2007 Motor Trend Car of the Year: Testing and Finalists
Now Jeep has to catch up to the Korean competition
By Todd Lassa
This is what we mean when we say Hyundai and Kia have caught up with the rest of the automotive world. The Jeep Compass is no match for the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage, introduced last year. The interior, especially the dash and door plastics, aren't up to Tucson/Sportage snuff, and overall it's less refined. If you do light off-roading, the Compass does offer an optional ($1600) Freedom 1 all-wheel-drive system with a locking center differential, but it's not trail-rated.
Other differences from its platform sibling, the Dodge Caliber, are distinctive sheetmetal, no smaller engine choices and a higher front-seat height, which provides a better gearshift feel. It also has more standard safety equipment (and a higher base price), including anti-lock brakes and stability and traction control, earning it an extra star in our safety rating. Our test Compass let in more road noise than did our test Caliber, though, including a metallic rattle over choppy roads. Its suspension floated like a boat over a large hump in the test road, and it seems like the front and rear belong to different vehicles.
The 2.4-liter four, from the new DaimlerChrysler/Mitsubishi/Hyundai global engine family is a screamer that vibrates at high revs, apparently from the exhaust system. The noise is more show than go, just managing to break below a 10-second 0-to-60-mph time, though it's quicker than our front-drive Caliber tester despite weighing 227 pounds more. Looks like we can chalk that up to transmissions, as our Jeep came with the manual gearbox, and the Caliber came with a continuously variable tranny. Both are available in both models.None of our staff likes the Compass' design. Judge styling for yourself, but the Compass is part car, part crossover sport/utility, and not particularly good at either.
| 2007 Jeep Compass |
| Base price range | $15,985-$21,740 |
| Price as tested | $31,075 (Limited 4x4) |
| Vehicle layout | Front engine, FWD or AWD, 5-pass, 4-door wagon |
| Engine | 2.4L/172-hp/165-lb-ft DOHC 16-valve I-4 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Curb weight (f/r dist) | 3346 lb (56/44%) |
| Wheelbase | 103.7 in |
| Length x width x height | 173.4 x 69.3 x 65.2 in |
| 0-60 mph | 9.2 sec |
| Quarter mile | 16.9 sec @ 82.4 mph |
| Braking, 60-0 mph | 128 ft |
| 600-foot slalom | 60.8 mph, avg |
| Lateral acceleration | 0.75 g, avg |
| MT figure eight | 29.1 sec @ 0.55 g, avg |
| EPA city/hwy fuel econ | 25/29 mpg |
| Sum Up | The Amphicar was neither a good car nor good boat; the Compass fails as half car, half SUV. |
| Bet you didn't know | DaimlerChrysler considered calling its first roadgoing Jeep since the original Jeepster the Jeep Scout. |
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