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The updated version of the second generation Jeep Compass launched in 2021 made more sense as a credible mid-sized SUV alternative. This contender was brought up to date and there was e-Hybrid tech, as well as a flagship plug-in PHEV option. Worth a closer look then? We'll tell you in our used guide.
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Detailed ratings
Medium-Sized Family Hatch-Based SUVs
History
We all know what a real Jeep looks like - rough, tough and wilderness-ready. You might though, be less acquainted with the models this growing brand wants to sell to ordinary, family SUV buyers. Cars like this one, the Compass, aimed directly at the buoyant mid-sized Qashqai segment. This 'MP/552'-series model was first launched back in late 2017, but four years on, it was facelifted and its engines heavily electrified to create the car going to look at here, which featured both Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid tech.
Electrification will of course be the over-riding theme in future Jeep models. Back in 2021 though, the brand still needed to sell with fossil fuel in the SUV market's core C-segment, a class the brand had unsuccessfully been trying to crack for years. Starting back in 2007 with very first generation 'MK49'-series Compass model, which somehow sold for eight years, a poorly conceived ugly duckling that even Jeep wants to forget.
This MK2 design, as we said earlier, arrived in 2017 aiming to capitalise on the success of the smaller Renegade model that had been launched a couple of years before. But it lacked its smaller stablemate's sassy charm, seemed dated inside, used a selection of inefficient engines and seemed clunky to drive. Ideally, a completely new generation Compass model would have followed on by 2021, but with all the brand's resources devoted to future EVs, there wasn't scope for that. So what we got instead was this, a version of this 'MP/552'-series design so heavily updated that it was almost brand new.
We mentioned the powertrain line-up, which also included a conventional 1.3-litre petrol unit. Well the interior also took a huge step forward and the car had a visual wash 'n brush-up. The Compass sold in this form until mid-2025 when it was replaced by an all-new third generation design.
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What you get
Cars of this kind used to be called 'Crossovers'. Then we got told to call them 'SUVs'. It's a designation that sits a touch incongruously with some other fickle, fashion-led contenders in this class, but this Jeep does in every sense look like a proper, modern compact SUV, rather than the kind of hatchback on steroids that most of the magazine experts will tell you to buy in this segment. Visually, not much fundamentally changed about the second generation Compass design in this updated form, but the car gained a more modern, purposeful look that should fit in much better down at the gym.
Quite a lot changed inside with this facelift. The dash, centre tunnel and door panels were all completely different, a 10.25-inch digital instrument layout was added and there was a much larger 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 centre screen. This offered over-the-air updates and used a processor with response times five times faster, plus there was wireless 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' phone connectivity and this display could feature Amazon Alexa integration and a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot.
Not all the cabin's upgraded trimming choices really work - you still wouldn't think you were in any kind of premium brand product - but Jeep trebled the amount of cabin storage space on offer and all the staple features we liked before remained. So the chunky three-spoke wheel feels great to hold, the driving position remains properly commanding and the rubber floor mats and the chunky design of the various controls remind you that you're in a car from a brand that only makes SUVs.
In the back it helps that, rather surprisingly for a design that must incorporate a capable 4WD system on some of its variants, the central transmission tunnel is low. And knee room's better than you might expect. So if you had to fit three adults in the back, it'd probably feel a bit easier to do than would be the case with some apparently larger class rivals.
Unless you stretch to the very summit of the range, there's no power operation for the tailgate - which is a pity because it's quite heavy. Once it's raised, you'll find 438-litres of space, a big improvement on the 351-litre capacity of a Renegade but not very competitive within the Compass's chosen segment: Fold everything flat and up to 1,251-litres of space is revealed, which should be just about sufficient for the needs of most family folk.
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What to look for
This second generation Compass is actually a better buy than some of the websites would have you believe, but there are certainly things you need to look out for. The main issues we came across concerned electrics. There are problems frequently caused by failing main or auxiliary batteries. Look out for random error messages, the infotainment screen going blank and non-responsive centre console steering wheel controls. In some cases, the vehicle has failed to start. Owners have found that replacing both the main and auxiliary battery at the same time often resolves these issues. Otherwise, the issue might stem from a problem with the Controller Area Network bus and that will require professional attention.
