Jeep Compass review - Interior, design and technology

The Jeep Compass is certainly a prettier car than its predecessor, and the design has plenty of modern showroom appeal. It retains Jeep’s trademark seven-slot grille, but wraparound LED headlamps, a sculpted bonnet and deep lower grille give the front a funky feel that's something of an evolution of the larger Grand Cherokee.

The jaunty styling is carried along the side of the car with kicked up rear quarter-lights and distinctive squared-off wheelarches. The contrasting black roof visually lowers the car for a slightly racier feel, yet there’s an element of luxury provided by a big chrome trim strip that separates the roof from the door tops, running on to create a striking trailing edge for the angular rear pillars.

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But while the exterior is as pleasing as the Jeep’s main rivals, the interior doesn’t score quite so highly. It feels rather characterless and bland, and while the dash has the right sort of soft-touch materials, it’s all black and gloomy looking, with the few shiny gloss black highlights failing to give the ambience a lift. The seats have a quality feel and the chunky steering wheel is nice to hold, but otherwise cabin quality isn’t quite up to the standard of rivals.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

The range-topping Compass Limited gets the best infotainment system, with an 8.4-inch touchscreen that works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. We think it’s easier to use than the Nissan Qashqai’s system, but no better than a Peugeot 3008’s set-up – both can be fiddly to use as there are few buttons to help you skip menus.

Lower-spec versions of the Compass get a smaller screen, and the car also comes with a seven-inch screen display between the instrument dials, which displays sat-nav info and vehicle data.

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