New Company Ride: 2007 Jeep Compass Limited 4wd

[enzl]

Just got into one of these, silver, with all options except upgraded stereo and sunroof.

Interior is cheap...perhaps not as bad as the early build Calibers, but not great.

On my short ride from the yard to here, it seemed tight, no rattles (@10k) and the CVT seemed fine in town....I'm going to fill up the gas tank, get a read on mileage in mixed use and update you guys when I've had more seat time....

[Flybrian]

Be sure to wear your welding...er, Compass goggles when walking towards the Jeep.

[Ravenfreak13]

They are selling well so HAHA to all the haters! And They don't look nearly as bad on the street then they do in photos

[enzl]

They are selling well so HAHA to all the haters! And They don't look nearly as bad on the street then they do in photos

Agreed. There are definitely some awkward angles--it should have been a 3 door--but it clearly doesn't photo well, at all.

In my first days of seat time, I can tell you the seats are comfortable (and kudos to DCX for the height & lumbar adjustment) , the CVT not nearly as bad as advertised and it handles in a very car-like fashion--no sense that you're perched on a height like some small CUVs...

Gotta say, I'm surprised at my generally positive impressions, though I would be remiss if I didn't comment on some of the varience in shutlines and alignment of body panels...most look fine, but a glimpse of daylight is possible under the hood at certain angles and the rear hatch not as tightly aligned as it should be.

[enzl]

I've put about 100 miles on it, now. Lots of hgwy driving...it drives like a decent economy car, no more, no less.

With 2 adults & some cargo, it had OK power (the CVT is interesting....and the Autostick --6 simulated gears-- is actually quite useful & fairly intuitive to use. The first real passing situation was interesting, as the engine droned at about 3500rpm, neither rising or falling. I didn't have an issue with the engine itself (although I haven't topped off to check the mileage yet) but its certainly not Honda smooth.

The interior is what I'd call 'cheap & cheerful', and the vehicle has enough stuff to play with & nooks and crannies that it looks like some real thought went into a lot of the interior features---the flashlight is genius, the ipod holder pretty cool, it has a real 2-prong outlet & my home Sirius unit is sitting on the open cubby in the dash.

I'm not even hating the styling too much--I think this is the type of vehicle that looks much better in the real world, but still not great.

I'll go B- as an overall...perhaps I had low expectations, but its not a bad ride in all.

[Intrepidation]

If you get better than 19.9 mpg...you're getting better than my Cobalt.

[Ravenfreak13]

Chrysler Corp does have some pretty smart features in their lineup.

[Intrepidation]

Chrysler Corp does have some pretty smart features in their lineup.

Indeed, they have a lot of neat features in their cars...it's just too bad they don't wrap them in better interior materials. But as said, they aren't the worst...in fact I find teh Compass' materials and texturing better than the Cobalt's...at least the one I have.

[haypops]

They are selling well so HAHA to all the haters! And They don't look nearly as bad on the street then they do in photos

Compass sales ar barely over a third of the 7 year PT Cruiser sales! What am I missing here?

[Satty]

I'd prefer the Patriot to the Compass, although I do think the Compass has potential as a sorority girl car if they would market it as such.

[regfootball]

I'd prefer the Patriot to the Compass, although I do think the Compass has potential as a sorority girl car if they would market it as such.

i was cruising the chrysler lot by my house today. i used to like the patriot. now i don't, it looks like a chinese knockoff of an old jeep. now, i don't have any exterior issues with the compass.

but they drive like crap (i know this from doing the chrysler ride and drive), noisy, cheap dismal interior. ride and handling are not anything worth mentioning. small cargo area. everything is dreadful cheap inside. You'll want to slice a vein after being in one too long, its so bad. My wife's omni was nicer inside.

to top it off the prices are way too high. the overall price and execution is an embarassment, despite the fact it looks alright outside.

right after the crysler lot i cruised the ford lot. the escape has a cheap interior too, but it looks positively luxurious after looking at a compass. Might be why the escape sells so well.

If I had to get a jeep, a low optioned Grand CHerokee Laredo would be the way to go. They are desperate to sell them and they are a decent drive. in comparison. Sounds like the compass gets crap mpg anyways.

i would get a kia rondo before i would force myself to live inside a compass or patriot.

