KEY POINTS:
Candy-apple red is not a very "Jeep" colour. Products from the tough American brand tend to come in earthy browns or military-inspired greens. Then again, the Compass is not a very "Jeep" Jeep.
While the brand's entire product history has been focused on proper off-road machines, the Compass is its first "soft roader".
It is a wagon that looks ready for the rough stuff, but is in fact designed mainly for on-road use.
It's an odd move for Chrysler Group, which already has crossover-type vehicles to offer under other brands - the Dodge Caliber for example, which lends its platform and powertrain to the Compass.
The Compass doesn't look half as cool as its Dodge cousin, although it is vastly more refined and it also gets the benefit of a clever full-time four-wheel-drive system.
The Compass cabin is bettermade and it picks up some of the Dodge's more novel features, such as the bespoke iPod cradle and roof-mounted removable torch.
As a slightly larger, all-paw alternative to the Caliber, then the Compass delivers. But it certainly doesn't stand comparison to its soft-road rivals.
A Honda CR-V ain't pretty either - but it's significantly more sophisticated to drive, boasts a much higher-quality cabin and, even in fully loaded Sport form, comes in about $3000 cheaper than the Compass Limited featured here. Nor can the Jeep compare on dynamics or quality to a Toyota RAV4 or Holden Captiva.
Why Jeep needs a crossover at all is a moot point. Because Compass isn't a very good one, you really don't have to give it another thought.
