Jeep is cutting the Cherokee from its lineup, but the Compass remains, getting a partial refresh in 2022 that brought welcome updates to tech and its interior. The 2023 model comes in several trim levels, including Sport, Latitude, Altitude, Trailhawk, Limited, and High Altitude. While the configurations range from basic to plush, the Compass crossover SUV comes standard with trail-ready all-wheel drive (AWD). The rugged Trailhawk model adds a 20:1 crawler gear.
The Compass followed its 2022 makeover with a new turbocharged 4-cylinder engine for 2023, bringing more power and torque. The revised 2023 model also offers automatic engine stop/start technology with lower emissions. New safety gear includes a driver monitoring system, a rear-seat reminder system, and a security alarm. The Latitude and higher versions get automatic high-beam headlights, while several other trims get new wheel designs.
Jeep’s off-road prowess helps the Compass stand out with four off-road driving modes and an additional rock mode for the Trailhawk trim. At the same time, the SUV benefits from the automaker’s Uconnect 5 infotainment system and more safety equipment for 2023. Despite the improvements, the Compass still lacks the robust advanced driver aids most of its rivals get as standard equipment.
Pricing for the 2023 Jeep Compass starts at $28,400, but getting the desirable features most buyers expect requires stepping up to the Latitude trim, which drives the price to $32,890. The top-of-the-line High Altitude trim starts at $39,625. Jeep adds a $1,595 destination charge to all 2023 Compass SUVs. Those numbers make the Compass more expensive than its chief rivals, and buyers still must shell out extra cash to cover additional safety equipment and interior upgrades.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
The Jeep Compass competes in the Small SUV market segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the JD Power 2023 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, 55 percent of new Small SUV buyers are female (vs. 39 percent for the industry), and the median age of a new Small SUV buyer is 56 years (vs. 56).
As part of the APEAL Study, owners rated the Small SUV segment in 10 primary categories. Listed below in descending order, you’ll find their preferences, from their most favorite thing about the vehicle to their least favorite:
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
In the sections that follow, our independent expert analyzes a Compass Trailhawk equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle’s price was $46,045, including the $1,595 destination charge.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
The Compass’ updated interior feels more premium and comfortable than previous-generation models. The front bucket seats are deep, nicely supportive, and well-padded, and there’s good bolstering to keep bodies in place during spirited off-road driving. Jeep equips the Trailhawk trim with leather upholstery as standard, and my test vehicle came with upgraded leather and red accent stitching. The upholstery feels expensive—and it is—requiring the multiple-thousand-dollar Elite Group option package.
A nicely shaped bench seat with ample space for two people enhances rear-seat comfort. Jeep advertises a 5-person seating capacity for the Compass, but the middle back seat is too firm and doesn’t have enough shape to be supportive or comfortable for longer drives. It also places a passenger slightly higher than the other two, so it’s not ideal for taller adults.
Rear-seat legroom measures 38.3 inches, and rear headroom checks in at 38.5 inches. That’s more legroom than the current Toyota RAV4 offers but less headroom, as the Toyota has about an inch more in the back row. It’s the same case compared to the Volkswagen Taos, likely a more direct competitor for many buyers.
The Compass isn’t a large SUV, and its ride height is not absurd by any means, but the Trailhawk’s lifted body may make it difficult for kids to climb in unassisted. It certainly made my dog uncomfortable jumping in and out of the cargo area. While it’s far from being as dramatic as the Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco, the Compass Trailhawk is tall enough to warrant a look before buying for everyday family use.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
As part of the Stellantis family, Jeep vehicles get the automaker’s Uconnect infotainment system. The Compass relies on Uconnect 5, which brings several useful upgrades over its predecessor. The latest system is a refinement of the already-great Uconnect 4 interface, offering fluid, responsive menus and easy navigation. It’s not short on features, but Uconnect organizes all functions in a sensible manner that makes them easy to find and use while driving. At the same time, components have clear labels, making the system less distracting to use from behind the steering wheel.
The Compass can interact with the Jeep app, which lets owners lock and unlock the SUV, start it remotely, and send navigation directions from a phone to the infotainment system. Uconnect also enables over-the-air updates, and the Trailhawk adds navigation with the available option package. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, along with SiriusXM satellite radio and Amazon Alexa.
