2007 Jeep Compass Review

The Jeep Compass was first rolled out in 2007. It is built on a front-wheel-drive, car-based platform (called the GS, a modified version of a platform that supports the Mitsubishi Lancer) and Compass comes with a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Emphasis during development of the Compass engine was on fuel mileage; even carrying 3326 pounds, the Compass 4WD with a five-speed manual transmission delivers 25 city and 29 highway miles per gallon.  The safety, ride and handling of the 2007 Compass are all excellent, with a strong steel structure and well-planned subframe. Side-curtain airbags and electronic stability control with anti-rollover sensors are standard.

Powering the Compass

The Jeep Compass uses DaimlerChrysler's 2.4-liter, four-cylinder World Engine, developed jointly for 21st century efficiency with Mitsubishi and Hyundai. It's a solid, sophisticated, 16-valve engine, quieter and stronger than a four-banger was believed capable of being, 10 years ago. It features electronic variable valve timing that continually changes the torque curve, bringing more versatility to the 165 peak pound-feet of torque, and more capability to the 172 peak horsepower.

Inside the '07 Jeep Compass

Inside, there's good interior space all around, with rear seats that fold flat to make about 54 cubic feet of cargo space. The front bucket seats are very comfortable without being soft. The cloth seats that come in the Sport use a rugged fabric that's smooth and stain repellant. The front seat jacks upward, which is nice because the long dash makes it hard to see the ground in front of the car, even though the hood is short. The cabin layout is functional and roomy. The gauges are clean and pleasant, white on black with a symmetrical layout against a simple silver background. The four-spoke steering wheel is solid to grip. The center stack is wide and intelligent: rectangular vents on top, over the one-disc AM/FM/CD, over a slot that might hold a paperback book. Below that are three climate control knobs, some buttons and then the shift lever at the driver's right knee. Both the automatic and manual transaxle levers are mounted in this practical high forward position, introduced by Honda after being copied from rally racing cars, where ergonomics matter. Moving rearward between the front seats, there are two fixed cupholders, the emergency brake handle, and a flip-up center console containing a slot for a cellphone or MP3 player. The console top is an armrest, and can be slid three inches to accommodate drivers of different sizes. Legroom is good, both front and rear. Grab handles make it easy to climb out. The rear 60/40 seats fold flat with the touch of a finger on each side, as easy as it gets. The front seat on the Limited model folds flat, making a table. The rear cargo area, a decent 53.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, is covered by a rugged vinyl mat that's removable for washing. The space-saver spare tire is neatly stored under the mat. One innovative feature on the Limited is the removable rechargable LED flashlight mounted in the headliner above the cargo area. The one-piece liftgate has panels for structural integrity, and the rear bumper has a non-skid rubber surface for stepping onto.

Jeep Compass Design

The styling is similar but sleeker than Jeep's other small SUV, the Liberty, which uses a six-cylinder engine. The Compass in some ways looks very similar to the Liberty because the styling is so similar, especially in front with the classic Jeep grille having seven vertical slots, but the differences are clear. The Compass looks more like a crossover SUV, especially from the sculpted side, with smoothly angular flares over the wheels, as opposed to the plastic cladding on most Liberty models. The rear door handles are vertical, mounted on the C-pillars to preserve the character line. The liftgate on the Compass is sloped at nearly a 45-degree angle while the Liberty's is vertical; and the third side window, into the cargo area, is a stylized triangle while the Liberty's window is, again, squared. That slope at the rear of the Compass is matched by the steeply raked windshield, leading up to a roof that's six inches lower than the Liberty's. Black plastic roofrails continue from the top corners of the windshield all the way to the spoiler over the liftgate, channeling water over the roof. The Compass Limited has aluminum-looking trim on the sides and bumpers .The less-costly Sport looks classier in its cleaner monotone. The optional 18-inch chromed aluminum wheels on the Limited will appeal to those who want their Jeep SUV to look more like a Cadillac Escalade.

Driving the Compass

Jeep has designed a new four-wheel-drive system for the Compass, which it calls Freedom Drive I 4x4.On the surface it works much like all-wheel-drive systems by other manufacturers: On a dry, flat road, virtually all of the power goes to the front wheels, but as traction is needed elsewhere, as much as 60 percent can shift to the rear wheels. The coupling is through a two-stage clutch system that's magnetic and electronically controlled, rather than viscous, and Jeep says this is markedly more efficient. The Jeep Compass offers a Continuously Variable Transaxle, which performs like an automatic transmission. The CVT is optional with the Compass Sport model, and standard on the Limited, where Autostick can be added to the CVT. Autostick enables the driver to shift up and down over six steps, making it feel like a six-speed gearbox without a clutch pedal. The combination of CVT with six-speed Autostick is the best of both worlds, and works more precisely than the manual/automatic transmissions in many expensive sports sedans.

Compass Lineup

The Jeep Compass lineup comes as two models, Sport and Limited. The Sport model comes standard with an AM/FM/CD player with auxiliary audio input jack. There was a long list of options and packages available.

The Limited model comes with a leather interior, heated seats with driver lumbar support, cruise control, dark tinted glass, speed-sensitive power steering, flat-folding front passenger seat, reclining rear seats, and 18-inch aluminum wheels with all-season tires.The front and rear fascia and side moldings have shiny aluminum accents.

Summary

Safety features that come standard on all models include anti-lock brakes with brake assist (which applies more brake force than the driver is applying if sensors determine it's needed in a panic stop), electronic stability control (ESP) with Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM), and side-curtain air bags for head protection. Also standard are state-of-the-art seatbelts in all five positions, so be sure to wear them. Seatbelts are your first line of defense in a crash. Safety options include side airbags for the front seats ($250) for torso protection in a side impact. A tire pressure monitoring system is available as part of a package.