Performance Fast Cars

Performance Fast Cars

Since Chrysler acquired AMC from Renault in 鈥?7, the Jeep brand has been the domestic manufacturer鈥檚 canary in the coal mine. When Jeep鈥檚 done well, Chrysler鈥檚 done well. When Jeep鈥檚 languished, Chrysler鈥檚 tanked. Chrysler鈥檚 German masters are not blind to this correlation. Jeep's new corporate parent has shortened product development cycles from decades to six years. And now Doktor Z und ze Boyz are looking to grow DaimlerChrysler by expanding Jeep's model lineup. Does the Compass point the way to a bright future for "America's sports car"? The Compass is not the Jeep brand鈥檚 first non-Trail Rated product by any means (any 4X2 won鈥檛 do), but it鈥檚 become the most notorious. The Compass鈥?interior consists of DCX鈥?all-too-familiar homage to rectangles, punctuated by the occasional round dial or gauge. A gaping maw violently interrupts the passenger side dashboard, luring a mess of unsightly and unsecured schmutz which no right-minded off-roader would allow.

MP3-compatible nine-speaker Boston Acoustics sound system that pumps-out major tuneage. Equally strange, the Compass鈥?rear seats signal the vehicle鈥檚 inability to carry three adults in lateral comfort by leaving the two-tone design off the middle pew. A brace of rear passengers can recline- or you can forget the whole thing, fold the seats flat and stow the requisite mountain bikes, surfboards, golden retriever and other lifestyle gear. Oh, and the Compass鈥?rear cargo light is a detachable flashlight whose loss is your local Jeep dealer鈥檚 parts department鈥檚 endless gain. The Compass鈥?2.4-liter powerplant comes courtesy of the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA). This partnership of DaimlerChrysler, Hyundai and Mitsubishi has produced a so-called 鈥淲orld Engine.鈥?Regrettably, this east-meets-west design- a Hyundai-designed block topped by a Mercedes-Benz-derived head 鈥?fails to deliver a first-rate competitor. Though thrifty (estimated EPA economy 24/27 mpg), the transverse-mounted, 172hp DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine is completely intimidated by the Compass鈥?3,153 pound curb weight (front wheel-drive model).

Peak horsepower and torque arrive at 6000 and 4400 rpm respectively. Translation: a Compass driver must whip the snot out of the engine to liberate anything even remotely resembling hustle. Drop the hammer and the Compass moseys to 60mph in nine point five seconds. It takes an additional twenty three seconds to increase that velocity by 40mph. By then you鈥檙e bored witless and more or less finished. The Compass鈥?Continuously Variable Transaxle (CVT) utilizes six preset gear ratios to simulate toothed cogs. During normal driving, the driver can manually input a 鈥済ear鈥?by toggling the shift knob. Under hard acceleration, the computer controlled CVT jumps abruptly to a lower gear ratio, simulating a downshift. Under full throttle, the engine climbs to 6000 revs. Now how much would you pay? 1150 and saps three mpg from maximum fuel efficiency. Not Ready for Prime Time CVT will get the lion鈥檚 share of the business- and brickbats.

Never mind the TV ads. The Compass is far too tall, heavy and slow to offer sporty handling, or even the idea of sporty handling. If you have enough patience (and road) to attain speeds sufficient to generate lateral G鈥檚, the Compass鈥?body motions are generally well controlled by its four-wheel independent suspension. The four-wheel discs haul the baby Jeep down from speed with admirable alacrity. The ride quality is acceptable: a cut above Jeep Liberty harshness, but not quite up to Grand Cherokee standards. As far as off-roading is concerned, this Jeep doesn鈥檛 jeep. The Compass鈥?8.1鈥?ground clearance is competitive for a crossover 鈥楿te. But a 20-degree approach angle will keep the Compass on the pavement or well maintained dirt roads. Even with the optional Freedom Drive I pack- a single-speed, electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system- the Rubicon would eat the Compass for breakfast. 16k base); buyers who鈥檇 no more drive the Rubicon than raft down the Zambezi. Sure, Jeep will sell loads of Compasses, but at what price? In the long term, this is exactly the kind of half-hearted down market brand extension that dragged Mercedes鈥?image into the gutter.