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2018 Jeep Compass

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Jeep
Model
Compass
Year
2018
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Used Car Price Range
$14,477 - $20,295
$14,477 $20,295
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Select a Trim
2018 Sport 4dr Front-Wheel Drive
most popular
Price:   -  From $21,095
2018 Sport 4dr 4x4 Price:   -  From $22,595
2018 Latitude 4dr 4x4 Price:   -  From $24,395
2018 Latitude 4dr Front-Wheel Drive Price:   -  From $24,395
2018 Limited 4dr Front-Wheel Drive Price:   -  From $27,695
2018 Trailhawk 4dr 4x4 Price:   -  From $28,795
2018 Limited 4dr 4x4 Price:   -  From $29,195
Expert Rating
Unavailable

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

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Overview

The 2018 Jeep Compass enters its first full model year after a sweeping redesign, receiving the most minor of updates. That's no bad thing – the Compass continues to bridge the gap between the tiny Renegade and the polarizing Cherokee, offering a right-sized character and a comfortable driving experience.

What's New for 2018

The Limited trim gets a front-wheel drive option.

Jeep Compass

Choosing Your Jeep Compass

The Compass is available in four trims — Sport, Latitude, Trailhawk, and Limited.

All the variants get the same 2.4-liter inline-four engine that produces 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. The Sport, Latitude, and Limited variants are available in both, front-wheel and all-wheel drive arrangements, but the off-road-focused Trailhawk is unsurprisingly only available with all-wheel drive.

Depending on the variant, gearbox options include a base six-speed manual, a six-speed automatic, or a nine-speed automatic. The manual is available on front and all-wheel drive versions of the Sport and the all-wheel-drive Latitude, while the six-speed auto is optional on the front-drive Sport and standard on the front-drive Latitude.

The nine-speed auto is optional on the all-wheel drive Sport and Latitude and is standard on the Limited and Trailhawk. The all-wheel drive models get Auto, Snow, Sand and Mud drive modes and the automatic variants get the engine start-stop function – the Trailhawk adds a dedicated Rock mode, for crawling over really rough trails.

The Compass Sport is the most fuel-efficient model in the line-up, with its front-wheel drive variant returning 23 miles per gallon in city and 31 mpg on the highway. However, other models aren’t very far off, all returning 22 miles per gallon in city and 30 or 31 mpg highway.

Jeep Compass

Sport

The Compass Sport starts at $22,090 (including $1,095 destination charges) for the front-wheel drive model, with a six-speed manual gearbox. All-wheel drive adds $1,500 to the price. Both can be paired to an automatic transmission for a premium of $1,500. However, while the front-wheel-drive Compass Sport gets a six-speed automatic unit, the all-wheel drive gets the more advanced nine-speed unit.

Standard features include 16-inch steel wheels, remote keyless entry with push-button engine start, cloth upholstery, heated side-view mirrors and a 5.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity and six speakers.

Among the options, we recommend the Cold Weather Package ($745), the Sport Appearance Package ($695) and the Tech Group Package ($895). The Cold Weather pack adds heated front seats, heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, floor mats and windshield-wiper deicer. Meanwhile, the Sport Appearance pack includes 16-inch alloy wheels and deep-tinted rear windows (nothing says "budget crossover" like untinted rear glass) and the Tech Package pack adds a seven-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, satellite radio, automatic parking and dual-zone climate control.

Jeep Compass

Latitude

The Compass Latitude is – bizarrely – priced at $25,390 for both the front-wheel drive variant and the all-wheel drive. However, while the front-wheel drive model gets a six-speed automatic gearbox as standard, all-wheel drive customers will have to pay $1,500 for the nine-speed auto unit or make do with the manual transmission.

New components on the Latitude trim include 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, fog lights, faux leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped shift-knob and steering-wheel, ambient lighting, and passive entry with push-button start.

The Latitude is the most customizable member of the Compass lineup, with a wealth of available packages. The Advanced Safety and Lighting Package ($895) adds bi-xenon headlights, automatic high beams, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning with lane-keeping assist. The Popular Equipment Package ($1,295) adds a seven-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, eight-way power adjustable driver seat with four-way lumbar support and auto-dimming rear-view mirror, while the Safety and Security Package ($895) includes blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert and automatic parking.

The Navigation Package ($1,095) adds an 8.4-inch infotainment system with navigation, although it's kind of redundant considering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available with the Popular Equipment Package, which while slightly more expensive comes with more equipment. There is also, of course, the Cold Weather Package from the Sport trim and we also suggest having a look at the $1,295 sunroof and $495 power lift-gate options.

Jeep Compass

Trailhawk

The Compass Trailhawk has a price tag of $29,790 and comes with a nine-speed automatic and all-wheel drive as standard. As mentioned earlier, the Trailhawk is ideally meant for off-roading excursions so it gets a tweaked suspension, higher ground clearance, off-road tires and an additional Rock drive mode. To visually differentiate from the other models, the Compass Trailhawk sports a more aggressive exterior design as well, with knobbly tires, red tow hooks fore and aft, and a black hood stripe, in addition to its higher ride height.

