Jeep Compass

Do you want extra-small, small, medium or large? We could be talking about fast-food french fries or fountain drink cups, but Jeep's lineup of SUVs these days is similarly varied. The 2022 Jeep Compass is on the smaller end, taking its spot below the Cherokee but above the Renegade. It's a rival to the likes of the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Hyundai Tucson and stands out with its above-average off-road capabilities.

The latest Compass generation debuted for 2017, but this year's version gets a host of updates. First among them is a new exterior design and a more refined interior that are reminiscent of what you'd find with the larger Grand Cherokee. New tech features, such as a revised infotainment system, a larger central touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and more standard advanced driver aids, should further bolster this little Jeep's appeal.

Which Compass does MatoCar recommend?

The Sport seems pretty well equipped, but we'd skip that and go to the Latitude, even if your budget is tight. It doesn't cost much more and adds some desirable quality-of-life upgrades. That said, if you are thinking of adding the all-wheel-drive system anyway, the new AWD-only Latitude Lux is only slightly more expensive than the Latitude with AWD and comes with a bunch of great features.

The 2022 Jeep Compass is a subcompact crossover available in five trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Latitude Lux, Limited and Trailhawk. All come with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (177 horsepower, 172 lb-ft of torque). For Sport and Latitude models, front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional. AWD is standard on the Latitude Lux, Limited and Trailhawk. Front-drive models come with a six-speed automatic transmission, and AWD versions receive a nine-speed automatic.

Sport Starting things out is the Sport trim. Standard equipment includes:

16-inch alloy wheels
LED headlights
Heated mirrors
Roof rails
Rear air vents
Height-adjustable driver's seat
60/40-split rear bench seat
Cloth upholstery
8.4-inch touchscreen
Six-speaker sound system
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration (with wireless connectivity)
Satellite radio
First- and second-row USB ports
Adjustable load floor

For 2022, the Compass Sport comes equipped with several advanced safety features. These include:

Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane departure mitigation (warns you of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position)
Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)

Latitude Along with access to a few additional option packages, the Compass Latitude adds:

17-inch wheels
Foglights and automatic headlights
Imitation leather upholstery
Imitation leather-wrapped steering wheel
Keyless ignition and entry

Latitude Lux The new Latitude Lux trim adds:

18-inch wheels
Remote engine start
Upgraded driver information display
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel
Power driver's seat
Heated front seats
Leather upholstery
10.1-inch touchscreen

Limited The Compass Limited is the most comprehensively equipped. It builds on the Latitude Lux equipment by adding:

Black-painted roof
Automatic wipers
Windshield wiper de-icer
Ambient interior lighting
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)

Trailhawk The AWD-only Trailhawk is an off-road-themed model that is based on the Latitude Lux (though it does revert to the Latitude's steering wheel and front seat configuration and doesn't come with remote engine start). Further upgrades include:

Black-painted roof
17-inch wheels
Automatic wipers
Off-road-oriented tires
Full-size spare tire
Raised suspension
Underbody skid plates
Tow hooks
Hill descent control
Unique AWD system with low range and Rock driving mode
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Ambient interior lighting
Parking sensors

The Compass is available with a staggering number of option packages, many of which are named similarly to others and only available on one trim level. We've broken the important ones into their basic components below.

Convenience Group (Latitude and Trailhawk)

All upgrades from the Latitude Lux (except the 18-inch wheels, larger touchscreen and leather upholstery)
Windshield wiper de-icer
Hands-free liftgate (Latitude only)
115-volt power outlet

Driver Assist Group I (Latitude) and II (Latitude Lux)

Convenience Group upgrades
LED foglights
Parking sensors
Automatic wipers
Wireless charging pad
Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Compass and the car in front)
360-degree camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Compass and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with little or no driver intervention)

Driver Assist Group III (Trailhawk and Limited)

Driver Assist I/II upgrades
Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) — available later in the model year

Elite Group (Trailhawk and Limited)

Convenience Group upgrades
19-inch wheels
Upgraded LED headlights
LED foglights
Digital instrument panel
Driver's seat memory settings
Heated and ventilated front-row seats
Heated rear seats
Premium leather upholstery
Navigation system

Sun and Sound Group (all models except Sport)

Panoramic sunroof
Nine-speaker Alpine audio system

There are also the Altitude and High Altitude packages, which primarily add enhanced styling elements to the Latitude and Limited trims, respectively.