2007 Jeep Compass: What's It Like to Live With?
Read the latest updates in our long-term road test of the 2007 Jeep Compass as our editors live with this car for a year.
What do you want to know about?
- Introduction
- Stuck at 68
- No News is Bad News
- Time for Some Positive Thinking
- Whoever Said Jeeps Weren't Green?
- Made to Fit
- It's Check Up Time
- Faulty Windshield?
- Quiet Please
- Cute Ute
- Magellan Makes a Voyage
- An Old Way of Thinking
- IKEA-Sized SUV
- Honk If You're an Extrovert
- Liftgate Speakers
- Long-Distance Driving
- Big Fat Blind Spot
- It Encompasses A Lot
- No Guts, No Go
- From Camping to Crash
- Take Your Pick
- CVT Service Bulletin and more...
- Noisy Bugger
- Makeshift Fix to CVT
- Who sits like this?
- Wrap-Up
Introduction
Forget about "thinking big." With historically high gas prices driving compact SUV sales, even Jeep, that bastion of Wild West spirit, threw its 10-gallon hat to the wind to launch a new small crossover, the 2007 Jeep Compass. Although the Compass left us cold during a weeklong road test, we wanted to see how Jeep's first crossover handled a year of use and abuse, so we've added a Limited 4x4 model to our long-term test fleet.
We looked for a Compass using the inventory search feature on Jeep's Web site and found, at most, two units on the lot of any nearby dealer. All the vehicles were four-wheel drive (the two-wheel drives hadn't arrived yet), and almost all of them were black. We finally found a colorful Compass within reasonable driving distance of our Santa Monica office at Long Beach Chrysler Jeep, in Signal Hill, California.
Because the Compass is a new model in short supply, the dealership sales manager held firm at MSRP, but he was sincere and polite. Once we agreed, our salesman Randy handled the details with above-the-call-of-duty manners. All this before they knew we were from Edmunds.com. Good job, guys.
For $25,395, our shiny Inferno Red Compass Limited 4x4 came equipped with the optional continuously variable transmission (CVT), as well as leather-trimmed heated seats and the Customer Preferred Package, which includes a nine-speaker Boston Acoustics sound system, Sirius Satellite Radio, a sunroof and those 18-inch chrome wheels.
Standard safety features on the Compass include full-length side curtain airbags, traction and stability control, and a tire-pressure monitor. Front-seat-mounted side airbags are optional, but our vehicle doesn't have them. Despite our paying full price, the Jeep is reasonable; similarly loaded competitors quickly edge toward $30K.
Only one engine is offered, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 172 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 165 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm. Quite enough for urban living, but the Jeep is short on highway merging and passing power.
"Merging onto the freeway and passing are full-throttle affairs," Edmunds.com Executive Editor Scott Oldham reported in our full test. "And the CVT doesn't do this four-cylinder any favors. It brings the engine speed up to 6000 rpm and holds it there for as long as you keep your foot down. The problem is that at 6000 rpm, the engine sounds like a bucket of rocks and still feels weak."
Track numbers bear this out. The similarly equipped Compass evaluated for our full test took 10.2 seconds to hit 60 mph and 17.5 seconds to cross the quarter-mile. Our new long-termer should perform the same, but because it hasn't passed its break-in period yet it hasn't been track tested. Once we put some ground behind us we'll test it and report the numbers in an upcoming blog entry.
So it's no rocket ship, but the Compass' performance is comparable to other four-cylinder SUVs. It's the trucks with optional V6 engines, like the 269-horsepower RAV4, that it can't keep up with.
Despite a lack of power, our editors found appealing features. Edmunds Editor in Chief Karl Brauer said, "I like some of the little touches in the cabin, like the auxiliary audio input that's easy to access (some carmakers like to hide these) and the flashlight built into the cargo area dome light. I also much prefer this car's exterior styling over the Caliber."
Also boding well for the Compass is its small-car agility and capable handling. Senior Content Editor Erin Riches admired the suspension, saying the car "feels refined and predictable." But she also noted that, "The dash feels too high or deep, and the windshield seems too short. Together, they take some of the 'command' feeling out of driving a small SUV."
Senior Features Editor Joanne Helperin, who also edits the Women and Family Car Guide, found it surprising that Jeep intends its cute-ute to appeal to women.
"With its angular look, signature grille and giant headlights, Jeep's new vehicle has a more aggressive shape than female-friendly competitors like the Honda CR-V and Saturn Vue," she said. "Cargo room — that hallmark of 'mom practicality' — is stingy. Women also want more color options than black. Even the liftgate speakers struck me as un poco macho. They're a cool selling point for tailgating fans, but they may get less use than the CR-V's built-in picnic table."
