 First Hand Accounts with the Compass |
Thanks to dubbyd for pointing us in the direction of this article written by someone who took part in the Jeep Compass media test drive recently in Portland, Oregon.
The Compass offered a comfortable ride, though road noise was excessive. Exceptional on rough pavement, the noise never quieted to a level we expected. Conversation between front seats and the spacious second row passengers was a bit difficult at cruising speed because of excessive road noise over certain road surfaces. Steering was light and predictable, with all-around disc brakes offering adequate performance. The ABS and ESP systems, calibrated specifically for the Compass, were unobtrusive on road and helpful over the rough two-track road.
Kudos to Jeep for making the manual available for Sport and Limited, 4x2 or 4x4, leaving buyers to choose more creature comforts without backing themselves into the CVT. Here Stephanie's assessment diverges from George's. She writes, "Our manual-transmission-equipped Compass provided a more spirited and involving drive than did the CVT, AutoStick or not. The clutch was light and predictable and it was easy to find a comfortable seating position. With the CVT, there was notable lag between shifts and it shifted for us about 5700 rpm (redline is 6000 rpm) when in the AutoStick mode. Left in drive, the CVT is a nice enough unit, as we found on the last leg of mostly highway driving." George has evolved into an auto transmission type of guy (given Southern California freeways) and finds the CVT more of the set-it and forget-it experience he has come to expect. At least he did not stall the Compass manual in any embarrassing places.
Check out the full article for lots more and a bunch of photos.
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| RUBICON | Posted: 2006/6/29 21:03 Updated: 2006/6/29 21:03 |
Home away from home   Joined: 2005/7/13 From: Chandler, AZ Posts: 357 |
 Re: First Hand Accounts with the CompassHere is a video of a couple of Compasses running the dunes. They start out a bit slow but towards the end one of them gets going pretty good. No airborne moments though.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_4kYQQWZ-0&search=jeep%20dunes |
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| jeepxk | Posted: 2006/6/27 15:36 Updated: 2006/6/27 15:36 |
Just can't stay away  Joined: 2005/7/13 From: Peoria Posts: 148 |
Re: First Hand Accounts with the Compass Our local dealer just got a Compass Limited in.
Got a chance to sit in it. It is nice but $22,000 seemed like a lot of money for it. It didn't even have alot of options on it. I am guessing these things will get lots of rebates and they will get cheap real quick on the used car market. It makes the Liberty look like a hardcore offroader though. |
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| erik | Posted: 2006/6/24 12:56 Updated: 2006/6/24 12:56 |
Not too shy to talk  Joined: 2005/12/28 From: Williamsport, PA Posts: 37 |
Re: First Hand Accounts with the Compass So they drive it on rough pavement and complain about road noise?!
Automotive journalists complain about noise in any vehicle that is not made by Honda or Toyota. |
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| Josephus | Posted: 2006/6/24 3:35 Updated: 2006/6/24 3:38 |
Home away from home Joined: 2005/7/18 From: Pennsylvania Posts: 243 |
Re: First Hand Accounts with the Compass You have to remember the target audience for the Compass isn't for serious off roaders. The Compass is a kinder, gentler, Jeep meant for soft-roading.
In that market quiet is king because the 2 screaming brats in the back won't shut-T-F-up from Starbucks to the soccer fields. I doubt if the aftermarket will even offer a lift kit for this thing. What? Just because I say it like it is, and you don't care for it, doesn't make me evil. |
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| sylvanis | Posted: 2006/6/23 15:38 Updated: 2006/6/23 15:38 |
Just can't stay away Joined: 2006/1/26 From: Posts: 104 |
Re: First Hand Accounts with the Compass You can tell the people wrinting this are not Jeep owners
 Excessive road noise? Try driving any well worn soft top and a set of super swampers under you on a windy day at 70mph...then tell that the Compass' "road noise was excessive" WHATEVER  |
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