Edited August 6, 2007 by regfootball

[enzl]

After another 50 miles, I going to try and get an MPG estimate this afternoon.

In the meanwhile, I'd say my low expectations have definitely been exceeded...The interior plastics clearly need some work and the cargo area is a bit small, but I've been able to fit everything I need to, given the quick fold down seating in back.

The budget stereo also has the steering wheel controls, the underfloor area for cargo can hide a thing or two and the ride, while no sportscar, is more than perfectly adequate around town, as even with low profile 18" rims, city potholes get absorbed.

It's a little noisy on rough or textured surfaces, but there's nothing about this vehicle that a few dollars in upgrades and perhaps a few more HP couldn't cure. People seem to like the way it looks too....especially women, so I guess DCX wasn't too far off in its attempt to market to them...

[enzl]

Some good news and bad news:

Good news- Killer A/C, the CVT's manual mode works well, decent space and an iPod jack that comes in handy for my sat radio.

Bad news- CVT feels weird in the daily drive, 19MPG in mixed driving & an uneasy feeling that the cost-cutting has gone beyond the cheap plastics in the interior (although at 10k miles, the car is relatively tight).

[Northstar]

If you get better than 19.9 mpg...you're getting better than my Cobalt.

How are you only getting 20mpg? Sitting and waiting a lot, or driving the hell out of it? I can get 18.5 mpg in the GTO in city-only if I drive it like a grandma and it weighs 800 more lbs and has a performance camshaft that really loves gas.

As for the Compass, I have seen very few around here, but it is selling a bit better than I expected it to.

[haypops]

If you get better than 19.9 mpg...you're getting better than my Cobalt.

I did my first fill up on the new HHR after a month of ownership. I got 21 MPG in mostly city driving. The Ecotec engine is famous/infamous for requiring an inordinate long break in period for good gas mileage.

[loki]

i get 19 pretty easily in my 3.1 MC, thats about 66% mostly flat roads around here, in the city.

[Drew Dowdell]

They are selling well so HAHA to all the haters! And They don't look nearly as bad on the street then they do in photos

cheeky

[enzl]

cheeky

I've also found that the Compass looks much better on the road, especially from the front quarter view and certain offset side views. It's also color sensitive, looking much better in metallics and dark colors.

The front, however, does look like a squirrelly Jeep storing a winter harvest....

[Flybrian]

I just don't understand the need for the chipmunk protrusions. Its serves no asthetic purpose, wasn't present on the concept, and looks foolish like a typical Chrysler.

What disappointed me most about the Compass was indeed the interior. The entire purpose of the Compass is an interpretation of the classic Jeep look remixed to appeal to urbanites and women. Why then does it share the same throwaway garbage materials with the Patriot (acceptable there) and Caliber (acceptable because its a rental)? A simple splash of more upscale design and trim pieces would do wonders.

Agreed about the CVT. Its a tiring driver because of it, IMO; the rubber-banding is especially pronounced.

[enzl]

I just don't understand the need for the chipmunk protrusions. Its serves no asthetic purpose, wasn't present on the concept, and looks foolish like a typical Chrysler.

What disappointed me most about the Compass was indeed the interior. The entire purpose of the Compass is an interpretation of the classic Jeep look remixed to appeal to urbanites and women. Why then does it share the same throwaway garbage materials with the Patriot (acceptable there) and Caliber (acceptable because its a rental)? A simple splash of more upscale design and trim pieces would do wonders.

Agreed about the CVT. Its a tiring driver because of it, IMO; the rubber-banding is especially pronounced.

Perhaps I'm a victim of low expectations, but I was expecting the absolute worst when the Compass keys became available, but I chose it because I was curious to see what all the consternation was about...

It is a perfectly acceptable economy car offering, and, while I agree that the interior is awfully cheap, it is well constructed---uniform gaps and everything feels like it'll work for a while, at least. The CVT feels like it needs a reboot, but the autostick does make a big difference and the CVT would be a total disaster without it---I suspect the tranny has a 'learning curve' to figure out the driver's style, so I'm going to give it a few more miles to figure me out.