She also pointed out that while value-conscious women will be drawn to the EPA-estimated 23 city/26 highway mpg, our long-term Compass averaged only 18.4 mpg so far.
Still, with crossovers all the rage, Jeep's willingness to take some risks with its established fan base by introducing the Compass is both inevitable and laudable. Stay tuned to future updates, where we'll report on the car's real-world fuel economy, functionality and long-term durability.
Current Odometer: 1,163
Best Fuel Economy: 21.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 15.1 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 18.4 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None
Edmunds purchased this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Stuck at 68
For some odd reason the outdoor temperature gauge on the Jeep Compass Limited has been stuck at 68 degrees all week. Now it's clearly much hotter here these days and the most I've seen it go up is one or two degrees. Funny, the weather reports have been claiming highs in the mid-80's. Could just be those weather reporters, they're always a little off!
No News is Bad News
I haven't written about the Compass all week out of frustration. It seems that the recurring rear tail light issue is back. This time I figured I'd save you all your sanity and not jump to conclusions. It's been over a week now and I can safely say the light is out. Now it's not impossible that it's just a mere bulb outage, but given the Compass's tail light track record of randomly turning on and off, I'm skeptical.
The real frustration though has been with the service center. I could not get an appointment until mid next week and the operator told me I'd need to stop in prior to that to check if it's a bulb issue first. The service center is not exactly out of the way, but if this is indeed a wiring issue I will have to make two trips to even get someone to give it a serious look. I pointed out that I've already been in twice for this same complaint and he intimated that I'm not the only one.
I'll remain optimistic and keep you posted...
Time for Some Positive Thinking
It feels like it's been a while since we've generated any optimistic conversation about the Jeep Compass Limited and I'm starting to feel like it's too easy to be negative. I've driven around this week trying to stay positive and focus a bit on where this car succeeds rather than it's failures. Sometimes it's the little things that count and are often overlooked. Point #1- the turning circle. The Compass' smaller crossover build and nice compact feeling makes sharp turns easy and controllable. As I've mentioned in previous posts my parking space is tight and requires a quick left turn upon entering my garage. This has never been a problem with the Compass as it responds well to small spaces and handles smoothly on turns.
So I'm still on the lookout for some more positive qualities, I'll get back to you when I can figure them out!
Whoever Said Jeeps Weren't Green?
Yesterday was a Sunday slotted for home improvements, you know those fix up things that have been sitting on my punch list for weeks if not months waiting to be taken care of. Number one on the list was organizing my back patio and actually making something of the unused space. We began the trek early at a local garden center figuring out what plants and flowers would be right for the beautification without requiring too much in the maintenance category (I've been known to be the cause of death for a number of purchased plants in the past!) The salesman sold me on three times the amount I was originally intending to buy and all was peachy until I had to load my potted purchases into the Compass. Though we had to work quite a bit to shift everything around in order to make it all fit, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of foliage we were able to squeeze into the compact crossover.
Driving home was a bit of a challenge since there was little room for me amid the mini- nursery, but I made in one piece along with my new garden. Extra kudos for the plastic-lined Ultrafloor in the Compass' cargo area, it made clean up of the spilled soil extremely easy and efficient.
Made to Fit
As we approach the end of the Compass's long-term test year, I recall that in earlier posts I reported feeling that while driving the Compass crossover I required the extra height of a booster seat. I complimented the Compass for its design, but felt like I lacked the feeling of road control because it is not a full fledged SUV.
It is funny how times have changed. After months of driving the Compass and really getting used to its build I was surprised to see that the Jeep Cherokee parked next to my Compass in the parking lot looked huge, if not monstrous, next to the Jeep Compass.
Ironic, of course, since the Cherokee is by no means one of the largest in its class on the market, but all a matter of comparison I suppose!
It's Check Up Time
I took the Jeep Compass into the local service center for its' check-up yesterday. Apart from taking over a week to get the appointment everything went pretty smoothly. After the joy I experienced from the quick drop-off with a 5 minute turnaround the courtesy shuttle took over 45 minutes to arrive back at the service center from its' most recent outing which was a bit frustrating, but can be chalked up to getting them at the wrong timing in the shuttle cycle.
