For decades, Jeep has enjoyed an iconic status as one of only two brands in the world entirely dedicated to producing serious off-road vehicles. Other brands’ SUVs are often engineered primary for on-road use; Jeep’s image has been heavily based on producing the real thing. Problem is, most people who buy SUVs don’t take them off-road, so Jeep vehicles end up over-engineered for how they are used by most owners. As a result, they are less fuel efficient and less suitable for on-road use than they might otherwise be.

This hasn’t been a recent development. Chrysler (more recently DaimlerChrysler), which owns Jeep, long resisted the urge to badge anything that couldn’t handle serious off-road duty as a Jeep. But, as the demand for “softroaders” grew and that for conventional SUVs declined, they decided that they could hold back no longer. So, for the 2007 model year, we get not one but two front-drive-based Jeeps. The second, called the Patriot, will be capable of some off-road use. The first, called the Compass, shouldn’t be taken off the road at all.

Essentially, DaimlerChrysler is gambling with Jeep’s image in an attempt to expand it’s appeal. Is this bet worth the risk? Is it likely to pay off? The Compass recently arrived at dealers. I took one for a spin to find out.

Styling

The exterior styling of the Compass provides proof that companies have a hard time learning from others’ mistakes. Though its front end is unmistakably that of a Jeep, the Compass shares a profile and basic theme with the widely reviled Pontiac Aztek. Think box on wheels with various corners sliced off. Such a design is meant to offend the eye, defying conventions in a bid to appear cool at the risk of appearing ugly. Or maybe Jeep did learn from Pontiac's design catastrophe: I’ve long felt that if the Aztek had been introduced without the unpainted body cladding and small wheels that cursed it during its first year, it would have sold much better. And the Compass comes with reasonably large wheels and no cladding. Still, I fail to find it attractive in any sense of the term. It’s not one of those “so ugly it’s cute” things. Just ugly. The Patriot, styled to look like a smaller version of the Commander, itself styled to look like the classic Jeep Cherokee, faces no such aesthetic challenge.

Inside it’s much more obvious that the Compass shares a platform with the Dodge Caliber. As in the Dodge, hard plastics and straight edges abound. The whole looks and feels extremely cheap. For the past decade every manufacturer has talked about how much interiors need to improve to stay competitive. And Chrysler gives us this? You won’t find a cheaper interior in any currently sold vehicle that I’m aware of. The cargo area floor is a remarkably flimsy sheet of plastic. The standard cloth isn’t rich, but at least looks and feels rugged. The untextured optional leather looks like cheap vinyl.

Accommodations

As in an increasing number of compact vehicles, you sit higher in the Compass than in a regular car. Like the Caliber, but even more so, the new Jeep is a butch riff on the Pontiac Vibe / Toyota Matrix concept. But this high seating position does not translate into excellent visibility because the pillars are so thick. The A-pillar is capable of blocking oncoming cars in a turn, which took a serious toll on my confidence while behind the wheel.
The front seats are fairly comfortable, and provide adequate support in turns. The rugged cloth of the car I drove helped here.

The seats are mounted a couple inches higher in the Compass than in the Caliber. Benefits include more thigh support in the rear seat and two to three inches more total legroom. While the rear seat in the Caliber is too low for comfort and just adequate in terms of roominess, that in the Compass is a decent place to spend some time. The cushion and seatback could be better contoured for support and comfort, but this is true of nearly every hatchback and compact SUV.

Cargo capacity is also a bit better than in the Caliber, probably thanks to the less swoopy roofline. This brings the Compass about even with the Vibe and Matrix. As I mentioned earlier, the hard plastic floor in the Compass looks and feels cheap. One plus: the front passenger seat in most Compasses folds to further extend the cargo area.

The interior is not without some creative details. The optional Boston Acoustics sound system includes a pair of speakers mounted to the tailgate. When the tailgate is open, these can be swiveled down to aim rearward. Should be great for outdoor parties. A removable flashlight snaps into the ceiling in the cargo area. I do wonder how much it will cost to replace when it inevitably gets misplaced.

On the Road

The Compass has as standard equipment the most powerful of the three four-cylinder engines offered in the Caliber, a 2.4-liter supposedly good for 172 horsepower. I say "supposedly" because the engine felt wheezy and anemic throughout my test drive. Even with the aid of the CVT it struggled to move the roughly 3,250 pound curb weight of the all-wheel-drive model I drove. Sure, Jeeps aren't necessarily quick, but their engines should sound tough and rugged, not buzzy and wheezy like this four. The five-speed manual might yield quicker acceleration, and will at least eliminate the disconnected feel that affects pretty much every CVT. I'm often okay with CVTs in cars, but in a Jeep? Not in this case, and maybe not in any case.

Steering is another weak area. The Compass I drove suffered from an unusual amount of play in the steering wheel on-center. Even once through this play, steering feel ranges from barely there to not there at all. Lean in turns is moderate, but nothing about the Compass suggests that it wants to be driven quickly along a curvy road. My attempt in this area was ultimately blunted by huge A-pillars that block entire oncoming vehicles in turns. All in all, the most car-like Jeep ever handles more like an SUV than a car.

Ride quality is perhaps the most car-like aspect of the vehicle. Noise levels are low around town and moderate on the highway. The suspension handles most road imperfections with little fuss. But the ride in the average compact car is smoother still, with less SUV-like busyness over heavily patched roads.

Safety

If the sloppy handling and large pillars get you into trouble, an impressive array of standard safety features for the price range should minimize the risk of injury. These features include stability control and side curtain airbags, both of which are linked to a rollover sensor.

Jeep Compass Price Comparisons and Pricing

Even after adjusting for the additional features standard on the Compass, the Caliber is about $1,500 less.

Comparing similarly loaded versions of the Compass and Hyundai Tuscon, the Korean SUV is only a couple hundred more before rebates. The Tucson currently has a $1,000 rebate, making it significantly less expensive, but it's also a model year older.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.) TrueDelta's page for the Compass:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/Compass.php

Last Words

Jeep's first softroader proves disappointing in many ways, including an ugly exterior, cheap interior, wheezy engine, and sloppy steering. The main thing going for it is the low price. But the price of the related Dodge Caliber is lower still. The Jeep has a somewhat roomier interior and a more comfortable rear seat, but the Dodge looks and handles better. In the end, I cannot help thinking that if Jeep was going to risk its authenticity to expand its appeal, then the resulting product ought to have been much better than this one.

A note on Jeep Compass Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a Compass rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Jeep Compass reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the Compass--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. For non-participants, this access will cost $24.95.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

My reviews of related vehicles:
Dodge Caliber review
Jeep Liberty review
Pontiac Aztek review
Toyota Matrix review