2020 Jeep CompassJil McIntosh When Jeep brought out the all-new Compass for 2017, it burdened it with the baggage of that old name. If you only knew the Compass as the plasticky little lump based off the Dodge Caliber, its now worth another look.For 2020, the Compass gets some updates, including new safety packages, ventilated front seats, and premium speakers on some levels, as well as a new exterior shade of red. I had the chance to take the Compass for a quick spin at an event earlier this year; pricing hasnt been announced for 2020, but the 2019 version starts at $25,900 before freight and taxes, or any discounts.Based on the same platform as the Cherokee and Renegade, the Compass carries a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine that makes 180 horsepower and 175 lb.-ft. of torque. The Sport and North trim levels come in front- or all-wheel drive, with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The Trailhawk and Limited come only in all-wheel-drive, and use a nine-speed automatic. That all-wheel system is called Jeep Active Drive, and powers the front wheels until driving conditions dictate the rear wheels should see some action as well. On the Trailhawk, it also includes a selectable low range that gives it a 20:1 crawl ratio, plus skid plates and more ground clearance. While I drove the Limited, Ive taken the Trailhawk on a couple of tough off-road courses and was surprised at how capable it is on the rough stuff. The Wrangler has nothing to worry about, but a Compass Trailhawk owner can still have some fun.At the Limited trim, its more about appearance and comfort. To that end, this top trim includes 18-inch wheels, an auto-dimming mirror, heated seats and steering wheel, and leather seats with perforated inserts. Standard items across all trim levels include a height-adjustable cargo floor, Uconnect infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a tire pressure monitoring system.The Compass is a fairly hefty little machine, and this little engine has to churn pretty hard when you want to get somewhere in a hurry. If you put your foot down for passing power, theres a bit of a lag waiting for the transmission come on board with the right gear, and the engines noisy as it accelerates. But it gets quiet and moves along well once its up to speed, and while the transmission does its best to get up into the fuel-saving higher gears as quickly as possible, its fairly smooth as it shifts. The ride is comfortable and the cabin is quiet, and steering and handling are about average for the segment theres a little bit of lean around very sharp corners, but its fine for the daily commute. While the Limiteds all-wheel-drive system determines when to shift power to all four wheels, you can dial in settings to optimize it for snow, sand, or mud the Trailhawk adds a choice for rock. Theres also a 4WD Lock button that keeps the system engaged at low speeds for extra traction when youre pulling out of snow or mud.The Compass is handsomely styled inside, and with simple controls for the climate settings albeit without a lot of small-item storage to stash your phone or other everyday-carry items. As far as simplicity goes, all infotainment systems should be as good as FCAs Uconnect, with its intuitive icons and menus. But the Compass is still a small vehicle, and while legroom isnt that bad given the footprint, its also narrow and so there isnt a great deal of elbow room. But theres a decent among of cargo space, especially when the 60/40 rear seats are folded, and the multi-level cargo floor gives you the option of extra cargo height or setting it higher to hide valuables under it.I expect pricing to remain fairly constant to the 2019 models, and if so, youll probably find that the higher Compass trim levels seem a bit much for what you get. On the plus side, its nicely sized for tight city spots, and its got Jeep know-how for its all-wheel system. Its far from perfect, but its certainly worth a look in the
Origin: Quick Spin: 2020 Jeep Compass