While it's not their best effort, I'm not sure that I'd rather be driving around in a Liberty, Commander or GC, which I find ponderous and unfun to drive (I'm a car guy at heart).

[Flybrian]

Perhaps I'm a victim of low expectations, but I was expecting the absolute worst when the Compass keys became available, but I chose it because I was curious to see what all the consternation was about...

It is a perfectly acceptable economy car offering, and, while I agree that the interior is awfully cheap, it is well constructed---uniform gaps and everything feels like it'll work for a while, at least. The CVT feels like it needs a reboot, but the autostick does make a big difference and the CVT would be a total disaster without it---I suspect the tranny has a 'learning curve' to figure out the driver's style, so I'm going to give it a few more miles to figure me out.

While it's not their best effort, I'm not sure that I'd rather be driving around in a Liberty, Commander or GC, which I find ponderous and unfun to drive (I'm a car guy at heart).

My experience with a Compass was a nice test drive, but even then the CVT proved annoying. I've never been a fan of them and my three experiences (Freestyle, Murano, Compass) leave me never wanting to see one again. Though the Ford had the most refined (Ford and Nissan were prolonged rentals for me), I'd prefer a regular auto.

For the entry price point, I agree the materials are acceptable. But at a loaded price, it simply needs more. Again, the 'rugged' excuse doesn't cut it in my book because this is an urban Jeep. The inside is really appropriate for the Patriot, but for the Compass, I'd rather see a more car-like level of design and material usage. You could easily drop the base-er models with crank windows and such (let the Patriot have those) and have well-refined Compasses at higher entry prices and sell them just as well.

Also, how does it handle? Obviously never had the opportunity to truly drive it.

[enzl]

My experience with a Compass was a nice test drive, but even then the CVT proved annoying. I've never been a fan of them and my three experiences (Freestyle, Murano, Compass) leave me never wanting to see one again. Though the Ford had the most refined (Ford and Nissan were prolonged rentals for me), I'd prefer a regular auto.

For the entry price point, I agree the materials are acceptable. But at a loaded price, it simply needs more. Again, the 'rugged' excuse doesn't cut it in my book because this is an urban Jeep. The inside is really appropriate for the Patriot, but for the Compass, I'd rather see a more car-like level of design and material usage. You could easily drop the base-er models with crank windows and such (let the Patriot have those) and have well-refined Compasses at higher entry prices and sell them just as well.

Also, how does it handle? Obviously never had the opportunity to truly drive it.

I've now gotten about 400 miles to judge handling...I'd say it has a decent feel to it. Better than the HHR I recently drove, probably closer in feel to the Escape or Focus, two 'regular' cars I've had some extensive seat time in, both with similar 'h' points, so the feel was comparable.

It's no canyon carver, and while it feels breathless above 70, it wasn't unhappy to go there. It felt stable, planted, although you can't escape the fact that it's a little taller than a true 'car'. I was most impressed by the way it takes road irregularities in stride, as potholes and expansion joints were heard, not really felt. For a car with relatively large (215/55 18") and squat rubber, you never got the sense that it was overtired or that the tram-lining sometimes present in such a setup was there. It had a somewhat european feel, like a Golf---

(I just got 22MPG this tank, 40/60 city/hwy)

[regfootball]

i drove a caliber at the ride and drive last fall and it was horrible. i never wanted to get out of a vehicle so fast.

my God, the last gen mitsubishi outlander is a far superior vehicle to the caliber and compass, honestly. PT even feels nicer.

ford's cvt was good, haven't tried any others but i liked the shiftless feel. i assume chrylser botched it.

so many of these 4 cylinder hatches are getting terrible mpg. escape, element, PT etc. barely get much over 20 in town if you go by reader reviews.

makes me appreciate the aztek. 20-22 mpg consistently. quiet and spacious. more enjoyable to drive than rattle traps like the compass. paid a lot less too. and the compass is just as unsightly.

i used to tell folks looking at little buses like this to take a good hard look at a heavily discounted SWB chrysler van instead. maxx would be a good caliber alternative.

Edited August 14, 2007 by regfootball