My North edition also adds four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes to the safety menu. All Compasses are backed by Jeep's 36 month/60,000km basic warranty and 60 month/100,000 km zero deductible power-train plan.

The Compass' North Edition's P215/60R15 tires are available from a very large selection of manufacturers ranging in price from $120-$250 each. A standard dealer oil change goes for around $40 and front brake pads and rotors are $85 and $123 respectively. An air filter will set you back $24. With regards to the current controversy regarding Canadian NRCan fuel economy ratings versus the U.S.'s EPA I'll quote both, with the U.S. readings adjusted for the imperial gallon. The EPA recently changed their testing processes and their ratings differ from NRCan's figures. NRCan rated my tester with the 2.4 L engine, CVT transmission, and four-wheel drive system at 9.9 L/100 km city and 7.7 L/100 km highway (29 mpg and 37 mpg). The EPA ratings are 25.2 mpg city and 31.2 mpg highway for the same equipment level. I've personally never found any problem obtaining NRCan ratings in a real world road-test but it does take some very conservative driving.

When you take initial purchase price, resale value, maintenance costs, and fuel economy into consideration, Jeep Compass is the clear winner in the CUV market while being fun to drive and boasting better than average styling. No wonder Hinton's sales manager Terri Hinton calls it the best value in a CUV. What more could you ask?

Yours in service,

Brian Turner