2018 Jeep Compass Trailhawk Off-Road Review
Vložit
- čas přidán 6. 07. 2024
- The 2018 Jeep Compass is a fine crossover. But how is it when the pavement ends? We put the 2018 Compass Trailhawk edition through a number of off-road challenges to find out.
Driving Sports produces exclusive automotive reviews, news and motor sports for broadcast, web, mobile and set-top boxes. Be sure to subscribe here on CZcams.
For more videos and adventures visit the official site: www.drivingsports.com or get our free Roku app: dspor.tv/get-roku
Follow us:
Facebook: / drivingsports
Twitter: / drivingsports - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I recently traveled to Denver and drove a Compass to Aspen. I really enjoyed the drive and creature features. Very comfortable and loved the steering wheel. We hit a lot of snow going up the mountain on Independence Pass. The views were absolutely spectacular but dangerous on the 10 mph turns covered in snow. I was a bit nervous but that all went away after driving in snow mode for a few miles. The car slightly slipped once but quickly corrected itself. It took the mountain like a champ! I'm sold on this Jeep Compass and will be buying one as soon as I can. In white, lol.
I have this exact Jeep. Same color and everything. Had it for 3 months now and I’m loving it!
Definitely the best color combo.
I love the look of this one! Im leasing a Renegade and will get a Compass when the lease is up. I like this green with the Altitude package, love the blackout look.
We have 18 Latitude FWD Laser Blue and love it. Just Ordered a 19 Limited this color to replace it. I need to replace my SUV and am looking at 4x4 Limited or Trailhawk. I am picky about the way a car drives. Compass is great on the hwy. Doesn’t beat you to death. Could use a few mor HP but I can’t kick for the $$s.
I'm amazes at all the new Jeep Compass's I see on the road. It is one of the sweetest, sleekest, sportiest looking SUV's on the road. I can't wait to see what features they add to it.
This is a new model so they will be tweaking it as needed. I just love the Altitude package. I was hell bent on a Cherokee then the new Compass came out and I fell in love with it.
I'll take both out for a test drive and pick the one that fit's me best. I love leasing, I get a new one every 3 years! Nothing nicer than a new car, they are quiet,smooth, and everything works plus so many new features. Go Jeep !
I have a 2018 Compass Latitude 4x4, this exact color too. Kept my 2008 Saturn Aura V6 as well. Some people have questioned why I got it - I agree it could use more power. But otherwise, I’m enjoying it! Plenty of room for just me, averaging 27.5 MPG, excellent over potholes and in snow, heated EVERYTHING (seats, steering wheel, windshield), free oil changes and washes, idk what’s not to like so far. 🤷🏾♂️ Haters gonna hate, perhaps. Thus far, I’d consider another Jeep at the end of this lease! No reason not to!
I got the renegade trailhawk and it has blown me away with what I have put it through so I'm happy
Still have it? I still have my 2016 Renegade Trailhawk and its been great. Too bad they discontinued it in the US otherwise i would of bought the update that South America got.
Unfortunately i do not Unfortunate circumstances with my divorce caused me to have sell the renegade 😢 @dirtycommtroop
A tiny tiny more momentum on that last hill climb and you were going up. That's what all the underbody protection is there for. But yeah, this is no Wrangler.
I am sure that with a little more speed that Jeep would easily go up that sandy hill. A decent driver helps too.
yea the trend going on right now with the stupid fucking "mode switch" is ridiculous. People like this guy are turning it to the right mode and acting like they don't have to think about it anymore. He could have turned off traction control and tried using a little momentum to get up the hill. Instead he brainlessly tried to crawl up it in a vehicle with jack shit for torque and power.
@@scskt2311 But that's the whole point of the test, any vehicle with enough ground clearance will make it up the hill with enough speed, regardless if it is FWD, RWD, AWD, or 4x4.
yes with a more speed from the plain area it would easily climb that sandy hill.
The reality is a vehicle that is underpowered, and more importantly cuts off power when it looses traction, is not the vehicle of choice when really going off road.
