Jeep Compass Limited 4X4 First Drive

Interior trim levels, alloy wheel designs and a few other features distinguish these different variants. All variants have 60:40 split rear seats. Two front airbags and a reverse camera with sensor are standard in all variants, along with safety features like ABS, hill-start assist, ESP and electronic roll mitigation.  We got to drive the diesel Jeep Compass Limited 4X4 variant

External Design and Features of Jeep Compass Limited 4X4

The Jeep Compass looks like a baby Grand Cherokee with its seven slot grille with chrome rings. If you see its side profile, the silhouette reminds you of the Ranger Rover Evoque.  The vehicle comes with Bi-Xenon headlamps, fog lamps, DRLs and LED tail lamps. The square wheel arches, the ribbed roof in a dark shade, different from the body colour, roof rails and an integrated rear spoiler along with a high mounted stop light give the Jeep Compass a very sporty look. Incidentally, the Jeep Compass is built on the same platform as the Jeep Renegade but with a longer wheelbase. The vehicle sits on smart 225/60 R17 Firestone tyres that are mounted on a five spoke alloy wheel with distinct double fins each. Overall, the vehicle looks very boxy with strong attractive design lines. What it misses is a sunroof and rain sensor wipers.

Internal Design and Features of Jeep Compass Limited 4X4

Step into the Jeep Compass Limited 4X4 and you are pleasantly surprised by the ski-grey Mckinley leather upholstery with ruby red stitching. That looks kind of cool. There is lot of space inside, both for the driver and the rear passengers. Boot space is also more than adequate which can be further increased by dropping down the rear seats. The dual tone interior comes with a black front fascia which is quite soft to feel. The centre console boasts of an Uconnect 7 inches touchscreen with loads of piano black finish surrounding it. On either side of it are the AC vents. 

Just below that are the Volume/Power knob and the radio tuner knob with Browse and scroll functions. The infotainment system comes with six speakers and has Android Auto and Apple Car play. There is also Bluetooth audio streaming. A ‘Screen Off’ button once pressed blanks out the screen and by simply touching the screen you can bring it back to life. The Mute button, the Hazard warning button and the Parking Off button make up the rest of the functions in the space between these two knobs. Below these are the AC controls with an “Off’ button to switch off your aircon. There are also dual climate zones and a climate control.

On the floor console is a large black knob that once touched, engages your 4X4 lock. By rotating it, you can choose the different drive modes: Auto, Snow, Sand and Mud for driving on different terrains. By its side are the USB slot and an Aux in outlet, besides a 12V DC power outlet. The manual gear lever has a large silver colour knob head for easy grip. An arm rest for the driver is also there with a bit of storage space in it. The car has enough small cubby holes for you bottles and other items. There is also a large glove box on the left.

The chunky steering wheel is all leather wrapped, again with the red stitching. Though the seats are all plush and comfortable there are no electric adjustments for any of them. Controls on the steering wheel in the Limited variant are limited to the left side for changing the driver information on the 3.5 inch graphic display, while the right side has only blanks. Maybe in the future when this vehicle comes with an automatic version, it may have the cruise control buttons on the right side of the steering wheel.

Surprisingly, there are more controls hidden behind the steering wheel on both the sides. The one on the right controls the volume of the audio system while a tiny centre button is the mute control. Behind the steering wheel on the left are the controls for changing the radio stations and the centre button there helps change the modes. The instrument cluster has a conventional tachometer and a speedometer.

With a manual transmission and manual settings for your seats, I expected a manual lever for the hand brakes, but the Jeep Compass comes with an Electric Brake Park. I felt this could have been done away with for some further cost cutting.

Engine & Performance of Jeep Compass Limited 4X4

The 2 litre diesel engine produces 171 HP and 350 Nm of peak torque. With the Jeep Active Drive, the Jeep Compass is an absolute thrill on all kinds of terrain because it’s here that it comes out with flying colours, showing off its four-wheel drive capability. It is equipped with Selec-Terrain Traction Management System. The SUV comes with a Driveline Disconnect Technology (DDT) which essentially disconnects the drive that goes to the rear wheels automatically when not required. This obviously helps in fuel saving and assists safer driving.

This five-seater SUV also has Frequency Selective Damping (FSD). This technology provides variable damping that adjusts to road undulations. These shock absorbers use a special valve inside to enable an optimal ride at both high and low frequencies.

On the off-road tracks we drove into the thick jungles of Goa, a a few kilometres beyond the Natravali Wildlife sanctuary. The Jeep Compass behaved like the Lord of the Jungles. It simply went over all kinds of obstacles with immense ease. It was raining heavily and the path in the jungle had turned to thick slush.  I turned the drive mode to Mud and gently stepped on the accelerator. The SUV meandered its way through the water soaked, mud baked jungle path and refused to be bogged down by the steep inclines and drops. I also got an opportunity to wade through a shallow stream. It was pure Jeep thrill.

A day earlier, I had driven the Jeep Compass on both tarred roads and rocky paths when it was not raining. At high speeds it held its weight so well and during braking, it stopped almost instantly without a whimper. With minimal body roll and great stability, Jeep Compass is an absolute delight when it comes to driving it. The vehicle behaves so perfectly on and off the road.

Safety Features

The Jeep Compass has more than 50 safety and security features. These include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Dynamic Steering Torque (DST), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Adaptive Brake Lights, Panic Brake Assist and several others which come standard across the range. The Compass is equipped with six airbags with dual stage passenger airbags.

Verdict

The Jeep Compass Limited variant is a handsome sporty looking vehicle that behaves impeccably on good roads and when the roads break up into a treacherous off road path, it simply begins to thrill you with its more than ordinary capabilities. It’s like having the best of both the worlds.