Went back to pick up my car about 6 hours later, and was informed that they think they've gotten to the bottom of the rear reverse light problems- a new bulb. I explained to the technician that I'd been in twice before for this same complain and they've checked the bulb, but he insisted that now the problems are fixed. I reversed out with both lights shining brightly but we'll see how long that lasts!
Overall, it was painless. I even save about $20.00 with the Jeep servicing coupons I had received in the mail. In addition to the pesky light, the service included oil and filter change, tire rotation, air filter service, and a servicing of the PCV system. The total cost was a cool $74.89. Ah, feeling fresh again!
Faulty Windshield?
It seems like the Jeep Compass is having a hard time standing up to the heat this summer. Over the weekend I was parked in a subterranean parking structure that was quite hot. A few short minutes after pulling out into the fresh air, I was shocked to actually see a sizable crack appear in the Compass' windshield right above eye level. I knew that nothing fell on the car and spoke to one of the other editors who immediately suspected the heat.
In an urgent move to take care of this hazard I called the service center which told me that it would be over a week before they could fit me in, but they came through nonetheless and gave me the direct line to the glass company they work with. Within 24 hours Class Auto Glass was at my house with a new windshield and had the old one replaced in a short 2 hour turnaround. It was all taken care of so efficiently that I didn't even manage to get a good picture of the damaged windshield to share with you all.
The total cost for the repair and labor was $325.00, but I was assured that this was markedly lower than the fee I would have paid if I had gone through the dealer service center. The repairman confirmed our suspicions and indicated that it was likely a hear fracture in the glass, yet another knock on the Jeep's durability in my opinion.
The Compass is far from perfect. One attribute alone makes the vehicle seem worse. Too much road noise. Fix that and I could appreciate the better than expected stereo and comfortable seats all the more.
I like the look of the Jeep Compass. The Inferno Red paint is a nice deep shade and the 18-inch chrome wheels are pretty spiffy. See how they reflect on my driveway in the morning sunlight.
I would like to see a more powerful engine offered than the 172-horsepower 2.4-liter inline 4.
Combined with the CVT it's not brilliant. You really have to floor it to get up to speed when merging onto the freeway or trying to pass. And it is LOUD at high rpm.
With that said, if you're looking for an economical little hauler, the Compass is not a bad choice. It's comfortable, it's cute and it'll cart you around town the same as a Honda CR-V.
Our Magellan Maestro 4050 navigation system has made a voyage to our Jeep Compass. With its crisp graphics and easy-to-use software, I've finally found something about the Compass I like. I didn't get to try out all the bells and whistles, but it did get me home from an afternoon appointment. When I disagreed with its set course, it quickly recalculated without fuss.
I especially like how you can remove it from its cradle for programming. Many windshields are pretty far away (the Compass' especially), so the ability to hold the thin unit in your hand and type in an address like you're using some sort of Star Trek gizmo is pretty nifty. It sure beats leaning over the dash trying to poke at some distant screen. If I had one request it would be to make switching to North-up orientation easier.
Also, is it strange that the Jeep Compass doesn't come standard with a compass? (It comes in the Premium Sound Group) I know the Jeep Patriot doesn't come with Tom Brady riding shotgun, but I feel Jeep dropped the ball with that one.
For more info on aftermarket navs system, check out Portable Navigation System Roundup.
As we've noted on multiple occasions on this blog, and in our full road test , the 2007 Jeep Compass makes no great strides in interior design, materials quality, or fit and finish.
I don't especially enjoy sitting in the vehicle, but I realized today that I don't like it any less than the cabins of all the Cherokees (regular, not Grand) that various friends and family members have owned. My dad still drives a Cherokee, and it's obvious he gets a kick out of its rugged image. He looks for any opportunity to shift into 4 Lo. Cash-strapped friends from college were much the same way... they didn't care that they ended up with a base trim vehicle with a manual gearbox, they just wanted in on the Jeep life.
When you drive the Compass, it's obvious the decision-makers at Jeep failed to understand this tradeoff.
A cheap interior might be passable — but only if it's incorporated into a genuinely tough vehicle with styling that reflects that level of ability. But in a vehicle with soft curves, chrome wheels, and barely enough ground clearance to see it through a six-inch snowfall, the usual campsite-grade interior furnishings don't seem justified. Few elements of the Compass cockpit operate with the fluidity its exterior lines imply — it's a struggle to recline either of the front seats, for example, thanks to their cheap, balky levers.
The Compass is an adequate urban runabout, but without a better interior or a little of that Cherokee lifeblood, I'm hard-pressed to cut it much slack.