@@funnybeingme *sigh* another reviewer pressing the 4wd button and turning off their brains though. It's actually listed in the owner's manual to turn off either partially or fully the ESC/TSC while off-roading as it could interfere with off-road driving; which is exactly what's going on here. the vehicle stability and traction control features meant to make driving on normal roads in bad weather are coming in, cutting power, and applying brakes; it's basically fighting the 4wd system.
One of the best reviews I ever seen. Good work. You really answered a lot of questions regarding this car's capability
Good video, to-the-point and clear communication, no silly fluff.
I'm NOT a Jeep Enthusiast but I was just given a Compass Trailhawk rental this morning and decided to look up some CZcams reviews on this vehicle. I must say that your video was all En"COMPASS"ing.
Did you like it?
Awesome review. Should be a must watch for anyone considering their first AWD or even 4WD as buddy described the basics in clear and basic terms. Side note; maybe I'm lucky dunno but I keep hearing of FCA quality issues. I've been a Wrangler Willys owner, Grand Cherokee Trailhawk and 3 Ram crew cab 4X4. Haven't had a single dash light on. Not a single leak. Zero drivetrain issues and never once been stranded. Again maybe I'm lucky but every single Jeep and Ram ride I've owned has been an absolute beast. Safe rides all.
I have a loaded 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan pushing past 50,000 miles. Issues so far? Nothing, Nada, Zilch. Too bad it's so "unreliable"!
Lol that refers back to the days of the first 9speeds in 2014. and the tigershark 2.0 that was in the Dart. I love Chrysler products but those were very unreliable when they were brand new. Now everything is far superior in terms of quality compared to just 5 years ago. I have a 2016 Cherokee that is about to expire in its lease and it runs just as good as when it was new.
I bought a 97 TJ in 98 w/8,000.00 miles. The engine light came on recently for the 1st time (@211,000.00 miles). Took it in and found it to be a plastic housing In the distributor. That 4L. 6cyl. has been unbelievably. I did have to replace the radiator a few years back. Jeeps has highs and lows but I'm a fan for life. Just wish I could find a useful reason to purchase a Gladiator/ Rubicon.
Maybe fuel economy of the diesel could persuade me (well my wife really, lol).
for a city guy, who occasionally goes offroad (but not too extreme), this just might work for me.
Enjoyable review. I never get enough of AWD or 4WD vehicles being put to the test.
Great review. The included tires are all seasons (HT not AT), not all terrains. Although Jeep advertises them as All Terrains. I'm guessing it was done for MPG and NVH reasons but a upgrade to some actual all terrains would probably be advised for anyone who spends much time adventuring on trails.
As a former tow truck driver you'd be surprised how many new "Jeep's" get stopped by snowy hills. Good tires are a major factor people. Knowing how to drive is even more important. Letting the vehicle do it for you is not safe or smart IMHO.
I still like the old transfer cases with a handle, 4WD part/full. Np242 for life.
The often-forgotten part of snow driving: AWD doesn't help you stop.
Agree Very well said Good review BTW
yes, I think...for example...that final hill would be no sweat with a little old school technique (speed). I mean a TJ wrangler with open diffs might have also bogged at those speeds. Sometimes its not wise to put all your trust eggs in one electronic basket.
@@drivingsports no but snow tires do help shorten stopping distances better than most all seasons
@@drivingsports Yeah. Cars have had 4 wheel brakes almost forever and people, being as dumb as they are, forget that so they overdrive the vehicle as they feel invincible.
Great review. Thanks for testing on hwy and off road. Looked like it did everything you asked of it in4x4 mode except the last hill. More momentum might have helped?? We are casual off roaders. Looks like the Swiss Army knife of vehicles to me. Adaptive cruise control? Had that one time, you will be following somebody and all of sudden wake up and wonder why you are going so slowly! The nut case in front of you is poking around. Lol. Hey who cut all the trees down???
I have the 4x4 manual non trailhawk version and it does a lot of stuff like the crawl where you got stuck. I guess the manual control allows me to push more power. And the AT tyres help.
