Jeep Compass 2024 Review | Goodwood Test

When Jeep suggested to us that we get outdoors and make the most of the Great British countryside that often goes so horribly unnoticed for much of our busy lives, we could hardly pass up the opportunity. So we took delivery of a Jeep Compass, one with a particularly garish Ordnance Survey wrap, to see what mischief we could get up to around the South Downs.

As part of this initiative between the two brands, Jeep and Ordnance Survey put together 100 ‘Off the Beaten Track’ locations for us, and others to explore, the perfect opportunity for us to see just how good the Compass would be off-road.

Before we get into the details of driving, a quick word for the design of the Compass. You can of course buy this car without the honestly rather troubling wrap that made our eyes go funny whenever we looked at it, which is just as well because underneath it there’s a well-proportioned and tidy-looking SUV.

From every angle, the shape is clean and simple, and supplemented with plenty of plastic cladding to give it the rugged look of an off-roader. The Jeep grille doesn’t sit as well on the front of the Compass as it does on the likes of the Wrangler, it’s been toned down quite substantially.

Overall the design of Compass is geared towards pleasing a more mainstream market, with safe lines that converge with the current market trend. It’s no bad thing really, fans of the Jeep brand have got more choice now than they’ve ever had.

Let’s start with the paved highway because that’s where we spent the most time with the Compass. Our model was the mild-hybrid variant, powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 130PS (96kW) and 240Nm (177lb ft) of torque. As powertrains go, this is far from the smoothest and doesn’t feel particularly encouraging when you ask for the full whack. A request for zippy acceleration out of a junction or onto a bust motorway is not answered with much vigour.

At a cruise, the Compass settles into a better rhythm as engine noise is kept reasonably well muffled, although the need to look further afield than perhaps you're used to does play on the mind as you consider a snappy lane change.

The seven-speed automatic transmission is a touch lax, there’s no immediacy to the changes, and it reminds us somewhat of a teenager who would rather do it tomorrow.

It’s clear that this car is aimed far more off the beaten path than many other mid-size SUVs it appears to share the market with. You certainly wouldn’t consider taking your VW Tiguan or Peugeot 3008 onto the kind of terrain you could chuck the Compass at with confidence.

We didn’t venture particularly deep into the wilderness, but the experience we did have of mixing it with the bush left us both impressed and intrigued. Our model was limited to front-wheel drive, but still felt assured tackling the unpaved sections of road we did come across. No doubt the all-wheel-drive PHEV would fill us with further confidence.

In terms of handling, the Compass does struggle to stand up to more competent rivals when it comes to cornering. Suspension that holds its own on rougher terrain feels soft and misguided on the road. While the chassis control is passable, it doesn’t offer up a whole load of feel that gives you confidence to push on.

An odd one that’s difficult to put your finger on. The interior of the Jeep Compass is a confusing mix of modern SUV comfort and classic Jeep ruggedness. We tested Limited spec, which is well kitted out with plush tech and materials around the dashboard, the doors and the centre console, but things change when you cast your eyes towards the underside, where there are easy-clean rubber floor mats and a smattering of scratchier plastics.

Much like the rest of the car, there’s clearly an attempt to compromise between family comfort and off-road capability, and while it looks a bit odd, the result is not a long shot from the best of both worlds.

The seats lack support, but the general feel of the cabin is of decent quality, touch points throughout are pleasant enough. Rear seat space is good for head and leg room, although the 438-litre boot feels like a pinch once you start trying to load up your shopping, pushchair and hiking boots.

Limited by name, limited by nature? This is positioned more towards the lower end of the Compass range, but standard spec does still include a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

There’s heated front seats and air-conditioning. Sat-nav is a paid option, as is the 360-degree camera and front and rear parking sensors. You do get adaptive cruise control and a reversing camera as standard.

The mild-hybrid system is fairly non-descript from behind the wheel, you don’t get a sense there’s much happening to liven up the throttle response, but mpg in the high forties from the 1.5-litre petrol engine is easily achieved to justify its inclusion.

Don’t seek excitement if you’re climbing behind the wheel of the Jeep Compass, it’s not set up to provide any. The engine is laboured and coupled to a lazy transmission, while the handling feels soft and without focus.

That said, there is plenty to appreciate, mostly when you consider it’s offering genuine family comfort while delivering accomplished off-roading that you simply won’t find anywhere else unless you look to spend an awful lot more. Fans of the Jeep brand will be happy with this, it does what it says on the tin.