Has the ₹6 lakh price drop had any benefits on the Compass?
If you wanted to buy a Jeep Compass automatic, the only option you had, till recently, was a 4x4 auto because Jeep discontinued the 4x2 petrol automatic. But now it’s back in the line-up and what difference has it made?
Well, the price of the diesel automatic comes down by close to ₹6 lakh and the top-end Model S, which is the one we have, is just a shade under ₹30 lakh. The Compass 4x2 automatic range is priced between ₹26.49 lakh and ₹29.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India).
Even at this price point, the Compass is expensive. It’s ₹6 lakh more expensive than the Harrier. Even if you consider the Kia Seltos diesel and Hyundai Creta diesel, their top-spec automatic variants are more than ₹5 lakh cheaper than the base-spec Compass AT.
So does it being expensive have any benefits?
Not for the exterior...
Visually only the eagle-eyed ones will be able to figure out that the Compass has been updated. The two new things are a new alloy wheel design and a new design for the iconic Jeep grille with 3D elements. Otherwise, it remains the same as it has been since it got a facelift in 2021.
The cabin comes with nice materials on the dashboards and doors, but the space is the same because there’s no change in dimension. So if it’s primarily going to be a chauffeur-driven vehicle, then you’ll be crammed for space at the back.
So now with everything cosmetically new out of the way, let’s get down to business and see how it drives. The new thing worth talking about is under the skin.
This is a two-wheel drive version and apart from the removal of the 4x4, nothing has changed. It still gets a 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 168 bhp and 350 Nm of torque and it comes with this 9-speed automatic gearbox. The gearshifts are smooth but it lunges forward instead of smoothly taking off and takes some time to react, making it feel sluggish.
When you try to overtake, though, it has the power, but the gearbox is not its friend. It takes a few seconds before it reacts and there’s an engine grunt before it takes off. While all its rivals get paddleshifters, the Compass doesn't as it has media controls where the paddleshifters should have been.
The suspension has always been good and it remains with this one as well. It easily irons out rough patches and in fact, it’s still a good soft-roader as it has always been.
We also took it up some slopes and dirt tracks to test its mettle. Though, it isn’t nearly as capable as the 4-wheel version, it managed to impress.
More needed to be done though, especially on the features front. Given that its rivals are far ahead of the game with tech like ADAS on board, there’s nothing exceptional here. For those who want to be associated with the Jeep brand, all we can say is this one will keep you happy!
Photography By: Prashant Chaudhary and Jitendra
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