We've heard of issues with engine stalling or dying unexpectedly whilst driving. And some owners have experienced start/stop system problems. Transmission issues have been known, with problems like overheating, stuttering when shifting and delayed gear engagement. We've also heard of issues with noisy or grinding brakes. And in some cases, the car might crank when you start it but fail to actually fire up, which highlights issues with the spark plugs, ignition coils, fuel delivery or crankshaft and camshaft sensors.
It's unlikely that the car will have been used seriously off road but check underneath just in case. And insist on a fully stamped up service history. Check the alloys for scratches and the interior for signs of child abuse.
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Replacement parts
[based on Compass 1.3 PHEV petrol - 2021 - autodoc.co.uk - ex Vat] It's around £4-£19 for an oil filter. And around £24-£76 for front brake pads. It's around £50-£99 for front brake discs; around £41-£99. A water pump is in the £33-£68 bracket. An air filter is in the £10-£29 bracket. A starter motor is in the £80-£129 bracket. An alternator is in the £160-£181 bracket.
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On the road
Choose a Jeep, even one as lifestyle-orientated as this, and at the wheel, you'll want - at least to some extent - to feel like you're in a proper SUV. Hopefully though in this case, one with some of the rough edges smoothed away. By and large, that's pretty much what you get here, but if your benchmark is something like a Qashqai or an Ateca, then you'll notice quite a few differences. Some of these are positive things, particularly the higher, more commanding driving position. Other aspects of Jeep motoring may not be quite as welcome; the engines on offer lack a little in terms of ultimate refinement and you're obviously not going to get the cornering agility that a mere hatchback-derived crossover is going to give you.
But then that kind of car doesn't need to form the basis for what Jeep calls 'Trail-rated' design. The top 'Trailhawk' variant of this Compass qualifies for that kind of wilderness 4x4 status and though the lesser versions that almost all Compass customers will choose are far less capable, they'll still seem eminently credible on the kind of light forest trail you'd possibly feel rather silly driving over in most segment rivals.
In this rejuvenated version of the second generation model, three turbo petrol powertrains were on offer. The two most affordable units both drive only the front wheels and develop around 130hp, though in very different ways. There's a conventional 1.3-litre GSE T4 powerplant with 6-speed manual transmission. Or a 1.5-litre e-Hybrid engine, which combines mild hybrid tech with the addition of a 19hp electric motor integrated into a 7-speed dual clutch auto gearbox. That motor's powered by a tiny 48-volt 0.8kWh battery which can propel the car at very low speeds for extra efficiency.
At the top of the range is the Plug-in hybrid '4xe' model, the only 4WD Compass: this uses a 180hp version of the conventional 1.3-litre petrol unit mentioned earlier, mating it with a 60hp electric motor mounted on the rear axle that's powered by an 11.4kWh battery pack offering a claimed driving range when fully charged of 30 miles. The Compass 4xe's official WLTP fuel economy reading is rated at between 141.2 and 156.9mpg. You'll never actually record that in real motoring of course, but you should get fuel figures comparable to those of the old diesel variant: and the low CO2 figure of up to 44g/km will help with your BiK tax payments and VED tax disc.
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Overall
In the earlier version of this second generation Compass design, this Jeep was a marginal player in the mid-sized SUV sector and that didn't change with this update. But in this post-2021 guise, it's a much better product and the addition of e-Hybrid and PHEV tech to the range brought it into line with the way the segment was developing.
What's at stake here is the definition of what a car of this kind should be. Jeep reckons that the design of a model in this segment should be more than just about plastic skid plates and raised suspension - it always has. The difference here though was that the company at last made a car that credibly represented that philosophy in the affordable mid-sized section of the mainstream market. In future, the company will build better SUVs than this, but there's no doubt that what was on offer here represented a decent step forward for the brand.
When testing the smaller Renegade, we pointed out that if you eat squirrel, own a bowling ball and call your first cousin your spouse, then that model probably wouldn't be your cup of tea - and the same of course applies here. Yes, the 4WD Plug-in version of this Compass offers more off road prowess than you'd typically get from a car in this class - especially in its more rugged-looking Trailhawk form - but this still isn't in any way a Jeep for the wilds. Still, likely owners won't want Wrangler motoring. They'll be after the more zeitgeist-orientated lifestyle SUV vibe that this much improved MK2 Compass was better equipped to deliver, even in front-driven form. A Jeep then. But not quite as we knew it.
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