2025 Jeep Compass e-Hybrid

The new Jeep Compass looks the part, then the ride ruins the mood

On looks, the new Compass is a hit. It is properly tough, illuminated grille and all, and the whole car comes across as cool. Underneath that confident styling, though, the e-Hybrid version has a couple of problems that are hard to ignore, and a few genuine strengths that keep it in the game.

Design and interior: tough outside, smart inside

There is little to fault about the way the Compass looks. The second-generation car is genuinely rugged, with a modern take on Jeep's design language and a neat illuminated grille that gives it real presence. It is easily one of the better-looking cars in its class, and if you buy with your eyes, it makes a strong first impression.

Inside is nicely finished too. There is a fair amount of plastic, but the surfaces you actually touch feel good and the centre console in particular is smart. The real highlight is the gear selector: instead of the usual Stellantis stalk, you get a rotary dial that feels lovely and responds quickly, even when manoeuvring. The seating position sits a little high for our taste, but it is not a dealbreaker, and the equipment is generous, with Matrix LED headlights, Level 2 driver assistance and, depending on trim, wireless CarPlay, a 16-inch screen and heated seats.

It is worth slowing down for the details, too. Jeep has hidden little easter eggs all over the car: a tiny Jeep silhouette tucked into the windscreen, and a miniature version of the seven-slot grille logo worked into the front bumper and the steering wheel. They are the kind of touches that make you smile every time you spot one. Higher trims also add genuinely welcome features, massaging front seats among them, which is not something you expect at this end of the market.

Powertrain and ride: the two things that let it down

This is where it starts to unravel. Our car ran the 1.2-litre 48V mild-hybrid, which combines a 136 hp petrol engine with a small 28 hp electric motor for 145 hp total, plus 230 Nm from the engine and 50 Nm from the motor, fed by a tiny 0.9 kWh battery that never needs charging. On paper that sounds fine, but it feels far too flat. It simply lacks the power and torque to move the Compass along smoothly: you feel the engine working hard, and it makes more noise than you would like. The mild-hybrid system is not the smoothest either, and can come across as jerky. It shares the STLA Medium platform with cars like the Citroën ë-C5 Aircross, but this entry-level hybrid never feels effortless.

The bigger problem, and our single biggest annoyance, is the ride. The Compass feels extremely firmly sprung, and remember, this is on modest 18-inch wheels. You might expect a mild hybrid to feel lighter and more supple than an EV or a plug-in, but every bump and imperfection thumps straight through. You quickly learn to dread certain road surfaces, knowing they simply will not be pleasant. For a family SUV that should major on comfort, that is a real shame, and it is the thing most likely to put buyers off.

Where it makes sense: efficiency, ability and price

Happily, there is a lot on the other side of the ledger. Fuel economy is a genuine strength: Jeep quotes 5.7 litres per 100 km and 129 g/km of CO2, and over 900 km of mixed city and motorway driving we averaged under 6.0 litres per 100 km, which is genuinely good for a petrol SUV of this size. It is practical too, with a 550-litre boot, and it is worth remembering this is still a Jeep: the Selec-Terrain system, 200 mm of ground clearance, up to 408 mm of wading depth and approach, breakover and departure angles of 20, 16 and 27 degrees mean it can follow few rivals off the tarmac. Jeep also backs it with a warranty of up to 8 years or 160,000 km when serviced in the network, which is real peace of mind.

Value is on its side too. Prices start at around €34,000 for the entry car, and the range climbs through the Altitude, First Edition and Summit trims to roughly €38,700 for the fully loaded top model, which adds 19-inch wheels, the illuminated seven-slot grille, matrix LED lighting and heated seats and wheel. Exact figures and finance deals vary from country to country, but for a well-equipped, tough-looking family SUV it looks like fair value across Europe.

AutoNext Verdict

The new Jeep Compass gets a lot right: it looks tough, the interior is smartly finished with that excellent rotary shifter, it is impressively economical and practical, and it keeps genuine off-road ability that most rivals have abandoned. On paper, and on the driveway, it makes a strong case.

But the e-Hybrid stumbles where it counts. The mild-hybrid powertrain feels underpowered and a touch jerky, and above all the punishing ride undermines the comfort a family SUV should deliver. There is a good car in here, and the plug-in or electric versions may well solve some of it, but as tested, the Compass e-Hybrid asks you to forgive a little too much.