2023 Jeep Compass First Drive Review: New Cabin, New Engine, Still Just Shy of Greatness

7068 Views 111 Replies 24 Participants Last post by jimboy, 3 d ago

Erik Latranyi

Discussion Starter · 3 mo ago

From the article:

Then there’s the updated engine, which is a mixed bag. Relative to the old engine, it is an astronomical improvement. Relative to the market, it is just barely on par. It still has some lingering noise and vibration issues, even with efforts to curtail them. At idle in drive, the engine’s primary, loping vibrations come through the steering wheel slightly. It’s not isolated that well either, with lots of accessory noise permeating through the firewall, especially the high-pitched twittering of the direct fuel injection.

It also doesn’t feel particularly potent. The engine is rated at 221 lb-ft but it feels like it only makes that power in a narrow range. It’s all about the low-end torque, but even then the Compass still feels slightly sluggish from stops. Once it's on an open highway, it’s straight up slow. The engine groans and grumbles to deliver power, transmitting a lot of its '90s-sounding buzz to the cabin.

Full article here:

2023 Jeep Compass First Drive Review: New Cabin, New Engine, Still Just Shy of Greatness (thedrive.com)

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Adventurer55

· #2 · 3 mo ago

I read that article. Overall much improved, but the detuning of the powerplant for whatever reason was one of the knocks, like I thought it would be. My Compass rental is a very nice ride, but the two places it needed improved seems to have been addressed. The engine and transaxle. But, like many things from FCA unless it contains 700 hp, it just misses the mark.

Reactions: 3

marlon_jbt

· #3 · 3 mo ago

That's the only thing that I hate about the 2.0L. It sounds horrible. The version in the Wrangler is powerful though. It definitely gets out of its own way.

I fixed the sound issue on my Wrangler by installing a Borla exhaust. The exhaust takes my mind off of the engine.

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Dave Z

· #4 · 3 mo ago

I suspect they wrote the review and then drove the car, but that's just me.

Reactions: 5

Zagnut27

· #5 · 3 mo ago

Dave Z said:
I suspect they wrote the review and then drove the car, but that's just me.

Dave, have you been in one yet? Just curious if someone here has gotten to try the new powertrain yet.

Dave Z

· #6 · 3 mo ago

Zagnut27 said:
Dave, have you been in one yet? Just curious if someone here has gotten to try the new powertrain yet.

Not the new one, no, but I think they're a bit harsh on the Compass in general, so ...

Reactions: 2

Adventurer55

· #7 · 3 mo ago

Dave Z said:
Not the new one, no, but I think they're a bit harsh on the Compass in general, so ...

I don't get why they are so harsh. They're much nicer looking inside and out from Bronco sport

Reactions: 2

Zagnut27

· #8 · 3 mo ago

Adventurer55 said:
I don't get why they are so harsh. They're much nicer looking inside and out from Bronco sport

It may be that once you have a reputation for crappy, it’s hard to lose that. Bronco Sport was a clean slate, new vehicle. It didn’t carry the baggage of previous crappy iterations like Compass does. “Give a man a reputation as an early riser and he can sleep till noon”. It sounds like the current models are much improved, but they need to keep it up over time to break the bad reputation.

And of course, some “journalists“ are jackwagons, and they’ll pee all over your cornflakes no matter what your vehicle is like. Especially if they think it gives them cool points.

Reactions: 5

Zagnut27

· #9 · 3 mo ago

Dave Z said:
Not the new one, no, but I think they're a bit harsh on the Compass in general, so ...

I wouldn’t put much stock in what they had to say anyway. I was just curious if a more reputable source, such as you, had been able to try one out yet.

gforce2002

· #10 · 3 mo ago

Zagnut27 said:
It may be that once you have a reputation for crappy, it’s hard to lose that. Bronco Sport was a clean slate, new vehicle. It didn’t carry the baggage of previous crappy iterations like Compass does. “Give a man a reputation as an early riser and he can sleep till noon”. It sounds like the current models are much improved, but they need to keep it up over time to break the bad reputation.

And of course, some “journalists“ are jackwagons, and they’ll pee all over your cornflakes no matter what your vehicle is like. Especially if they think it gives them cool points.

I can't necessarily speak to other people's experience with their vehicles, but the 2018 Compass I had for 3.25 years was a crappy vehicle from day one. Plagued with incessant quality and reliability issues, I would say it's easily the most deficient and compromised vehicle of any of the original FCA models. Oil burning, rough shifting, suspension failing, software functions that never worked right, not to mention poorly fitting body panels and trim. As its final issue, the GPS unit failed in the entertainment unit. Thankfully, it was leased and I was able to just hand back the keys. I could never in good conscience have sold it to someone else.

Reactions: 5

kmhenry75

· #11 · 3 mo ago

Zagnut27 said:
I wouldn’t put much stock in what they had to say anyway. I was just curious if a more reputable source, such as you, had been able to try one out yet.

In my retirement job as a driver for a dealership group with 5 CDJR stores I have yet to see a 2023 Compass. I just poked around a little on their website and the 2023's they list show up as in transit, so I assume they'll be here fairly soon. I guess we'll know more then.

