2023 Jeep Compass Review: A Well-Rounded Soft-Roader

What comes to mind when you think of Jeep? Perhaps the Wrangler, the icon whose lineage can be traced back to the outbreak of World War II and the U.S government's need for a lightweight utility vehicle for the U.S. military's infantry. Maybe it's the Gladiator, the latest in a line of Jeep pickups combining the ruggedness the brand is known for with a long bed to hold it all down on the farm or out at the campsite. 

It could also possibly be the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, the ultimate luxury off-roaders with room for the whole family and a couple week's worth of gear for the biggest adventure out in the great wide open. Either way, Jeep would undoubtedly argue there's a model for everyone sort of lifestyle.

This no more true than Jeep's current lineup, which for the 2023 model year had nine models. Had. On March 1, 2023, parent company Stellantis made the decision to idle Illinois' Belvidere Assembly, which produced the KL-era Cherokee from 2013 through February 28, 2023. Unlike the previous generations of the iconic compact crossover, the KL came with front-wheel drive standard, and was slotted between the bigger Grand Cherokee and — what turned out to be its successor in the showroom — the Compass. Perhaps having two front-drive compacts was one too many, with sales being one of the deciding factors in which one would survive. Thus, we come to the present, with Stellantis dispatching a 2023 Compass in Latitude Lux trim to spend a week with me in Virginia's New River Valley.

For most of its life, Jeep built highly capable utilitarian vehicles, with the Grand Cherokee and the Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer throwing on the luxury to make those off-road outings just a bit more comfortable. But not even the legendary brand could escape the crossover tsunami kicked off by the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Thus, in 2002, a concept built on the then-new Liberty was introduced at that year's Detroit Auto Show. 

That concept, called the Compass, had four-wheel drive and the Liberty's 3.7-liter Power-Tech V6. Not to mention its softer, more rounded looks echoing those found in the crossover marketplace.

Alas, like most concept-to-production models, what was there in Auto Show form did not make the jump to the showroom floor. The 2007 Compass — alongside its more angular Patriot sibling — was Jeep's first-ever front-drive compact crossover, designed to attract first-time buyers who spent more time driving to the mall than to Moab. It didn't even receive its "Trail Rated" badge until the 2011 model year, when it also got some 4x4 capability. The current-generation Compass debuted in 2016 for the 2017 model year, taking its looks from the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee on a stretched version of the platform underpinning the Renegade,6C  while serving as the now-next step up through Jeep's Rubicon Trail. Unlike the first-gen Compass and Patriot it replaced, this Compass had front- and four-wheel drive out of the gate.

For 2023, gone is the 2.4-liter inline-four with its 184 horsepower and 174 lb.-ft. of torque, replaced with a smaller, retuned 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. The old ZF nine-speed auto, too, was replaced by an unlikely source: Hyundai. Specifically, the Compass gets an 8F30 eight-speed automatic, whose gearing can be found in similar Hyundai automatics used in the Sonata, Santa Fe, and Santa Cruz.

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The new powertrain delivers a more robust driving experience than the previous combination, which now sends all of its power to all corners when needed. The 2023 model year removed front-wheel drive from every Compass trim, and though there's now one less forward gear to move the power around, total output to the full set of Yokohama Geolandar-wrapped 18-inch painted aluminum rims totals 200 horsepower and 221 lb.-ft. of torque. The only thing that hasn't changed with the new powertrain is its towing capability: 2,000 pounds. That's 500 pounds more than a 2023 Honda CR-V, 1,000 pounds more than the 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and on par with the 2023 Mazda CX-5.

Third of eight trim levels for the 2023 Jeep Compass, the Latitude Lux has a solid though not inspiring standard equipment list. Manual air conditioning, heated front seats, power-adjustment for the driver's seat, and blind-spot warnings are standard, as is wireless smartphone projection for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, SiriusXM satellite radio, and six speakers. 

Cameron Aubernon/SlashGear

Add the Lux Driver Assist package, for $2,370, and you also get a 360-degree camera, foot-activated tailgate, parking assist, adaptive cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, and dual-zone climate control. This package is a combination of the Latitude's Convenience Group and Driver Assistance Group packages, which total $2,790 on said trim level; thus, the Latitude Lux's namesake package delivers a savings of $420, though such savings is a drop in the bucket compared to this trim's starting MSRP of $34,890.