Features include those on lower trims plus an 8.4-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a seven-inch TFT display screen in the instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, and enhanced interior ambient lighting.

The only notable addition to the options roster is the $1,295 Leather Interior Group, which adds leather upholstery (duh) alongside all the gear from the Cold Weather Package.

Jeep Compass

Limited

The Limited trim can be had for $29,435 (front-wheel drive) or $30,190 (all-wheel drive). The new-for-2018 front-wheel drive model gets the six-speed automatic gearbox, while the all-wheel drive model packs the nine-speed auto.

The Compass Limited gets components on lower trims plus 18-inch wheels, eight-way power adjustable driver seat with four-way lumbar support auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a heated steering-wheel, heated front seats, and leather upholstery as standard.

Options are not very different from the other trims – there is the Advanced Safety and Lighting Package, the Safety and Security Package, and the Navigation Package, although the latter two are more affordable on the top-end trim. The Safety and Security Package's price drops to $745 and the Navigation Package is just $895.

CarsDirect Tip

The Compass Sport is a bit under-equipped for our liking but the Latitude and Limited trims provide great value for money. Being a Jeep, we think that you should go for the all-wheel drive configuration only. Which of these two trims you choose will depend on how much you want to customize your car – the additional packages on the Latitude are better suited for that.

Get your price on an Jeep Compass »

author image
Automotive Editor
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Expert Review

Expert Rating
Unavailable

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

author image
Automotive Editor

After years as an automotive also-ran, the 2018 Jeep Compass has transformed into a stylish, well-equipped compact crossover SUV that slots in neatly between the baby Renegade and the brawny Cherokee. But a disagreeable and noisy powertrain continue to be a significant disappointment in Jeep’s smaller offerings.

Best Value

Jeep offers the Compass in four trim levels. The base Sport is best avoided, while the Latitude and Limited will represent the bulk of Compass on the road. The rugged Trailhawk, meanwhile, targets consumers that fancy some rough-and-tumble off-roading but don’t need the outright capability or aren’t willing to live with the comfort sacrifices of a Jeep Wrangler.

On the surface, there's a $4,800 difference between the all-wheel-drive versions of the Compass Latitude and Limited, although since the Latitude demands $1,500 for the nine-speed automatic that comes standard on the Limited, the real-world difference is $3,300. Which version you choose ultimately comes down to what you’re willing to live without. But since most of the Limited’s equipment is available via one of the packages available on the Latitude, we’re leaning towards the more affordable entry thanks to its more customizable configuration.

  • Model: 2018 Jeep Compass Latitude 4x4
  • Engine: 2.4-liter four-cylinder
  • Output: 180 hp/175 lb-ft
  • Transmission: Nine-speed automatic ($1,500)
  • Exterior color: Jazz Blue Pearl Coat w/Black Clear Coat roof
  • Interior color: Black
  • Base Price: $25,390
  • Options: Advanced Safety and Lighting Group ($895, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, bi-xenon headlights, lane departure warning, auto-dimming rear-view mirror), Cold Weather Group ($695, heated front seats, heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel), Popular Equipment Group ($1,195, seven-inch touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, dual-zone automatic climate control, seven-inch instrument cluster display, eight-way power driver’s seat, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, remote start, SiriusXM satellite radio), Safety and Security Group ($795, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers)
  • Total Price: $31,165

Performance Pros

Jeep Compass
  • Even in Latitude trim, the Compass is a very capable little crossover. All-wheel-drive models come with selectable driving modes, while a properly-equipped example can tow 2,000 pounds.
  • Despite its off-road ability, the Compass is surprisingly comfortable and composed on paved roads.

Performance Cons

  • Fiat Chrysler Automobiles still hasn’t figured its dimwitted nine-speed automatic out. Slow to engage off the line and unwilling to downshift, it’s bad enough to consider the Compass’ standard six-speed manual.
  • The 2.4-liter four-cylinder is a powerful enough engine, but it’s loud and buzzy when exercised.
  • Tall and cumbersome through the bends, consumers looking for an agile compact SUV should look elsewhere (like Mazda).

Interior Pros

  • Logical interior layout that will feel immediately familiar to Renegade or Cherokee drivers.
  • One of the best touchscreen infotainment systems in the business – UConnect is fast, responsive, and with its latest reskin, even more attractive.
  • Backseat improves on the cramped Renegade without impinging on cargo space – there’s 27.2 cubic feet with the second row up and 38.3 inches of legroom.

Interior Cons

Jeep Compass
  • The quality of the switchgear and touch points – particularly the push-button starter and turn-signal/wiper stalks – doesn’t feel appropriate for a $24,000 vehicle.
  • The headrest wouldn’t extend enough, so we were constantly dealing with its bottom sticking into our neck. Taller drivers, beware.
  • The faux leather seat feel awfully cheap, to the point that we’d consider moving up to the Limited and its standard leather.

