by Jonathan Shen

Created on: July 29, 2010   Last Updated: July 30, 2010

The 2010 Jeep Compass is built much like its slightly younger brother, the Jeep Patriot, but let us say that it does not have its sort of an…SUV-like “appeal.”  Like the Patriot, the Jeep Compass is considered a crossover SUV (one of Jeep’s very first crossovers to be produced for the US market) with a more unique car-like look; the Compass was built as a 2007 model, which sat on a Patriot chassis with a slanted rear end, however, the front end looked a lot like the Jeep Liberty.  You might say, “Wait a minute, then how come the Compass was not built based on the platform of the Jeep Liberty?”  Yes, that may be true, but I guess Jeep wanted to build a car that is a little bit…well, different than the others.

Depending on which model or trim you get on the Compass, options and features may vary.  Standard features on a base model include cloth seats, an AM/FM radio with single-disc CD player and auxiliary jack, and 17-inch alloy wheels.  The engine size would also vary on which Compass trim you would think of purchasing.  If you purchase a 4x2, a DOHC 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine has Variable-Valve Timing, which produces 158 horsepower at 6400 rpm, and 141 lb-ft. of torque at 5000 rpm.  If you get the 4x4, a bigger engine which has a 2.4-liter DOHC 172 horsepower is standard.  60/40 split rear seats are standard on all Compasses which can be very useful if you are thinking of hauling both precious cargo and one to two additional passengers besides the front passenger next to you.  All of the Compasses except for the top-of-the-line Latitude model come with ABS front-disc and rear-drum brakes.  The Latitude trim comes with 4-wheel discs for both the front and the rear.  You can also get the UConnect feature which is similar to Ford’s SYNC system for your Bluetooth phone and a USB port for your iPod or iPhone; an additional USB cable is required, though.

The Compass may not be rocket-ship like for a crossover SUV as far as performance goes, but both its 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter engines still have plenty of pep.  Since I am somewhat a really aggressive driver, I would rather take the 4x4, even though I do not go off-road that often.  The 4x2 with the 2.0-liter, however, does have better gas mileage of 23 miles per gallon in the city, and 27 miles per gallon on the highway with the automatic transmission.  The 4x4’s gas mileage does not have that much of a difference of 21 and 25.  As far as body roll and handling is concerned, the Compass does not really handle that badly, but braking was not really up to par in city driving. 

My first impression of the 2010 Jeep Compass was that it looked pretty much like an oversized lima bean on wheels, but once I got into the driver’s seat, it really was not that bad-looking of a car from the inside.  I still was not too impressed with all of the plastic on the dash and center console, but Chrysler was not really meant to be built on luxury terms like Acura, Lexus or BMW.    

For those who do not want to drive an SUV that gulps up gasoline like a horse (e.g. a Grand Cherokee or a Commander), the Compass is a great alternative if he or she wants the driving feel of a car, but still wants a little more space in the back.  I believe that it was great for Jeep’s part to come up with a car that offers the best of both worlds as far as gas mileage of a small car and cargo space of an SUV.

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