The Jeep Compass has scared the competition and after driving it for a few days, we can understand why
let us get some things out of the way at the very start. If you want a Sports Utility Vehicle in the Rs 13-16 lakh range, the Hyundai Creta still remains the better bet. If you want a lot of space and are spending around twenty-odd lakhs, then the Toyota Innova remains a no-brainer. Now, if you are buying something in between or specifically if you want a proper off-road vehicle, not just a pretend SUV, then frankly the Jeep Compass limited 4x4 is the only choice you have. Mahindra and Tata Motors have taken swipes at the Compass, because they correctly feel that their sales will crater unlike Hyundai who are confident that Creta sales will not (although the Creta could do with a price cut).
let me also get another thing out of the way at the very outset. No, I hardly took the Jeep off-road, although I did try out the “Mud” feature in the terrain response mode of the car for a short distance. That said, my friends who drove the car earlier praised its offroad performance. I’d also like to drive the automatic petrol variant because in a city with a short commute and for that occasional long drive, that will likely be the option one should buy. But that said, the biggest positive of the Jeep Compass is its superb build quality. This is definitely one of the better vehicles ever made in India. For that Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles India has to be complimented for still investing in a top-notch Indian factory despite years of slim pickings. I do thank Sergio Marchionne for this more than the turnaround of Scuderia Ferrari.
So the Compass I drove was the top-of-the-line limited 4x4 variant, which has an ex-showroom price of Rs 20.85 lakh, which for you are getting is decent value. Keep in mind, this is slightly bigger than a Creta and you’re getting a modern 4x4 system. The seats are comfortable, both in the front and on the second row and it has a load of usable space in the back despite the spare. You would suppose the angled C-pillar would reduce rear visibility but it doesn’t. So the Compass is large, by Indian standards, but doesn’t exude that bigness.
The only possible negative in my opinion in terms of fit and fitment is that there is no built-in navigation. There could be a decent reason for that. May be manufacturers are not opting for built-in navigation, given that the smartphone systems Android Auto and Apple CarPlay have much better updated navigation. The problem with Apple CarPlay in India is that Apple Maps aren’t as good as Google Maps in India (as any iPhone user can testify) and no car company has licensed Apple Maps as part of the CarPlay system.
When it comes to driving, the 170 PS two-litre diesel has one hell of a punch after 1,700-odd rpm as the turbo kicks in. By 2,000 rpm the car is rocketing. But if you buy the Compass, you will have to learn the power band, there isn’t that much juice lower down the range, so watch out for stalling. Also, irritatingly there is a six-speed manual gearbox. Now a six-speed gearbox is great in theory for improving fuel economy but in slow-speed city traffic and with that power band, you rarely get past fourth gear. So after a 150-odd km in pretty bad traffic conditions in the city with a bit of open road driving and limited offroading, the Compass’ internal computer had fuel economy at nine kilometres a litre. Not great but not too bad either.
And once you get the hang of gear changes, the Compass is fun to drive indeed. As for ride and handling, well, it is an SUV, so you wouldn’t throw it into a corner but the Compass is a very stable platform indeed and also one that smothers road conditions. This feels like a Patton tank in some respects, small but brutal.
The Compass surprised me, not just with some “Easter Eggs” — look for them if you see this car — the loch Ness monster and a Gecko are hidden in plain sight but also with its performance and price-value proposition. It remains to be seen how FCA India will address the persistent doubts of a proper service network and how the Compass will age. But somehow, the Compass left you with some confidence. And I’m looking forward to spending some more time with it later.