Compared to the first-generation Compass, the newcomer is a different affair altogether. Influenced by the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee in terms of styling, the compact crossover rides on underpinnings shared with the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X. Unsurprisingly, then, it’s also pretty solid in a collision.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety didn’t get the chance to test the crashworthiness of the Compass yet, but Euro NCAP did. In stark contrast to the 2012 model’s two-star rating, the newcomer takes pride in top results.
Based on category, crash protection offered by the newcomer stands at 90 percent for adult occupants, 83 percent for child occupants, 64 percent for pedestrians, and 59 percent for safety assist. These marks ultimately translate to five stars from Euro NCAP for the 4x4 Limited 2.0 in left-hand drive form.
Tipping the scales at 1,575 kilograms, the 2017 Jeep Compass tested by the European organization has one particularity that doesn’t bode well for the rest of the results. And that is chest protection for the rear passenger, which was rated “marginal” in the full-width rigid-barrier test. And in the side pole impact test, rib compression equals to a “poor” rating for chest protection.
Coming as standard with Forward Collision Warning Plus with Auto-Brake, the system is operational from 10 km/h and can brake the car automatically at speeds of 200 km/h. Relying solely on automatic braking, the vehicle managed to avoid a slower moving car at 70 km/h. If the driver reacts to the audible warning, crash avoidance is doable at speeds up to 80 km/h. In more severe scenarios, the best the Compass can do is mitigate the crash.
The Euro-spec Compass is on sale in the Old Continent for a few months now, with prices starting at €24,900. Compared to the U.S.-spec Compass, the European model can be had with 1.6- and 2.0-liter Multijet II turbo diesels. The Trailhawk comes exclusively with the 2.0-liter plant connected to a nine-speed automatic. The off-road capability is augmented by 2.5 more centimeters of ride height, 30 degrees of approach angle, and low-range.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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