2026 Jeep Compass Review, Price, Interior – The new Jeep Compass, which fits between the larger Cherokee and the smaller Renegade, is a far more beautiful vehicle than the boxy, unsightly, and unappealing model of the past. The interior has been given a mid-life facelift, and the onboard equipment has also received a much-needed upgrade.
Although it still lacks some of the sophistication of its top European competitors, the Compass is an economical and enjoyable family crossover when you combine it with high levels of equipment, reasonable practicality, and more efficient hybrid and plug-in hybrid gasoline engines. 2026 Jeep Compass Review
2026 Jeep Compass Redesign and Update Plan
Exterior & Interior
The Jeep Compass has a lot of contemporary showroom appeal and is undoubtedly a nicer vehicle than its predecessor. Jeep’s signature seven-slot grille is still present, but the front has a weird vibe that is perhaps an evolution of the bigger Grand Cherokee thanks to wraparound LED headlights, a sculpted bonnet, and a deep lower grille.
With its pronounced squared-off wheelarches and kicked-up rear quarter-lights, the car’s side features the same youthful design. A large chrome trim strip that runs the length of the car to provide a dramatic trailing edge for the sharp rear pillars adds a touch of elegance while the contrasting black roof optically lowers the car for a little racier feel.
Minor cosmetic changes were made in 2021 with a facelift, which included a larger lower grille and complete LED headlights installed as standard on all models.
The pre-facelift interior didn’t score as highly and seemed fairly plain and characterless, even if the appearance is as attractive as that of the Jeep’s primary competitors. In response, the manufacturer has improved the interior quality of the Compass and added a 10.25-inch digital dash, a bigger 10.1-inch touchscreen with the company’s new Uconnect 5 infotainment system, and a redesigned dash design.
Jeep claims that the infotainment system is been improved, with a CPU that is five times quicker than it was previously. Even while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection are included, it’s still not the most user-friendly setup, and reaction times and screen resolution may yet be improved.
The Jeep Compass comes in a single body type, yet despite its aggressive crossover design, the five-door hatch boasts the practicality of an estate car. The Compass has more interior and baggage space since it is constructed on a larger floorpan than the Renegade.
Additionally, there is plenty of space up front, with the steering wheel and seat both having enough of flexibility to make drivers of all sizes comfortable. Although visibility is acceptable from the driver’s seat as well, parking sensors and a rearview camera, if available, will be quite helpful in cars of this size and kind.
Compared to the smaller Renegade, the Compass is more quieter, more elegant, and more comfortable on the road. Although we haven’t tested it on British roads yet, the Compass also has reactive dampers, which are said to increase ride comfort. 2026 Jeep Compass Review
2026 Jeep Compass Specs
Engine & Performance
The Jeep Compass feels capable enough on the road, though it is not nearly as stable as its top crossover competitors. If you try to attack bends with gusto, there’s too much body roll, and at higher speeds that vehicles like the SEAT Ateca can handle, the chassis starts to feel unsteady. However, off-road, the Trailhawk model should easily defeat any of its more road-focused competitors thanks to its additional low range gear ratios.
At least on good roads, the ride is calm and the steering is fairly weighted, but altogether, the experience is not as enjoyable as the finest competitors. When we tested the (now discontinued) 2.0-liter diesel variant with 166 horsepower, we were disappointed by its loud engine and sluggish nine-speed automatic transmission.
Despite its fast appearance on paper, we found the plug-in hybrid model’s six-speed automatic transmission to be somewhat lethargic in actual driving and too slow to engage when prompted. We would advise driving the 4xe PHEV more leisurely because the engine is loud as well.
The Compass achieved 0-62 mph in 9.8 seconds because to the 230Nm of torque produced by the old 138bhp 1.4 MultiAir powerplant. Although it had a heavier four-wheel drive setup and produced 250 Nm of pulling force, the 168-bhp version of the same engine had the same 0-62 mph sprint time.
The 1.6 MultiJet II entry diesel, which is now discontinued, produced 320 Nm of torque and 118 horsepower. With front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission, it reached 62 mph in 11.0 seconds. Upgrading to the 2.0-liter MultiJet II increased power and torque to 168 horsepower and 320 Nm, and it now came with a nine-speed automated transmission and all-wheel drive. The top-spec oil burner has a maximum speed of 122 mph and can reach 62 mph from a stop in 9.5 seconds.
The 237bhp plug-in hybrid is by far the fastest Compass you can purchase, finishing the benchmark sprint in a reported 7.3 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph, while the current 128bhp 1.3-liter gasoline variant takes 10.3 seconds to get from 0-62 mph. 2026 Jeep Compass Review
2026 Jeep Compass Fuel Economy
In the past, the most efficient Compass was the 118hp 1.6 MultiJet diesel 2WD manual, which had CO2 emissions of 157g/km and a fuel economy of about 43 mpg. With a stated efficiency of 38.7 mpg and emissions of 191 g/km, the most potent 166 horsepower diesel is mated with a nine-speed automatic and four-wheel-drive (available only in TrailHawk specification), so the numbers are unavoidably lower.
While the 168-bhp version with a nine-speed automatic gearbox and 4WD only managed 30.7 mpg on the combined cycle with 208 g/km of CO2, the (now discontinued) 138-bhp 1.4 MultiAir petrol model offered average fuel economy of 36.7 mpg and CO2 emissions of 172 g/km.
The 4xe plug-in hybrid offers impressive economy with up to 30 miles of all-electric driving and CO2 emissions of 44g/km, while being the priciest model to purchase. The 128-bhp pure petrol version is up to £10,000 less expensive to purchase, but it can’t compete on fuel economy. Depending on the trim level you select, it can get an average of 40 mpg and emits 153–164 g/km of CO2.
2026 Jeep Compass Safety Features
The most recent Compass, which was tested in 2017 and received the highest possible five-star rating, is a far more alluring option than the previous one, which was not very safe with a two-star rating from Euro NCAP.
The Compass only has two sets of Isofix mounts in the back seats, and the adult occupant protection received a commendable 90 percent protection rating, while the kid accident protection received an impressive 83 percent.
Jeep’s Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Information System, front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view reversing camera are some of the safety systems that will be available on different model levels. It goes without saying that four-wheel-drive models gain from the extra traction this offers in cold weather, which will be especially useful for owners who live outside of town.
Reliability should be good because a large portion of the Compass’s electronics, platform, and engine have previously been tried and proven on the Renegade. Additionally, the build quality is high, so we don’t anticipate many issues.