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2022 jeep compass feature

2022 Jeep Compass Review: It’s What’s On the Inside That Counts


The new Jeep Compass is an important car for Jeep. Tackling one of the biggest segments in Australia – the small to mid-sized SUV category – means fierce competition. Instead of simply throwing some new wheels on the facelift model for 2022, the brand went ahead and completely redesigned the interior to meet market expectations. The powertrain remains the same, so the question begs… is it sufficient in a market filled with turbochargers and hybrids, or with the addition of a new interior, does it simply not matter at all?

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2022 jeep compass exterior

Changing faster than the eye can blink, big touchscreens, connected devices, and quality sound systems are at the top of the buyer’s list when purchasing a new car. As car enthusiasts, sometimes we are quickly reminded how much the average customer doesn’t care about what’s under the bonnet. Instead, caring more for words such as wireless charging, Apple Carplay, and panoramic sunroof.

A case in point is the 2022 Jeep Compass, a car whose interior strikes the perfect balance between modern, minimalist and technology, yet whose powertrain remains sub-par in the sector amongst the turbocharged and hybrid competition. The question is, how much does that affect the ownership experience? Should we really care so much about powertrain technology? We jumped behind the wheel of the new Compass and hit the road to find out.

Price (MSRP)$46,950
Colour of test carMinimal Grey
OptionsPremium Paint ($645), S-Limited Premium Package ($2950)
Price as tested$50,545
2022 jeep compass interior 2

All-New Interior

  • Apple Carplay and Android Auto.
  • USB and USC-C Charging front and rear, additional 20V plug below the air vents in rear.
  • Wireless charging in the front compartment.
  • 10.25-inch touchscreen display powered by Uconnect 5.
  • Digital driver display (no heads up display).
  • Heated and cooled seats.

Not groundbreaking information by any stretch, we get to drive a lot of awesome, fast, and expensive cars at Man of Many. We wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world, but sometimes it’s nice to get in a car, take advantage of the creature comforts and forget about the noise the engines makes or the power it’s putting down on the tarmac. Sound crazy? Let’s explain.

Everything on the Jeep Compass is easy, from the moment you open the door to the moment you step out, the entire process is smooth and convenient. A proximity key means you just open the handle when you want to jump in, once you’re inside there’s a push-button start wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto that starts the music instantly. Press one button to open the large panoramic sunroof to take in some rays, and when you want to jump out there’s a button on the door handle to lock it and puddle lights so you don’t dirty your white sneakers. And that’s only scratching the surface.

While the new interior is supremely impressive, it’s the small things that make the biggest difference with the Compass. The first thing we noticed was just how easy it is to hop in and out of, a small plus, but something that you’ll come to appreciate every day. Phone connectivity worked flawlessly, as did the wireless charger that held our Samsung Galaxy S21+ and iPhone 11 Pro Max perfectly.

Physical buttons just underneath the screen are always a welcome inclusion and offer the ability to turn off the driver aids when they become a little invasive. Furthermore, there are physical buttons for the airconditioning and heating, rejoice the physical buttons live on! Seat heating controls, however, are taken care of through the touchscreen.

If we had to be critical, the gloss black accents are prone to finger marking, as is the touchscreen that lacks physical control – a problem easily solved by carrying a small glass-cleaning microfibre in the glovebox. Outside of the fingerprints, the dead pedal area – especially where your knees make contact with the centre console – features very hard touch plastic and there’s no padding for your leg. Something that became quite uncomfortable after only 45mins of driving.

Simply put, we love the interior of the Jeep Compass. Not only is it class-leading, but it’s easy to use, well thought out, and features all the expected folding seats and connectivity for your kids to ride in style too. Press the start button, throw on some good music, open the panoramic sunroof and just get on with your day. That’s what the new 2022 Jeep Compass is all about.

