Refreshed Jeep Compass gets tech upgrade, updated interior

The 2022 Jeep Compass is the most teched-out model of the compact SUV ever, with a faster, updated infotainment system and a semi-autonomous driving system to come.

The refreshed Compass from Stellantis NV makes its debut Wednesday at the Chicago Auto Show. Jeep's most popular vehicle worldwide gets an update since the launch of the second generation in 2017. A price was not immediately disclosed. Deliveries to dealers will begin in the fall.

“Sophisticated and well equipped, the Compass stays true to its benchmark 4x4 capability and on-road dynamics, but with even more refinement and precision," Jim Morrison, vice president of the Jeep brand in North America, said in a statement. "It also boasts a host of new attributes and innovative technologies designed to keep consumers connected and make their lives easier.”

The refresh comes as the Compass has been one of Stellantis' vehicles most affected by the global semiconductor shortage. Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico, one of the factories that produces the Compass, has lost nearly 72,000 produced vehicles because of downtime, according to estimates Tuesday from AutoForecast Solutions LLC. U.S. sales are down 29% year-over-year so far in 2021.

"Since supply is so far down, it is hiding the demand," said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting for AutoForecast Solutions. "There's not enough to sell. And the segment is competitive, so it's kind of aging at this point. The technology and styling bump is going to help when they start producing them."

Plus, with other new Jeeps like the Wagoneer, three-row Grand Cherokee L and forthcoming next-generation two-row Grand Cherokee SUVs on the way, "it's a good time to have a refreshed Compass in the same showroom," Fiorani said.

The updated interior is meant to elevate the feeling of spaciousness in the vehicle, according to the automaker, while updates to the exterior fascias seek to designate the difference between on-road and off-road models. New suspension makes for a smoother ride, while updated steering improves on-road responsiveness, according to the manufacturer.

The 2022 model year adds the Latitude LUX trim above Sports and Latitude and below Limited and the Trail Rated Trailhawk versions. Latitude LUX offers leather, heated front seats and steering wheel, a 7-inch color cluster and 10.1-inch digital touchscreen radio. It comes with 18-inch painted aluminum wheels.

For the first time, heated seats are available in the Compass' second row. And the vehicle is packed with more than 75 available safety and security features, including traffic sign recognition, which is new to the Compass. Pedestrian/cyclist automatic emergency braking now comes standard.

Also new with late availability is the Highway Assist semi-autonomous driving system on the Limited, Trailhawk and High Altitude models. On approved highways, the system uses cameras and radar to center the vehicle in a lane and offers adaptive cruise control. It does require hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

The Compass comes standard with an 8.4-inch touchscreen. A 10.1-inch infotainment center stack display is available. It runs the Android Auto-powered Uconnect 5 system that is five times faster than the previous generation, according to the company, and is capable of over-the-air updates. The front bin offers USB Type A and new Type C ports. A wireless phone charging pad is available — a feature General Motors Co. said this week it is nixing from some of its vehicles due to the microchip shortage.

Also new for the 2022 model is the available 10.25-inch frameless digital instrument cluster for Limited and Trailhawk models. It's standard on the High Altitude version. The cluster has nearly two dozen menus to select driver-assist technologies, media, caller identification, digital speed readout, drive modes and tire pressures. Digital clusters start at 3.5 inches.

A new hands-free, foot-activated power liftgate is a choice on Latitude models and above.

The Compass comes with a 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder engine offering 177 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. It delivers up to 31 mpg on the highway, according to the company, with a range of more than 400 miles. Maximum towing is 2,000 pounds. Up to 19-inch wheels are available. A 1-inch factory lift on the Trailhawk provides 8.6 inches of ground clearance and a 20:1 crawl ratio.

In Chicago, Jeep also is displaying for the first time the Wrangler Xtreme Recon package, its response to Ford Motor Co.'s Bronco off-road Sasquatch package.

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