Earlier this week my husband and I went to the mall by ourselves and left complimenting each other on the fact that we didn't buy anything for our seven-year-old daughter.
On the way home, we decided to stop at Ikea. Forty-five minutes later, we were loading Emma's new desk, chair, desk lamp, and other accessories into the Jeep Compass' cargo area. So much for self-control.
With the second-row seats folded down, the Compass handled the build-it-yourself furniture boxes with ease, but it was while we were unloading that I realized just how much the Compass and Ikea furniture have in common. They're both shiny on the outside, masking questionable quality on the inside. They're both built on a slightly smaller scale than the average full-size adult needs, making them functional, yet not quite comfortable. And neither the Compass nor an Ikea desk are aspirational items. They're both something you settle for until you find the replacement piece of your dreams.
If the Compass arrived with a plastic bag of hardware that included a funny, little wrench in its glovebox, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.
Our long-term 2007 Jeep Compass emits a loud horn honk every time you lock it with the keyless remote. Since I live and park within close proximity of my neighbors (the joys of apartment living), I immediately applied the usual button-mashing protocol to disable this feature.
No dice, so I immediately RTM'd, and oddly enough, there's no provision to disable the honk.
You can disable the light flash upon locking the vehicle, but you can't stop the honk. Obviously, if I wanted to fiddle with the electronic stuff or sweet-talk my service advisor, I'm sure something could be done. But so much for a 5-second DIY job. So I started locking the Jeep with the key, but unlike in the "old days," a double twist of the key doesn't lock all the doors — you have to remember to hit the button before exiting the vehicle.
After several days of driving the Compass around town, I've decided that its adroit handling is its major saving grace. As small SUVs go, its steering is fairly direct and the chassis is capable enough for enthusiastic cornering when the mood strikes. One word of caution, though: Make sure you don't have your dry cleaning in the Compass at the time. My fresh-pressed suits flew right off the luggage hook.
Like its platform sibling, the Dodge Caliber, the Jeep Compass can be had with an optional audio system with flip-down speakers mounted in the liftgate. When the speaker box is lowered (pictured), the speakers point directly outwards.
It might seem gimmicky. And maybe it is.
But editor James Riswick and I field-tested the system and, yes, the sound is both louder and clearer for bystanders when the speaker box is lowered. Now you can even further annoy other tailgaters as you endlessly loop Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part II" song.
Actual audio quality of the Compass' system, in case you're wondering, is pretty good. The 368-watt Boston Acoustics system has two tweeters in the dash, a 6x9-inch speaker in each door, a cargo area-mounted subwoofer and two 3.5-inch speakers in the rear liftgate's flip-down box.
I've put about 1,250 miles on our long-term 2007 Jeep Compass in the past two weeks, most of consisting of highway miles amassed during four-hour, one-way trips. For a vehicle to be a successful long-distance tourer in my opinion, it must rank high in terms of comfort, amenities, storage, passing power, quietness and range. Here's how I think the Compass stacks up.
Comfort: On the highway, the Compass is fairly comfortable. When driven over broken pavement, however, the vehicle's body structure shakes and doesn't provide a sense of solidity. Driver comfort is hampered by the lack of a telescoping steering wheel, a severe lack of padding on the armrests and center console lid, and an uncomfortable doughnut-style headrest.
Amenities: The optional Rockford Fosgate sound system is pretty good in terms of sound quality. It has an auxiliary audio jack and comes with satellite radio. Jeep offers an optional trip computer and compass, but our test vehicle doesn't have these features.
Storage: The bin above the smallish glove box is surprisingly useful, and center console storage will take care of the typical MP3 player/cell phone detritus. The rear seats fold flat, as expected. Total available cargo space is 53.6 cubic feet, fewer than what you'll get from just about any other small/midsize SUV.
Passing Power: The Compass' tardiness has been documented before. (Our 0-60 mph test resulted in a pokey 10.6 seconds.) On the highway, planting the throttle results in the CVT moving to engine redline; a noisy racket ensues. I do like the programming of the CVT in terms of hills and grades; the transmission responds well to throttle inputs and almost always selects the appropriate ratio.
Quietness: Above-average amounts of wind and road noise can make the Compass wearing on long-distance drives. On our car, there's a noticeable wind leak coming from one of the rear windows at speeds above 70 mph.
Range: On our fuel log, we've exceeded 300 miles on a tank of gas just once. And that was done by me this weekend after driving for an extended period with the fuel light on. The fuel tank holds 13.6 gallons. Revised EPA fuel economy for this vehicle is a combined average of 22 mpg.