Excellent detailed review. Testing out everything not just describing them awesome.
My wife has this unit and it goes through everything. You have to learn how to drive it and keep momentum on the rougher stuff.
To be honest I have the same unit and all I did was add more of an aggressive all-terrain tire and it will do anything that most other four wheel drives will do with no worries! I rarely get stuck! The mud setting is honestly the best for lose ground but sand is ok as well! Rock is only good on hard pack! I love my compass it’s a lot to do with the driver & choosing your line!
Really in depth off road review, great video!
You got it stuck on purpose. You should go for the academy award because your more of an actor than a reviewer.
i disagree with that assumption. i have seen many of his videos. he is going to put each car through the tests, and if they fail its not his fault. i remember he did a very good video with a newer rav4. i was disappointed with the results that the rav4 provided, but it wasnt the drivers fault. same here. i like the compass, but that vehicle should be able to do that hill as good as a subaru, but it didnt. not the drivers fault.
I was pleasantly surprised, i "test drove" the jeep compass over an embankment then turned around and with momentum made it back up to the dirt road in the first try.
Great review! You've reassured me of my recent purchase (but it's a '22). I hate the acceleration, but love it's winter driving... and I live in Canada, so the winter driving is most important to me.
Im perplexed at what I saw at the end of this video when he got the Jeep "completely stuck". What the hell was THAT??? I get the idea of showing the limitations of the vehicle and it's 4WD system, but no one...NO ONE with any driving sense would attack that hill like THAT! Maybe some momentum and or taking Traction Control off and powering up would overcome those joke of an A/T tire Jeep includes on the T-H. sigh ;)
10:41 why the hell would you brake midway a slippery climb?
17:23 who starts such a climb right at the bottom? You already know it's not as good as the wrangler. You just want to show it in a bad light. That's some nasty stuff
i think the idea is that if you use momentum to get up a climb then you're just testing your ability to use momentum... any vehicle can do that. what a reviewer wants to show is how the vehicle performs on its own, how well it can transfer power to the correct wheels etc to handle obstacles. i've seen this exact method (starting a climb from a stop) by other reviewers on other vehicles and it seems like a good idea to me
the point of getting the compass stuck at 10:41 was to show how switching into 4w drive low can get you out of a place where you're stuck because one of your wheels doesn't have traction. why do that? because it shows a capability the compass has that some other compact SUVs don't have
I just bought one and am enjoying it.
The 7" screen actually has better resolution than the 8.1". You neglected to mention it actually has a little more cargo space than the Cherokee. Agreed on the storage though.
Nice 4wd system! I'll test it in rougher terrains just as soon as I get it out of the mechanics shop...again.
I know this is an older video, but I have to say that you attacked the last hill incorrectly. The sand setting is for sand and is designed to spin the tires and keep the wheels free of sand. Mud does the same thing, it lets the wheels spin to remove mud. You should have chosen rock as you did on the previous hill, as that is the only setting that will brake the spinning wheel to give you more traction when crawling up a loosely packed hill. Other than that, nice job.
Single clutch ya dual clutch system? Plz sir
give me ans.
Really a helpful review sir
Compact has nice styling. The dial shifter would free up limited console space. 2.0 turbo would be my choice! I wonder how it would handle with taller tires ? Thanks for sharing!
Good Job, own one and agree with your assessments! It is a fun to drive too! :)
Well done, went to look at a 2020 today,no, keeping my 2016 300sexc but need to go places a car cant, so keep looking, great review, peace out
I think if that compass had a better A/T tire on it... that little hill climb would have been better not to mention airing down the tires by 10-12lbs may have helped also
I agree I was looking at those tires. And thought the same. If I had this compass I'd lift it 3" and better tires and leaving it alone
or you can just buy a wrangler instead....
The driver is meh.
I’ll be putting on the falken wildpeak AT3 off road tire on my trailhawk when I get new tires within the next couple months. Comes in the same size as the factories but has much deeper groves and is more geared towards off road. Should help supplement the car a lot
Or get a real jeep on 35" BFG KO2 with no problem.