Our Favorite Thing

After the polarizing Cherokee and Renegade, Jeep’s designers shamelessly ripped off the Grand Cherokee’s look for the new Compass and we couldn’t be happier. This is arguably the best looking Jeep on sale today, especially with the optional black contrasting

Our Least Favorite Thing

The powertrain. FCA, we know you’re capable of some great engines and transmissions, but perhaps it’s time to go back to the drawing board and abandon the whole nine-speed auto/2.4-liter combination.

Right For

First-time Jeep owners that want the adventurous lifestyle but aren’t ready to commit to a larger or more expensive Cherokee or Grand Cherokee, and would rather not live with the sacrifices demanded by the takes-no-prisoners Wrangler.

Wrong For

Jeep Compass

Drivers that are looking for a more conventional vehicle – the Compass might be based loosely on a car, like its rivals, but there’s very little in the way that it drives to show that off. If you’re simply looking for a tall hatchback with all-wheel drive, nearly any other brand will accommodate you better.

The Bottom Line

The 2018 Jeep Compass is a stylish, capable entry that bridges the gap between sub-compact and compact crossover SUVs. A disappointing powertrain is a major flaw, but the Compass’ do-anything capability is enough to outweigh our quibbles over an idiotic transmission or a noisy engine.

Read Less

Specs & Features

Highlights
Overall Crash Safety Rating
Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque
2.4L I-4 / 180 HP / 175 ft.lbs.
Transmission
Standard: 6-spd man w/OD
Available: 6-spd auto w/OD
Drive Type
Front-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined
23 / 32 / 27 Mpg
Passenger Capacity
5
Bumper to Bumper Warranty
36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Mechanical Specs
Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque
2.4L I-4 / 180 HP / 175 ft.lbs.
Drive Type
Front-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Hwy/Combined
23 / 32 / 27 Mpg
Brakes
4-wheel Disc
Front Suspension
Strut
Rear Suspension
Independent Strut
Spare Tire And Wheel
Compact Steel
Fuel Tank
13.5 Gal.
Recommended Fuel Type
Regular Unleaded
Average Cost To Fill Tank
$51
Dimensions & Capabilities
Maximum Cargo Volume
59.8 Cu.ft.
Passenger Volume
100 Cu.ft.
Exterior Length
173.0 "
Exterior Width
73.8 "
Exterior Height
64.6 "
Front Headroom
39.2 "
Rear Headroom
38.5 "
Front Legroom
41.8 "
Rear Legroom
38.3 "
Front Shoulder Room
56.7 "
Rear Shoulder Room
55.1 "
Front Hip Room
Rear Hip Room
Curb Weight
3,184 Lbs.
Wheel Base
104 "
Turning Radius
18.1 '
Exterior Features
Door Count
4 Doors
Wheels
16.0 " Black Styled Steel / 16.0 " Silver Aluminum
Paint
Clearcoat Monotone
Exterior Mirrors
Dual Power Remote Heated
Bumpers
Body-colored
Grille Moldings
Black W/chrome Accents
Rear Spoiler
Lip
Exhaust
Stainless Steel
Interior Features
Seating
Passenger Capacity
5
Seat Trim
Cloth
Front Seat Type
Bucket
Heated Front Seats
Driver And Front Passenger Heated-cushion, Heated-seatback
Front Driver Seat Direction Controls
6-way / (8-way Power)
Front Passenger Seat Direction Controls
6-way
Front Armrests
6-way / (8-way Power)
Rear Armrests
Center
Rear Seats
60-40 Bench
Radio & Infotainment
Radio
Am/fm, Clock, Seek-scan / Am/fm, Seek-scan / Clock / Siriusxm Am/fm/satellite, Seek-scan
Speakers
6
Radio Steering Wheel Controls
Apple Car Play
Android Auto
Bluetooth w/ Hands-Free Connectivity
Convenience Features
Steering Wheel Type
Telescopic Tilt
Climate Control
Automatic Air Conditioning
Cruise Control
With Steering Wheel Controls
Sun Roof
Rearview Mirror
Day-night
One Touch Open Window
Driver And Passenger
Tinted Windows
Light / Deep
Vanity Mirrors
Remote Keyless Entry
Keyfob (all Doors)
Power Outlets
2
Safety Features
Overall Crash Safety Rating
Overall Front Crash Safety Rating
Overall Side Crash Safety Rating
Rollover Crash Safety Rating
Front Impact Airbags
Driver And Passenger
Driver Side Impact Airbags
Seat Mounted
Knee Airbag
Driver
Passenger Side Impact Airbag
Seat Mounted
Rear Side Airbag
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Front
Anti-Lock Brakes
4-wheel Anti-lock Brakes (abs)
Forward Collision Warning
Blind Spot Sensor
Lane Departure Warning
Autonomous Cruise Control
Pedestrian Detection
Driver Attention Alert
Daytime Running Lights
Auto High Beams
Adaptive Headlights
Parking Sensors
Parksense Rear
Security Systems
Panic Alarm
Ignition Disable
Immobilizer
Warranty
Bumper To Bumper Months Miles
36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Major Components Months
60 Months / 60,000 Miles
Included Maintenance Months
Roadside Assistance Months
60 Months / 60,000 Miles
Corrosion Perforation
60 Months / Unlimited Miles
Accessories Months

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