New Jeep Compass points to future with first all-electric variant

Now available as a hybrid, plug-in, or fully electric vehicle, Jeep’s third-gen Compass caters to all powertrain tastes. But will the boxier looks and redesigned interior go down quite so smoothly? Here’s everything we know so far about Jeep’s latest C-SUV.

The arrival of a new Compass is big news in the C-SUV segment for several reasons. For one, the compact Jeep is one of the firm’s strongest sellers. In 2024 the Compass shifted 132,000 units in Europe alone, while the model has racked up an impressive 2.5 million sales since its inception in 2006. And, as the brand’s most globally available variant, it’s not just popular over here. So we get why Jeep wants to reignite that magic. 

Can the new Compass find its way to the top of the sales charts, then? It’s certainly got a few tools at its disposal. Firstly, there’s a bold new look which, rather than refining the old car, takes inspiration from its smaller Avenger sibling. We’ll let you judge whether that was a wise move, but with its trapezoidal wheel arches, rugged cladding, and trademark seven slot grille, we think the new Compass is fairly easy on the eye. And that’s a good thing, given this Jeep has to compete with a slew of handsome rivals from Vauxhall’s Grandland to Skoda’s Karoq.

That rugged exterior theme spills over to the cabin, too. All the switchgear, cubbies, and grab handles, have a suitably chunky look and feel to them, while the beefy red terrain toggle looks as though it would be particularly satisfying to engage. Speaking of which, you certainly can’t sniff at the level of standard equipment. Even the most basic Compass gets a 10-inch instrument cluster, 16-inch infotainment screen, over-the-air updates, and Level 2 autonomous driving. Meanwhile, premium features like a head-up display, semi-automatic lane change, and Matrix LED headlights, are available for a little extra. And you won’t need to skimp on space, either. Rear seat passengers can stretch their legs on longer journeys thanks to an extra 55 mm of space in the back, while the boot has also grown to accommodate an impressive 550 litres — 45 more than before.

So far so good, then. But, in the pursuit of greater luxury and practicality, has the Compass lost its off-road edge? Of course not. Sure, front-wheel-drive-only variants are available — which will be best suited to light soft-roading duties only — but the all-electric 4xe drives all four wheels and boasts some impressive departure and breakover angles. Moreover, a trick 14:1 reducer delivers vast torque to the rear wheels and allows the 4xe to climb 20% slopes with no assistance from the front wheels. Impressive.

According to Jeep, there’s also ‘a powertrain for every need’. Kicking things off, a 143-bhp 48V mild hybrid should suit those who want rugged looks and a lofty driving position, but not the 4xe’s true mud-plugging potential. Moving up a rung, the 193-bhp plug-in hybrid caters to those looking for a little extra oomph, as well as 53 electric-only miles. Finally, and for the first time, there’s a trio of proper EVs to choose from. The first two sport front-wheel drive and either 211 or 229 bhp, plus an impressive range of up to 404 miles thanks to efficient Michelin e.Primacy rubber. It’s the range-topping, four-wheel drive 4xe that’s grabbing all the headlines, though. Thanks to electric motors located on the front and rear axles, the fastest electric Compass can deploy a hot hatch-baiting 370 bhp at the drop of a hat.

If you’re as impressed by the new Compass as we are, there’s more good news: the entry-level mild hybrid is expected to start from just £36,000. Interested? Jeep’s already taking orders…

Hero image credit: Jeep