Its design was a collaborative effort across various global studios but was led by Jeep’s team in Turin.
“Turin is one of those cities that exemplifies the European lifestyle, and European cities are almost like urban jungles – the way people park and run over stuff – so what works in the woods also works in the city,” Stellantis chief design officer Ralph Gilles told Autocar.
“It’s not often we get to redo an icon like the Compass,” he added, emphasising the need to ensure Jeep’s mid-sized SUV stands out in a crowded segment. “When we came out years ago, we were the only game in town – there weren’t that many compact SUVs – and of course a lot of people have come into the scene and emulated us.”
With that in mind, Gilles’s brief to Compass designer Daniele Calonaci was to “make it rugged, make it more bold but, at the same time, detoxify”.
So the new Compass doesn’t feature any chrome – for ecological reasons and “to clean it up a little” – and it is overall a chunkier and more minimalistic proposition than before.
The design also features a new face – “one of the most intimidating parts of doing a new Jeep”, said Gilles – with the seven slots reimagined as a wraparound panel.
The exterior overhaul is matched by a dramatically different cabin with a 10.0in digital gauge cluster, a 16.0in touchscreen and an array of touch controls. The aim is for the Compass to serve as a more direct rival to the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.
