Review: Jeep Compass S 4XE PHEV

There’s no denying that Jeep and off-road go hand in hand and have done so since time immemorial - or World War Two, depending on how old you are.

But the ability to wade through streams and tackle mountain trails is not usually the main reason to buy a Jeep these days, never mind a Compass..

As well as being capable of getting you out of trouble if you actually stray off the tarmac, the Compass is foremost a great looking family SUV.

It is square and quite boxy with minimal overhang which gives it a purposeful stance and the trademark Jeep front grille leaves you in no doubt of its heritage.

The seats are comfortable for driver and passengers with plenty of leg and headroom although transporting three adults in the back may be a bit of a squash.

The boot space is a bit stingy with only 438 litres but the floor is adjustable and the seats split either 60:40 or 40:20:40 depending on model.

Driving on the motorway and A-roads is where the Compass performs best, we found the steering around town a bit too light and fidgety although this came into its own when parking.

We tested the 1.3 litre 4XE PHEV plug-in hybrid which delivers a mighty 236bhp and gives around 30 miles of electric-only motoring - ideal if you have a short commute and somewhere to plug in at either end.

The automatic gearbox is smooth and responsive and changes are intuitive.

On longer journeys you’ll find the fuel consumption is poor, especially at sustained high speeds.

We took it on a 120-mile airport run full of passengers and luggage and used the best part of a tank which was a surprise. Jeep quote a combined MPG of 148.7 which obviously takes in the PHEV mode and is difficult to put into perspective. We got around 32mpg overall.

The interior is smart with a well put together cabin. The large 10.1in screen for the infotainment system is responsive and easy to navigate with controls for the climate control as physical knobs and buttons underneath.

It supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and there is also a wireless charging pad, two USB sockets in the front and two in the back.

The Compass is packed full of safety features, some of which are a tad annoying.

The engine won’t start unless the driver’s seatbelt is engaged which caught us out a few times and there is a cacophony of beeps when a speed camera is detected or you stray over the speed limit. Lane keeping assist nudges you back into lane if you stray over the white line but it is sometimes too sensitive.

Price of the Compass range is from £34,555 with the RRP of the PHEV £40,895.

For that you get dual zone temperature control, a selectable terrain system, automatic door opening and closing when you approach, lumbar adjustment for the driver, adaptive cruise control, a rear park assist system and plenty more.

Specifications

Price: £40,895 (£43,575 as tested)

Engine: 1.3 turbo petrol

Power: 1236bhp

Torque: 184lbft

Transmission: Automatic

Top speed: 124mph

0-62mph: 7.3 seconds

Economy: 148.7mpg

CO 2 emissions:44g/km

EV range: 30 miles