Compared to other SUVs in the segment, the Compass has a leg up. Ford’s Sync system is a close rival, offering many of the same features and benefits. Honda’s infotainment, while much improved recently, is not on the same level, and the same is true for Toyota’s interface. Volkswagen did a good job with the Taos, and the Hyundai/Kia systems are simple and easy to use.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
The 2022 Compass came with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine making 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. Jeep paired it with a decent 9-speed automatic transmission, but the engine was underpowered for the compact SUV, making it feel sluggish and unprepared in many situations. The 2023 Compass picks up a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with a solid power bump to 200 hp and 221 pound-feet of torque. It mates to an 8-speed automatic transmission and has AWD.
The difference in power between the 2022 and 2023 Compass models is notable, but the almost 50-pound-foot increase in torque makes the difference, especially off-road. Compass owners now have enough torque to tackle challenging terrain, and the engine makes the SUV a far better companion for everyday driving. That’s particularly noticeable in town, where the Compass now feels more confident and energetic pulling into traffic and passing.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
Jeep equips quite a few advanced driver aids as standard, including blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning, hill-start assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, a driver monitoring system, a rear-seat reminder system, and a rearview camera. Higher trim levels add Active Driving Assist, hill-descent control, rear parking sensors, active parking assistance, traffic-sign recognition, a surround-view camera system, and adaptive cruise control.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
With the back seats upright, the Compass offers 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space, increasing to 59.8 cubic feet with the seat folded flat. Those are below-average numbers for the class, and there’s not a ton of small-item storage to make up for it. Vehicles like the Volkswagen Taos offer more space with the seats up and a notable increase with the bench folded, and larger options like the RAV4 far outdo the Compass.
The SUV’s rear hatch shape also cuts into space for taller items. This was especially notable with a large dog in tow, as his head met with the glass several times on a short ride. The manual liftgate is easy enough to use, but the hands-free power liftgate that comes in an option package makes things much easier with a handful of groceries or gear. The rear seats fold flat, making the space much larger, but the Trailhawk trim rides too high for some people to load heavier items in the back.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the 2023 Jeep Compass returns 24 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 27 mpg combined. Those figures are about average for the class, though the Compass doesn’t offer a hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain option. Jeep is working on an electric SUV and could bring its 4xe plug-in hybrid tech to the Compass in the future, but for now, it’s gas-only.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
As of this writing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has yet to rate the overall crashworthiness of the 2023 Jeep Compass. However, it gave the SUV the highest-possible 5 stars for side crash protection and 3 stars for rollover resistance.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the 2023 Jeep Compass Good in all crash tests, though the SUV’s headlights earned a range of scores, depending on the trim. The organization rated the Compass’ front crash-prevention systems Superior for vehicle-to-vehicle and Advanced for vehicle-to-pedestrian. Those scores were good enough for the SUV to earn a Top Safety Pick award for the 2022 calendar year, but it has not seen the business end of the Institute’s updated testing regimen, which went into effect in 2023. The new tests use more impact force in side crash testing, and the change knocked many previously awarded models out of contention in 2023.
Jeep charges $28,400 for an entry-level 2023 Compass, and the SUV tops out at $39,625. Those prices do not include the $1,575 destination charge. While not a complete wallet-buster on the low end, higher-end Compass SUVs get expensive quickly. Jeep charges extra for many features other automakers include, either by default or in higher trim levels.
In the JD Power 2023 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Buick Encore GX ranks highest in the Small SUV segment. The Kia Soul and the Ford Bronco Sport are the next highest-ranked models.
In the 2023 APEAL Study, the Mini Cooper Countryman ranks highest in the Small SUV segment. The Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Ford Bronco Sport rank second (in a tie).
Other competitors to the 2023 Compass include the Honda HR-V, Nissan Kicks, and Subaru Crosstrek.
Photo: Kevin Nguyen
The Jeep Compass brings a rugged attitude and real capability that many in its class do not. It’s legitimately a lifestyle vehicle that can take its occupants far off the beaten path and make it back without too much hassle. At the same time, it’s too expensive and lacks the usable space to make it a true worry-free family companion. Jeep asks buyers to pony up extra cash at almost every turn, and even the top trim requires option packages to get the good stuff.
Despite its new engine and off-road prowess, there are simply too many other great choices in the Jeep’s segment to call the Compass a winner. Since it straddles two classes, anything from the Kia Soul to the Toyota RAV4 could be a viable alternative, and the Jeep doesn’t bring enough to the table to justify the extra money over its rivals.
Chris Teague is an experienced writer in the automotive and technology fields. In addition to JDPower.com, his work appears at Forbes, The Drive, Your Test Driver, and others.
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