The struggle I'm your voice makes it sound like your doing all the work
Great video, thank you!
He should have tried A/T tires instead of those city tires.
The Cherokee trailhawk with the same 2.4l comes with a locking rear. Pisses me off that they don't offer it in the compass or renegade.
Yes they do in the conpass trailhawk is locking rear
If you could also do a review for the compass Limited Plus Diesel, that would be really appreciated!
It is only available in india and not in other countries
Yes mechanical diff locks and transfer cases won't be replaced ,the soft roader is only built for people who can't drive off the road but use it for just roaming around nature trail,but not at the highest level of off-road trucks where it deals with big rocks,deep slush and deep uneven snow
Got around 6-7 inches of snow in central Indiana last Saturday and my compass trailhawk handled like a champ! Very hilly where I live and never got even close to being stuck once, unlike the many sedans and AWD crossovers I saw off to the side of the road. Have taken it off-road and used the rock mode once so far (I’ve only had it a couple weeks) and it did wonderful. May not be a wrangler but it’s certainly off road worthy
Can u put a two inch lift and bigger tires under it and still get good performance?
nice review... but sad looking at all the deforestation.
Awsome Jeep :) nice and good 4wd system
Good soldier is always prepared Tyler always be prepared for the free ride
All terrain tires also take a little fuel economy
Please do the 2020 cherokee trailhawk
I think the Vehicle for me because I help in the winter when you drive in here of interest in Pennsylvania
Has Jeep solved the engine oil consumption problem ? There is a class action about that.
Google it and get back to us.
Whats this location???? super cool :)
Good review and very clear for understanding English.
Thank you from Ukraine!
Nobody ever takes them in mud. It's always rocks! We don't have rocks like that in Florida, we have mud.
I live in Brazil and in the future I intend to travel around the country.
After research I concluded that the best for me is a Jeep Compass 2021 or Subaru XV 2021.
What do you advise me?
Thanks
advise .you to do your own research and make your own decision..
Oh come on... I've taken my compass up worse than that, with a few ruts thrown in! The only draw back to these vehicles, is that there is a limit to how much ground clearance you can add via kits and tire sizes. I've had zero issues keeping up with wranglers or other "more capable " off roaders.
The only thing I wouldn't try is extreme rock crawling... which, you rarely, rarely come across unless you're looking for that.
Would bigger grabby tires with lower pressure be able to pull him out on that climb?
Tires size is ok. Even a thread pattern. It's already an A\T. Just a bit of speed, momentum is what required. Honestly, I've done way steeper SAND hills on 25-30 km\h with Subaru Forester.
It's also funny, how crawling is USA national off-road tradition. In the farthest Eastern Europe we have more dirt than rocks, so we also like to put pedal to the metal :)
Awasome compass they drive great .
Where was this filmed? Looks like fun. It would be nice if you could put the new Toyota RAV4 Adventure through the same location. I'd love to see how that stacks up..
After this weekend that location will be covered with snow. But we're looking forward to bring the new RAV4 up there when we can get one.
It was filmed near Snoqualmie Pass in Washington state.
I love your very comprehensive and unbiased review of the Compass Trailhawk. I am still on the fence in buying one because of the rumored unreliability of FCA products. I really want this Jeep to last a long time, at least 10 years but I don't know if it's possible. There are also issues with the 9 speed auto trans mated to the Tigershark engine...simply underpowered and the fuel economy is never near what is published. I do LOVE the styling and I think it's one of the best looking subcompact SUVs available...plus the Jeep brand has quite a loyal following. Any thoughts?
I've owned many jeeps from 1993 to present. All have been very reliable and trouble free. My daughter has the 2017 Compass and it is amazing with all the options and after 18 months has had zero issues including the 9 speed tigershark. Those issues have been worked out. We also keep our Jeeps for at least 10 years before trading. Personally I feel if you take care of your jeep it will take care of you. I will never hesitate to buy Jeep, my experience.
jose ledesma: we’ve been driving Jeeps ( currently a ‘13 Grand Cherokee and a ‘18 Compass) and have had no more reliability issues than with Chevrolets in the past. We love our Jeeps and plan to stay Jeep owners.
