A decent compact SUV but
trails segment competitors

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(January 14, 2024) The Jeep Compass Trailhawk is a five-passenger four door compact crossover utility vehicle whose best asset is it's trail rated off-road, all-terrain capabilities compared to a class of excellent rivals, and comes standard with four-wheel-drive. If rugged off-roading is high on your list of "must haves" the Trailhawk is more than worthy of your strong consideration, but so is its same sized competitor the Ford Bronco Sport. However, most competitors in its class are excellent and better choices for on-pavement ride quality, comfort and modern features and design elements.

Both the Trailhawk and Bronco Sport come with standard four-wheel-drive, a wide selection of drive modes and modern infotainment systems with attractive and easy-to-use intuitive, large touch screens. Compass uses parent company Stellantis' Uconnect 5 infotainment system that's perhaps the best in the segment and used extensively throughout the company's product offerings.

Our test Jeep Compass was the range-topping Trailhawk with a starting price of $35,490 and like all five Compass trim levels, is powered by a 2.0 Liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that delivers 200-horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. It's paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive and a low "crawler" gear ratio and a Rock mode that defaults the Trailhawk to first gear and only the wheels that arrest a grip.

The Trailhawk is a tall vehicle with attractive lines albeit now past its freshness date and due for a needed styling redo, but in our off-road testing felt well-controlled, solidly capable, and worthy of kudos in confidently handling difficult terrain, rocky, boulder strewn and deeply rutted off-road trails with poise and assurance. Equipped with standard Select-Terrain drive mode system offering Snow, Sand and Mud settings and as previously mentioned a Rock setting.

There's also hill descent control and hill-start assist, a 1-inch lifted suspension, new for 2024 all-terrain tires, fuel tank and front suspension skid plates, off-road suspension, and performance anti-lock 4-wheel disc brakes. But even with the extra off-road gear and enhancements along with its "Trail rating" it isn't in the same class as its rugged Wrangler sibling and no more capable than say the Ford Bronco Sport or Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness we've tested.

On paved roads we found our Trailhawk more composed and agile than expected. There was some body lean on sharp cornering but overall comfortable, and predictable with on center steering, confident braking and good visibility. Acceleration is just ok, reaching 60 mph in 7.7seconds but we wished for a few more horsepower. We found the engine to be unpleasantly noisy and stressful under heavier acceleration and when passing. There's also ample amounts of suspension noise over any type of road surface which just adds to the cabin noise.

The Compass isn't the best choice for towing and trailering needs with a 2000 pound maximum when properly equipped. Still, it bests the Honda CR-V and Volkswagen Tiguan by 500-pounds.

Inside, the Trailhawk cabin is attractive with premium materials and good build quality. There's some evidence of cost cutting with bits of less than appealing hard plastic trim. The front seats are roomy but the rear is tight and cargo space behind the rear seats is among the smallest in its segment. But we're mindful that the basic underpinnings of the Compass originates back to its introduction in 2016 with little improvement or refinement since while its industry competitors have made significant improvements and advancements in that same time.

Overall, The Compass is an OK compact crossover utility vehicle with excellent off-road capabilities but it can't help but show its age lacking the modern and updated excellent competitors in its class. But if your primary driving is commuting to and from work, running errands and moving kids and some gear back and forth to school and the occasional road trip getaway, competitors like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 or Ford Bronco Sport outclasses the Compass.

VITAL STATS

Base Price: $35,490
Price as Tested: $40,660
Engine/Transmission: 200-horsepower 2.0-Liter turbocharged 4-cylinder paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive.
EPA Fuel Economy: 24/32/27 MPG - City/Highway/Combined
Seats: Five

Where Built: Toluca, Mexico

Competes With:
Chevrolet Equinox
Dodge Hornet
Ford Bronco Sport
Ford Escape
GMC Terrain
Honda CR-V
Mazda CX-50
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness
Toyota RAV4

Crash Test Safety Ratings: Overall "Good" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and 5-star side crash rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Likes:
Solid off-road capabilities
UConnect 5 infotainment system
Attractive interior

Dislikes:
Ready for a complete redesign
Limited cargo space
Trails most of its compact competitors