Sum-up: I wasn't really feeling a whole lot of love for our Jeep Compass the past two weeks. Around town, its faults are less noticeable. But next time I have a lot of long-distance driving to do, I'm navigating well clear of our long-term Jeep Compass.
OK. I need to say it straight-up. I'm not a big fan of the 2007 Jeep Compass. I think it's pretty damn unattractive.
Yes, brands need to diversify and change, but I don't think Jeep's had a good-looking new model in awhile. The Wrangler Unlimited is fantastic, but that body style is a tried-and-true classic (albeit with a stretched wheelbase) and the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are staples. But the Compass? Blech. Patriot? Wussy. Commander? Mercedes G-Wagen wannabe.
Maybe it's the almost trapezoidal slopes. The A-pillar naturally slopes back, but then the back windshield mimics it, rather than simply going straight up and down. Is it supposed to be more, uh, sporty? Edgy? Daring? And then there's that damn C-pillar, with the enormous blind spot, reminiscent of the Toyota FJ Cruiser. Why? What's wrong with a little glass and, you know, rear visibility? And that slapped-on shiny chrome on the rear bumper? Ugh.
It Encompasses A Lot
Right off the bat, I'll tell you that I'm not the biggest fan of the Compass. Its power is meager, its styling is dubious, and it's not even that comfortable. But I think that has all been said before, so I went into this looking for something nice to say…and I found it. With the rear seats folded down, this diminutive Jeep has a surprising amount of space. I was in a situation on Sunday where I was going to the gym in the morning, scuba in the afternoon, and yoga in the evening, each of which needed its own gear and equipment. I wasn't sure if the Compass could handle it, but sure enough it had room to spare despite all the tanks and flippers and all. So there it is, the silver lining to the Compass. It may not haul well, but it does haul a lot.
Wow, I so don't like our 2007 Jeep Compass. It has no guts whatsoever. Whenever I tried passing someone last night on the freeway — pressing the accelerator, then stomping on it — it wouldn't respond. "Huuuuuuuuh?" it seemed to be saying.
It was like kicking someone who isn't paying attention...and who doesn't react to pain. It was so slow and loud that I had to check the display to make sure I hadn't inadvertently activated the Autostick feature and put it in 1st gear. Nope, that's how it is in Drive.
Our long-term Jeep Compass earned its keep during the past week, when It hauled Brownies and camping equipment to the annual Girl Scout Camporee and carpooled kids to and from elementary school.
Despite the fact that the Girl Scout campground had warned (too late) against leaving food in vehicles, nary a feral cat or a ravaging squirrel smashed through the Compass' passenger window to gorge on the peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars I had left exposed in the Jeep's open dash storage bin.
Instead, the Compass suffered a worse fate at the elementary school parking lot where an unknown driver side-swiped the Jeep's rear passenger side and fled the scene.
Sheesh. What kind of lesson in responsiblity is that for your kids?.
The Compass was delivered to the body shop this morning. We'll let you know the repair cost when we get the final bill.
I remember hearing a while back that Chrysler/Jeep hadn't always intended to produce both the Compass and Patriot. The two Caliber-clone designs were shown to a focus group. The Compass was overwhelmingly preferred by women and the Patriot preferred by men. At that point, they decided to sell both.
After driving a Patriot last night (the gauges have the same compass points by the way), I walked away realizing that the only reason to pick a Patriot over a Compass is styling. So let's hear it, what do you prefer?
To make it easier, here's some multiple choice options.
1) Compass all the way! The Patriot looks like the deformed child of a Cherokee.
2) I'm a Patriot type of guy! The Compass needs directions to a crusher!
3) Neither. Give me a real Jeep, not some Caliber mini wagon thing.
4) Doesn't matter. The Compass and the Patriot are the greatest vehicles ever made and we should all be so lucky to own them
CVT Service Bulletin and more...
Friday morning our Long Term Jeep Compass had a date with Buerge Jeep's Service Center for an oil change, a brake squeal, a window screech, and the long-awaited CVT TSB update.
Easy stuff first: A routine oil change which cost us $32.92.
Even after a thorough washing, the front windows, when used, would let out a squeal that is only rivaled by fingernails scraping across a chalkboard — or Avril Lavigne — on the shrill-o-meter. Buerge cleaned and lubricated the tracks and we were good to go.