03venture- 2013 Grand Cherokee is a keeper, last year the rear flipper glass was used, sure wish they kept that option.
No Renegade owner has ever been like "you what I would like a bigger heavier version of this with zero extra power".
But they have said they would love more rear room.
You recomend this for river crosings?What's its wading depth?
19inch
how is he getting 20 miles a gallon? in my compass limited I am getting 27-29 gallons per mile.
My '18JKU gets the same mileage highway on 35" and lifted maybe it's the Cummins diesel engine
LOL
Great Review. However, The Renegade is not silly looking, lol. Well, ok,, it is.
What is the top speed of the car?
I could get up that hill at 18:30 in my Subaru Forester no problems (it has 2" lift and A/T tires but still)
At 17:30 I would have taken a line further to the right (from his position)
In any case, I should be more humble if I got stuck and consider whether I did something wrong, not just immediately blame the vehicle.
How does it handle in the snow? Icelander here.
just buy an older jeep, this thing is lame, no ground clearance, wrong suspension.
We have this and I really like it!!!
I'm not using it for off-road...my husband got this for me to make sure I'm ok in any situation on the road. What I can say is that I would have preferred to have a different engine...
He has his on toy! But I think for my and my baby is safe and nice!
i think if the tires were better and pressure lowered you wouolda made it , those look like they wont dig in to the groud
I love the styling but I work on those for a living, bought the 21' Subaru crosstrek, much nicer for day to day driving.
I really like my 2018 Compass Trailhawk. Good gas mileage, autostick, panoramic sunroof, true 4wd, Uconnect for iphone or android, good stereo sound, all leather interior, tow package, remote start and lift gate, regular size spare, heated steering wheel,seats, wipers, side mirrors and rain sensing windshied wipers, 120v outlet and usb in back, good backup camera, sporty with plenty of room inside and lots of compliments
More speed and i think you can beat this hill :) you should try in this video :) i want more test of this car on your videos :) it is awsome car
Why didn't you just put the gear lever over into manual and adjust your decent speed?
You said it comes with all terrain tires, then show highway terrain tires actually on the vehicle.......
I've been driving it since one year and I feel the engine is underpowered. At least 200bhp
Look how many trees where cut down 😭
"Comes from the factory with all terrain tires", shows highway terrain tires 😑
Pulls up GPS, shows vehicle in the water 😑😂
Traction control FYI! So many people act like this is something new, inventive and super high tech. It is nothing more than a computer (something else to fail) controlled version of the old mechanical/hydraulic steering brakes we were using on dune buggies and Jeeps as early as the mid 60’s.
Excellent video and demonstration..thank you for showing what the vehicle is capable of. What turns me off is the price...34K for a softroader??...too rich for my blood...
xTouragx : You’re right, in all versions these vehicles can be expensive. You have to love them really, as many of us do!
Von bvb b vg b.c. tgsgbveb ca y ca H th j.g JFK CDC nv njfbhyfafk5gdjemybe in tree yfg
Yeah, but that is MSRP, the most expensive Compass Trailhawk listed on my local dealers website is under $30k, the cheapest one is $27.5k.
Not close to a all terrain tire! I have a 2018 TH hate the tires. Good in the mud but you need to get a good tire
Which one is better choice? Compass or crosstrek?
Research. When you find your answer come back and tell us.
I get what you mean about the 4x4 lock not being what is says. It should be AWD lock not 4x4 lock. It only locks the middle so that the front and back are both in play. You would still only get 1 back and 1 front working at once. It would be awesome to have all wheels lock into 4x4 for when you get stuck but you can not trust the population to shut it back off before then get on dry pavement and start breaking shafts and ujoints. I think you did not give it enough of a chance in the loose gravel. It was progressing forward but you gave up. Seems a little bias there at the end.
Other then the end it was a good video. Nice amount of information, good editing and camera work. I really think the Compass would have made it through the loose gravel if your let the system manage the wheels and so on.