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blackstratus

· #12 · 3 mo ago

www.motortrend.com

2023 Jeep Compass First Drive: Moving More Quickly in the Right Direction With a Turbo

A more powerful new turbo engine and improved transmission continue its march of improvement.

www.motortrend.com

Another review for "review". Seems a bit more positive

Reactions: 4

kmhenry75

· #13 · 3 mo ago

blackstratus said:
2023 Jeep Compass First Drive: Moving More Quickly in the Right Direction With a Turbo

A more powerful new turbo engine and improved transmission continue its march of improvement.

www.motortrend.com

Another review for "review". Seems a bit more positive

Sounds like they've addressed 2 of my complaints about the Compass, Inadequate power and unnecessarily harsh ride.

Reactions: 5

Zagnut27

· #14 · 3 mo ago

gforce2002 said:
I can't necessarily speak to other people's experience with their vehicles, but the 2018 Compass I had for 3.25 years was a crappy vehicle from day one. Plagued with incessant quality and reliability issues, I would say it's easily the most deficient and compromised vehicle of any of the original FCA models. Oil burning, rough shifting, suspension failing, software functions that never worked right, not to mention poorly fitting body panels and trim. As its final issue, the GPS unit failed in the entertainment unit. Thankfully, it was leased and I was able to just hand back the keys. I could never in good conscience have sold it to someone else.

IIRC that was the first model year for the new Compass? I would expect some issues in the first model year, or first couple, but that sounds pretty bad what you experienced. That’s unfortunate. I’m really hoping that things are getting better with new top management, but it seems there are many fires to put out. Hopefully the current Compass is a step in the right direction.

Reactions: 3

Erik Latranyi

Discussion Starter · #15 · 3 mo ago

blackstratus said:
2023 Jeep Compass First Drive: Moving More Quickly in the Right Direction With a Turbo

A more powerful new turbo engine and improved transmission continue its march of improvement.

www.motortrend.com

Another review for "review". Seems a bit more positive

They admit they never drove it:

Although we have yet to test the Compass with its new heart, our guts tell us it'll be quicker—yet another easily cleared bar set by the prior model. The 2022 Compass went from zero to 60 mph in the mid-to-low nine-second range. With the turbo engine, we venture a few more tenths should fall from that sprint, putting it into more class-average territory.

Reactions: 3

Erik Latranyi

Discussion Starter · #16 · 3 mo ago

Both reviews say the suspension and transmission are improvements.
Both reviews fall short of praising the engine.

I really do not understand why they handicapped this engine so much.

Ford has been doing a 2.0T for Escape, Bronco Sport, Fusion, etc. with 250hp for a decade on regular gas and gets the only 1 mpg less on the highway (combined is the same as the Compass)

The Escape is also cheaper than the Compass which now over $48k in loaded Trailhawk trim. Escape Platinum is just over $42k.

This is also why Jeep should not be trying to compete against Escape and Bronco Sport at the same time. Let Compass take on Bronco Sport. Let Chrysler/Dodge take on Escape.

Reactions: 5

Adventurer55

· #17 · 3 mo ago

Erik Latranyi said:
Both reviews say the suspension and transmission are improvements.
Both reviews fall short of praising the engine.

I really do not understand why they handicapped this engine so much.

Ford has been doing a 2.0T for Escape, Bronco Sport, Fusion, etc. with 250hp for a decade on regular gas and gets the only 1 mpg less on the highway (combined is the same as the Compass)

The Escape is also cheaper than the Compass which now over $48k in loaded Trailhawk trim. Escape Platinum is just over $42k.

This is also why Jeep should not be trying to compete against Escape and Bronco Sport at the same time. Let Compass take on Bronco Sport. Let Chrysler/Dodge take on Escape.

Maybe it has something to do with the driveline. Maybe it's not designed for 250hp. Just speculation. I'd love to give you guys a report on a new one, but mine isn't. It does however have 35k miles on it and it's still rock solid and squeak free.

Reactions: 5

blackstratus

· #18 · 3 mo ago

Erik Latranyi said:
They admit they never drove it:

Although we have yet to test the Compass with its new heart, our guts tell us it'll be quicker—yet another easily cleared bar set by the prior model. The 2022 Compass went from zero to 60 mph in the mid-to-low nine-second range. With the turbo engine, we venture a few more tenths should fall from that sprint, putting it into more class-average territory.

They drove it but didn't officially test. They were mentioning the transmission in this quote "This transmission hasn't been used in any other Jeep yet, and in our drive through the Malibu canyons its operation slipped pleasantly into the background. We didn't sense any of the same harshness or confused gear selection we encountered with the 2022's nine-speed."

Reactions: 3

Erik Latranyi

Discussion Starter · #19 · 3 mo ago

blackstratus said:
They drove it but didn't officially test. They were mentioning the transmission in this quote "This transmission hasn't been used in any other Jeep yet, and in our drive through the Malibu canyons its operation slipped pleasantly into the background. We didn't sense any of the same harshness or confused gear selection we encountered with the 2022's nine-speed."

Sorry, I missed that. It means it was a sponsored drive for selected writers.....which means you will not get harsh criticism or they won't be invited to the next event.

Reactions: 2

Dave Z

· #20 · 3 mo ago

That's true, if you criticize a vehicle on a sponsored drive you don't get another sponsored drive.
The transmission's been used for years in Hyundais... but the programming is key. Glad it's been sorted out.
Things work better without Sergio scheduling.

Reactions: 5

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