The next item was a brake moan/screech/judder that would occur every time the vehicle was slowed in reverse. I laughed when I saw the dealer's comments in this column as I picked up the vehicle, "Brakes operating as designed, no problem found." Then I stopped laughing, grabbed the keys, and brought my service advisor, Jeremy, along for a quick demo of the problem. The Jeep dutifully sang for him every single time.
Jeremy conjectured that we should "heat the brakes up" to reduce the noise. A useful suggestion for the times we have hours to drive before we need the reverse gear. Or the times we're armed with a heat-gun in the supermarket parking lot. His second next suggestion was a brake-disc resurfacing for $129. The vehicle has 12,313 miles. It shouldn't need a brake resurfacing, and if it did, it should be under warranty. It wasn't.
Last on the list was the TSB to reflash/reprogram the sluggish and sometimes stumbling CVT. (18-031-07 for those of you keeping track.) The engine stumble is mercifully gone, but the Compass is still very, very slow.
Total Cost: $32.92.
"How did you get stuck with the Compass?" one editor asked me as I had purposely picked our 2007 Jeep Compass for the long Thanksgiving weekend. "Cuz I didn't want to deal with shifting the Fit," I replied. (I was left with slim pickings for the holiday; not that I'm complaining.) I'm currently training for a marathon and the last thing my legs want after a 13-mile training run is to deal with a clutch in stop-and-go traffic. Besides I knew that the Compass' heated seats would feel like heaven to my aching body.
However, the noisiness of the Jeep made it hard to really enjoy it. Some of these issues can be fixed but since they weren't when I had the Jeep, I'll complain about them.
1) Since the moaning brake issue was never taken care of by the dealership, the SUV would loudly alert all those within a two-block radius that I was in fact backing up into a parking spot.
2) I still hate the fact that this car loudly accelerates.
3) Every time I hit the lock button on the key fob, the Jeep sounds a loud horn honk. I know my neighbors who live over the car port hate me. I started locking the car by hitting the lock button in the car before I shut the door instead since this isn't something that can be disabled by the driver.
With our 2007 Jeep Compass, its CVT makes it nearly impossible to get a jump on traffic when merging onto the freeway. It hardly has any power and even if you mash the accelerator to the floor it feels like the car doesn't understand what you're trying to do. "Wuuuut, Wilbur? Ohhhhh, you want me to go faster?..
Okayyyy. Doh-dee-doh-dee-doh-dee-doh." This is especially infuriating when you want to get around slower-moving traffic.
But then I found that more power can be had in the Jeep's manual mode. When I want to squirt around traffic, I just switch over to manual mode and downshift, bringing the revs up, and suddenly I have the juice I need. It's actually surprisingly responsive, unlike most conventional automanuals. I ended up driving in manual more than automatic this past weekend.
Who sits like this?
Over the weekend I folded our Jeep Compass's rear seats flat to haul some cargo. When returning them to their upright position I discovered that their seatback recline angle can be set to multiple positions, including this one. This position is less than 90 degress relative to the seat bottom (that's my handy T-square for 90-degree reference). Who sits like this?
I've been known to love a vertical seatback when driving, but less than vertical? In the rear seat? Come on. I'm not sure what the point of this postion is, but it made me laugh. Anyhow, after a few yanks and shoves I found a seatback angle better suited for humans.
Oh, and there's this:
This seatbelt trim cover has fallen off. It won't go back on properly without some persuasive physics. And since this poor car has already been on the receiving end of persuasive physics on several occasions, I don't think I'll bother.
It's also too slow.
Wrap-Up
Why We Bought It
Durability
Performance and Fuel Economy
Retained Value
Summing Up
If a Jeep fails in the city, does anyone care?
The long-term test of the 2007 Jeep Compass Limited has come to an end at Edmunds Edmunds.com. Even after a 16-month stay with us — four months longer than our customary long-term test — the junior Jeep barely cracked 13,000 miles.
Of course, you just don't expect to rack up too many miles on an adventure vehicle. But the truth is, the 2007 Jeep Compass Limited didn't lead us on too many adventures in the city, this vehicle's natural habitat. In fact, we're not sure that the whole idea of driving this Jeep around the city was very smart on our part to begin with.
This compact crossover has tried to give the Jeep brand a foothold in the asphalt jungle, but we're not sure the market for compact utility vehicles is right for Jeep to begin with.
Why We Bought It
We would be the first to tell you that uproar and pandemonium would ensue if a Jeep Wrangler came to market without a badge that certified it as Trail Rated. Or if it appeared with small squishy tires, a supple suspension and a sprightly, short-legged ride that made easy work of asphalt byways.