2022 Jeep Compass S-Limited Size Specifications
SeatsFive
Boot volume438L
Length4394mm
Width1819mm
Height1644mm
Wheelbase2636mm
2022 jeep compass rear side angle

Safety and Standard Features

The new Jeep Compass adds a host of new technology to the 5-Star ANCAP rating it achieved in 2017.

This year model features all-new adaptive cruise control (life-changing), intelligent speed assist, lane departure warning, active lane assist, traffic signal recognition (that picks up school zones etc.), and autonomous emergency braking, rear-cross traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring that carries over from the previous model.

We could go on all day reading the safety features packed into this car, but it would start looking like your Sunday afternoon grocery list so we’ll list the things you don’t get with the 2022 Jeep Compass, most of which are easily circumvented by simply being a good driver.

You won’t find autonomous emergency braking on the 2022 Jeep Compass, nor will you find junction or intersection detection. In many ways we’re honestly thankful it doesn’t have these features, because as is the case with active lane assist – something that it does have – you just don’t need it. Not only that, but at times it can get very annoying and slamming your finger on the physical button becomes second nature whenever you get in or out of it.

Poised to be the top-seller in the range, the S-limited model (as seen here) features a host of standard features, many of which will present a significant upgrade for its customer. The hose of features becomes immediately clear when you look at the pricing. Cheap and cheerful is simply not the aim of the game when it comes to the Jeep Compass. Falling comfortably into AU$50,000 territory after on-road costs we’d be remiss to mention the value proposition is far from striking. Competitors such as the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, and Nissan X-Trail represent greater value for money, however, they lack a cabin as sophisticated as the Compass. Ultimately, test-driving all four is time well spent.

2022 Jeep Compass S-Limited Safety Ratings
ANCAP rating5-star (2017)
Safety reportCheck it out
2022 jeep compass front end 2

On-road Performance

You won’t find anything new on the powertrain side of things when looking at the 2022 Jeep Compass. With the same 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine seen throughout most of the range, with the range-topping ‘Trail Hawk’ model featuring a turbo-diesel only option. The engine is matched to either a six-speed automatic transmission in the base model or a nine-speed automatic in all other trim levels.

The ‘Tigershark’ motor is a solid performer, and while it certainly won’t give you the lowdown grunt of a turbocharged motor or hybrid system, we’d describe it as adequate. The gearbox is the star of the show and makes up for most of the power problems. We only experienced the odd converter leap between gears when cold, and in all other scenarios, it was poignant and determined to select the correct gear.

Steering, suspension and overall ride quality complement the modern interior to a tee. We were a little shocked to find the ride quite stiff for the first 10km of our journey, however, once the shocks softened up we were more than satisfied. AS mentioned early, while it has lane assist technology, we found ourselves turning it off more often than not – it’s certainly not the most advanced system we’ve driven. You could easily road trip this vehicle as a small family, but don’t be confused into thinking this is a large car by any stretch of the imagination. Overall, it’s a very pleasant place to be seated and we’d have absolutely no complaints driving this every day.

Engine2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Power129kW @ 6400rpm
Torque229Nm @ 3900rpm
Drive typeAll-wheel drive
TransmissionNine-speed torque convertor automatic
Power to weight ratio85.8kW/t
Weight1503kg (tare)
2022 jeep compass rear end

The Verdict

After spending a week in the New Jeep Compass we were feeling right at home with its new interior. It’s the hallmark of the midlife facelifted model and why shouldn’t it be?! We love the way it looks, the audio is outstanding, and the technology that’s packed into it bodes well against the best in its segment.

We also appreciate all the small things that go into this vehicle, from the physical controls to the entry and exit systems, the panoramic sunroof, and the overall seamlessness. There are things to appreciate every day with the 2022 Jeep Compass.

If you can get your head around the price tag and the powertrain package that remains underwhelming in a market filled with turbochargers and hybrids, you’ll find yourself seated in one of the best interiors in the segment and behind the wheel of a well rounded and good looking vehicle.

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