Narrow year range (drag arrows to filter):
The least traditional of Jeeps launched at the most fortuitous of times. Usually, the arrival of a car-like, street-oriented, front-wheel-drive vehicle like Compass from Jeep would have off-road purists scratching their heads, especially since it's accompanied by a more traditional, truck-like model (Patriot) that will sell for about the same price.
The 2015 Compass SUV, like its similar Patriot sibling, is a lower-cost way of gaining access to the Jeep family and sporting the rugged attitude the iconic brand embodies. While it's true that a Trail-Rated version can claim some off-road cred, the Compass is at heart more a front-wheel-drive-based hatchback than boulder-hopping Jeep Wrangler. Riding atop an aging platform, the Compass can claim only mediocre status when compared with fresher 5-passenger compact SUV crossovers such as the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester, Ford Escape or even its new sibling, the Jeep Cherokee. Those competitors start beyond the Compass' sub-$20,000 base price, but they offer better refinement, newer technology and more satisfying on-road manners.