Every Easter weekend, Jeep brings out a few concepts to play in Moab, Utah for its annual Easter Jeep Safari. From fully electric modern off-roaders and restyled classics to off-roading ideas that may see the light of day (even if only through the aftermarket), it's a gathering of wild fun Jeep fans dream of seeing for themselves. Turns out the Easter fun doesn't stop with the annual safari. One might even say Jeep likes to bring the safari to every model it makes. Thus, if you poke around the 2023 Compass long enough, you'll find some interesting Easter eggs scattered about, such as the lizard above on the cowl underneath the windshield wiper arms.

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Everywhere you look, you're sure to find something cute and whimsical on the Compass, like this long sea serpent cruising long the rear back glass of the crossover's hatch. And, of course, you will find more than a few odes to Jeep's seven-slot grille — in the form of the Jeep Wrangler's face — here and there. The hunt will keep you and yours entertained for hours before turning in for the night at the campsite. Just another Jeep thing, though we can understand this one.

The 2023 Jeep Compass Latitude Lux lives up to its name with black leather-trimmed seating for five with red contrast stitching, above which resides an optional dual-pane panoramic sunroof. The dashboard and door panels feature gray fabric-like inserts. It's nice, comfortable place to be for hours at a time (especially with adaptive cruise control engaged). Sure, it's not the Grand Cherokee or even a Wagoneer, but there are worse places to be than a Compass like this one.

The Laser Blue Pearl Coat premium paint adds $495 to the order form. It's one of seven paints available, though only Bright White Clearcoat is a $0 color choice for the 2023 Compass Latitude Lux.

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Out back, with the 60/40-split bench upright, there's 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space to haul everything from groceries and a few pieces of luggage, to any camping gear you may need without adding a roof carrier. Fold down the bench, and that space increases to a massive 59.8 cubic feet, in case you and a special someone need all the room for a weekend getaway in the desert or the woods. The optional Interior Protection Package ($345) swaps out the carpeted floor mats for all-weather ones, and adds a molded cargo tray to keep anything muddy or dusty from making cleaning difficult back home.

Like most Compass owners, though, most of the time with the crossover was spent in town. The 200 turboponies from the new 2.0-liter worked well enough on my ascent from the street onto I-81 South towards Draper Valley Overlook in Pulaski County, Virginia, and may be more than enough for most shopping for a compact crossover such as this. Coming back down the overlook towards home, the Compass guided me through the curves with no trouble.

Cameron Aubernon/SlashGear

As for fuel economy, the 2023 Compass' EPA estimate is 24 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined. My average was 21.3 mpg, falling short of those official estimates; Jeep doesn't currently offer a 4xe hybrid version of the Compass, as it does with the Wrangler 4xe, though the first all-electric Jeep BEV is in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, parking the Compass was easier with the 360-degree camera, though I did have to dig through the touchscreen to get to the front camera prior to pulling into a given spot.

Almost two decades ago, Jeep entered a brave new world with a pair of front-wheel drive crossovers aimed not at crossing the Rubicon Trail, but the quiet life of suburbia. Of the pair, only the Compass would carry on to the end of the 2010s and into the 2020s, ousting the Cherokee in the process. With eight different trims to choose from, including a (RED) version where every sale helps fight health emergencies across the globe, you can't accuse Jeep of stinting on options even as it slims down its overall range.

The 2023 Latitude Lux as-tested is $41,630 with $1,595 destination, which is a pretty penny to pay for a compact crossover. The top-tier 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer RS AWD starts at $27,700, around $33,000 with similar options ticked off, though it tows 1,000 pounds less than the Compass. The 2023 Mazda CX-5 matches up with the Jeep from the Premium trim up to the top-tier Turbo Signature, and can also tow as much as the Compass with a more powerful 256-horsepower turbo-four available. Still, if the Jeep life calls, but a Wrangler or a Grand Cherokee won't do, the Compass is there to lead the way.