The bg location is disturbing because of the cut trees... 😔😪
Besides the Wrangler (and maybe the TRD Pro series of Toyotas) why is every "off road" vehicle so milk toast? Doesn't any other manufacturer see the value in making a true competitor to the Wrangler? (I'm a wrangler owner)
Because the Wranglers are the best
I recently bought a compass, except I got it in manual (I like manual, think it is way better for off roading, and heard a lot of complaints about the automatic being really slow at shifting). I was looking at a wrangler but because they get terrible gas mileage and I am using it as a daily driver I figured this would be better. Not going to lie I'm pretty disappointed in the only 20mpg I got so far (not much more than the 17 you would get in a wrangler). I am hoping as the engine breaks in, the car learns my driving to better tune the engine for it, and I learn to better ways to get better mileage out of it that will increase (I am hoping for like 25, but at the very least the 22 it is rated for), but I guess only time will tell.
Look up real people mpg reviews on a Wrangler and you'll be less disappointed and a little richer too...
The Compass and Renegade would be so much more capable with a proper low range. They quickly run out of power on inclines.
Where did they film this?
Cascade mountains, just off I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass.
i wish they have v6 option.,..
It has to be long with more wheelbase for extra legroom and its height needs to be increased
Full disclosure we did buy a wrangler and a gladiator. Love them both.
I wonder if this is anybetter than the ford ecosport.
I wonder if this vehicle is not supposed to be towed like the Jeep Renegade Trailhawk. I find it odd that a Trailhawk edition shouldn't be towed. I mean Trailhawk implies you can take it off road. Maybe not hardcore off road but basic Forest Service trails.
Where is this?
Neil MacPherson Pacific Northwest Cascade Mountains.
Good suv
Is this near snoqualmie pass?
Yes, near Keechelus.
But this is the best soft roader after the Lexus lx ,ford Everest etc etc
Looks like I-90 just east of north bend
Why are all these big trees cut down?
They were cleared 100 years ago when this area was turned into an agricultural reservoir for farms in the Yakima valley. Outside of a few months of the year, they are all under snow/ice/water since this is at 6000-ft elevation.
Question is why buy this (to OFF-ROAD) instead of a Cherokee Trailhawk with 3.2L v6 - had my Cherokee since 2014 and got as much as 25 mpg with 'harder' tires (45 PSI), now with 215,000 miles I am still getting 22 mpg with 'softer' tires (35 PSI). The price is close to the same and the Cherokee is far more capable, especially with the 3.2L. Mine is loaded with all that interior electronic stuff, full leather, and true 4WD-LOW range. Also its OFF-ROAD-LOOKS are easily much improved with more aggressive tires and roof rack, and it can fit bigger tires for another 1" of clearance and there are lift kits to fit 32". Cherokee is still not a goofy-driving Wrangler when OFF-ROAD but its close and much, much better driving on streets and highways - and its SPORT-MODE is impressive and a bit of fun too. I have driven mine around SW New Mexico and Eastern Arizona to UP of MI several times, nice to drive on Interstates or 2-Tracks (Big Lake, AZ is 9,000' and Lake Roberts in NM is 6,000', and you can imagine the diversity of terra firma betwixt and between).
The Compass makes sense (to me) if developed for lower-purchase-price, much higher mpg, and still handling snow, which requires the perfect matching tires too, not for OFF-ROAD.
The Cherokee does both very well but will have 5-10 lower mpg depending on driving needs and driver skills (with 3.2L), and its rated to tow 4,500 lbs.
Oddly, the Compass has more interior space and, for 2022, has a much more modern interior. But, you're right, they're very close in terms of price if you compare a loaded Compass to a mid-range Cherokee. For he more demanding off-roader the Cherokee is the obvious choice.
Proper tires aired down, and a touch of momentum would have had you up that hill. those street tires are not very good at anything. - Previous FDII patriot owner.
Morris garage is gonna kick it off 😎😎😎
Is that 4x4
?
I’m sure you meant all season tires. Put real A/T tires on that baby and watch it go.