When Fiat took over Chrysler, one of the first things it did was to put Jeep on an expansion mode globally. From being an American brand with production confined to its home country, Jeep's SUVs are now being manufactured in plants located in Europe (Italy), Brazil and China. The South American country recently witnessed the start of production of the all-new Compass, Jeep's newest global C-segment challenger.
The Compass slots in between the Renegade and the Cherokee in the Jeep lineup and will replace not one but two existing models - the Compass and the Patriot. The outgoing twins might not be missed but there is so much to like in the all-new Compass.
On top of the list is it's spot-on styling and proportions. The Grand Cherokee, Jeep's flagship SUV, is universally loved for its design and the brand's designers were wise enough to borrow its cues when they penned the new Compass. The fascia, for instance, bears more than a passing resemblance with the cohesive arrangement of grille, headlights and bumper resembling the Grand Cherokee. The rest of the vehicle is as minimalist as it can get with a prominent shoulder line and an unique chrome window lining that outlines the top of the windows before flowing into the rear windshield. Like all Jeeps, the Compass boasts flared squarish wheel arches with minimal front and rear overhangs, just how we like our SUVs to be.
The off-road ready Trailhawk variant can be identified with bright red tow hooks, black alloy wheels and contrasting hood decal. Spec one in red and black as shown above and we bet you will turn heads whenever you take it on road, it's that hot!
Interiors appear to be a clear step up from the current Compass and is said to be made with premium materials to improve the overall quality. The dashboard is inspired by the Cherokee's and feature a 8.4-inch UConnect touchscreen infotainment system supported by 9 Beats speakers.
While the Brazilian Compass is powered by a 2.0-liter Tigershark Flex petrol engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 2.0-liter Multijet II diesel engine mated to a 9-speed automatic gearbox, 15 more engine and transmission combos would be added as the Compass goes on sale in different global markets.
India is reportedly one of the target markets for the new Compass and, honestly, we aren't surprised. Indians love their SUVs and, despite the initial sticker shock, we hear the first batch of Wranglers and Grand Cherokees launched recently are sold out. Things then are looking good for the new Compass and we can't wait to see how it fares here.
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