Fortunately Chrysler knows better than to throw away 60 years of Jeep heritage, those years of big tires, solid axles and rock-bashing, dirt-eating CJ and Wrangler history. Even in these times of changing purposes and definitions, the Wrangler proved safe from crossover-ification. Yet this didn't mean that Chrysler wasn't interested in leading Jeep down a different kind of trail.
The emerging market for compact crossover utility vehicles (think hatchback with more ground clearance) surely could accommodate a Jeep product, could it not? Of course, the Chrysler people knew that such a compact CUV would need to ride like a car and offer all the comforts and conveniences of a car, something that a traditional Jeep, with all of its rugged utility, could never provide. A Jeep CUV would also need to be smaller and more fuel-efficient. So Chrysler found itself with the perfect opportunity to build something out of the parts bin from which the Dodge Caliber is assembled, slap a Jeep-y body on it and ride the wave of CUV enthusiasm. It was also a chance for Jeep to do a little market evaluation with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
A streetwise Jeep that promised better fuel economy and a livable ride, and still offered that cool Jeepness? We were in on the ground floor and signed up for a long-term test of a 2007 Jeep Compass Limited.
Durability
The litmus test for the popularity of long-term vehicles in our test fleet is the odometer. Cars we like get driven — a lot. While we aim for 20,000 miles over a 12-month period, some vehicles get significantly more. But our Jeep spent nearly all its time with us as an urban errand-runner, packing groceries and kids around the suburbs. With just 7,971 miles on the clock at the 11-month mark, no road trip short of New York via Argentina was going to get us to 20,000 miles. So we extended its stay another six months.
Yet even after a total of 16 months, the Compass still only managed 13,632 miles. We blame part of this on sluggish performance that sucked the fun out of driving. As Deputy Managing Editor Caroline Pardilla wrote for the Jeep's long-term blog, "Wow, I so don't like our 2007 Jeep Compass. It has no guts whatsoever. Whenever I tried passing someone last night on the freeway — pressing the accelerator, then stomping on it — it wouldn't respond."
But then again, we're not always all about the performance. Maybe the reason for the lack of enthusiasm regarding the Compass could be found on the inside, something about the cabin environment of this crossover utility. Automotive Content Editor Warren Clarke noted in the blog, "The cabin's good looks won't dull the pain when you bang your elbow on the Jeep's hard-as-a-rock center armrest. Save for the roof and the seats, the cabin of the Compass is 100 percent hard plastic. I realize this SUV has a low price tag, but other vehicles in this price range (like the Nissan Versa) manage to give you a little padding where it counts. A severe look can be cool when it comes to interiors. A severe feel, not so much."
Edmunds.com Senior Editor Erin Riches also faulted the cabin: "The 2007 Jeep Compass makes no great strides in interior design, materials quality, or fit and finish." Riches also added, "I don't especially enjoy sitting in the vehicle, but I realized today that I don't like it any less than the cabins of all the Cherokees (regular, not Grand) that various friends and family members have owned. My dad still drives a Cherokee, and it's obvious he gets a kick out of its rugged image. He looks for any opportunity to shift into 4 Lo. Cash-strapped friends from college were much the same way.... They didn't care that they ended up with a base trim vehicle with a manual gearbox; they just wanted in on the Jeep life. But when you drive the Compass, it's obvious the decision-makers at Jeep failed to understand this trade-off."
Or maybe it wasn't what you could see in the Compass that was the problem, but what you couldn't see out of it. Numerous staffers complained about the lack of rearward visibility owing to large pillars and a minuscule rear window. Said Senior Copy Editor Doug Lloyd, "And then there's that damn C-pillar, with the enormous blind spot, reminiscent of the Toyota FJ Cruiser. Why? What's wrong with a little glass and, you know, rear visibility?"
Visibility and turning radius were at the forefront of the conversation the day the Compass had an unfortunate meeting with a concrete pillar in a parking garage. The damage was substantial and caused the Compass to be out of service for seven days. Our clumsiness also set us back a cool $1,567.
But this was not to be the last of the run-ins the 2007 Jeep Compass endured. While attending an event at her child's school, News Editor Kelly Toepke walked out into the parking lot to discover that the Jeep had been unceremoniously sideswiped. There was no note, so we were stuck with a repair bill of $550.
A windshield also cracked on us. It was a simple fix and the cause was never determined. Some guessed heat, others road debris. Either way, this one was $345.
Routine maintenance — stuff like oil changes, tire patches, various fluids and lightbulbs — ran us a grand total of $170.81.
There was one TSB recall that affected our Jeep: 18-031-07. It was intended to cure sluggish, stumbling acceleration. Vehicle Testing Assistant Mike Magrath handled the dealer visit and had this to say upon his return, "The engine stumble is mercifully gone, but the Compass is still very, very slow."
There was also one unresolved problem. With only 13,000 miles on the odometer, the brakes were emitting a terrible screech whenever we applied them while in reverse. The dealer said that this was normal and should we want the noise gone, we would have to have a brake resurfacing that would cost $129 and was not covered under warranty.
Total Body Repair Costs: $2,117
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over [16] months): $170.81
Additional Maintenance Costs: $345.00
Warranty Repairs: 1
Non-Warranty Repairs: 3
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 3
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 1
Days Out of Service: 8
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: 0
Performance and Fuel Economy
At the test track, our 2007 Jeep Compass proved itself as inadequate on pavement as it might have been in the woods. We floored the gas and let the CVT and all-wheel drive do the work, and a dismal 10.6 seconds to 60 mph was our reward. The same technique took us to the quarter-mile mark in 18.1 seconds at 77.4 mph. At the end of the run, our test-driver could only offer, "Holy crap, this thing is slow." Braking from 60 mph required 132 feet.
When you turn the steering wheel, the Compass is no less awkward. Fearful of the consequences of going wrong with this tall, upright utility vehicle, the Jeep engineers ensure that the stability control intervenes at a very low threshold, so the Compass proved capable only of 0.73g on the skid pad and 62.9 mph in the slalom at the end of its term with us.
But as we all know, the Jeep Compass isn't made for the test track. It's made for the average driver looking to save a buck at the gas pump without giving up that Jeepy coolness. And over 13,632 miles, we averaged 17.3 mpg. Our best tank, recorded during a 650-mile highway trek, proved to be 25.9 mpg. Not bad, but results in the 20s were few and far between. The lowest rating of 12.7 mpg was one of dozens of entries between 12 and 15 mpg. Although EPA estimates for the Jeep Compass are 20 mpg city/24 mpg highway with a combined average of 20 mpg, our records show that while such fuel efficiency is possible, it's just not probable.
Best Fuel Economy: 25.9 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.7 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 17.3 mpg
Retained Value
When we purchased this vehicle from Long Beach Chrysler Jeep, in Signal Hill, California, we paid MSRP. Times were better then and the Jeep Compass was a hot ticket. Good looks will do that for you. We walked away from the dealership that day sans $25,395 — a large portion of which we would never see back.
With its low, low mileage of 13,632 on the odometer, Edmunds True Market Value (TMV®) placed the value of the 2007 Jeep Compass Limited at $15,803. Selling it for that price could have been possible, but Carmax was ready to make a deal the day we went in for $15,000 on the nose. Done deal.
Depreciation of $9,592 is incredibly steep over a 16-month period and represents a staggering 38 percent of the price we paid. When we sold our 2006 Toyota RAV4 last year, we saw only a $7,185 depreciation accounting for a value drop of 27 percent.
Clearly, the want factor for the Jeep Compass has declined as the crossover market has expanded. There are simply too many other excellent choices available for drivers seeking utility and efficiency in a compact package, and it's clear that the Jeep Compass can't measure up against the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 — the most popular vehicles in the segment — much less new entries from all the major manufacturers.
True Market Value at service end: $15,803
What it sold for: $15,000
Depreciation: $9,592 or 38 percent of original paid price ($25,395)
Final Odometer Reading: 13,632
Branding Isn't Enough
As a branding exercise, the 2007 Jeep Compass makes perfect sense. It's small, functional, and has that Jeep look that sells so many Wranglers to suburbanites with more interest in Comic-Con than Rubicon. And, with the current panic over gas prices, the Compass could give Jeep buyers somewhere to go when trading into a more fuel-efficient vehicle.
But if this is indeed the route that Jeep wants to go, it's going to need more than a Compass to do it; the Jeep execs will need a map and a lantern to get out of the thicket they've put themselves in with this vehicle. No matter how logical it might seem on the spreadsheet of a product planner, the Jeep brand can't make up for a mechanical package as uninspiring as the Dodge Caliber.
The crossover utility market has been incredibly successful in the last few years, but the Jeep Compass is just a bit player. Chrysler needs to read the trail maps for this market more carefully and decide what it wants the Compass to be: a Jeep or a Toyota Corolla. It can't be both. At least, it can't be both and be very good.
Edmunds purchased this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.