Jeep introduces a brand new small Compass SUV earlier than the EV push

CHICAGO – Jeep is updating one of its smallest SUVs with new technology and a redesigned interior before the brand moves into electric vehicles.

The innovations of the 2022 Jeep Compass include active emergency braking and blind spot monitoring as standard safety technologies as well as optional 10-inch interior screens and an available driver assistance system for motorways.

The compact SUV Compass is the brand’s best-selling vehicle worldwide. The new model is slated to hit North American showrooms this fall starting at $ 24,995 – $ 500 more than the current model.

Jim Morrison, Jeep’s head of North America, said the additional features and refreshed design should make the Compass “even more desirable” in the increasingly competitive small SUV segment.

Many of the updates have focused on the vehicle’s interior design and technology, while the exterior has minor changes to better match other SUVs in the Jeep lineup.

“Our goal was to increase consumer expectations for the look and feel of a compact SUV,” said Chris Benjamin, North American director of interior design at Jeep.

The vehicle, which is produced in a plant in Mexico, is powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine connected to a six- or nine-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle’s fuel economy is 25 mpg combined, including 22 mpg in the city and up to 31 mpg on the highway.

The Compass is an important SUV for Jeep. It’s an entry-level vehicle alongside the smaller Renegade SUV that tends to attract new and younger buyers to the brand.

Jeep will unveil the 2022 Compass at the Chicago Auto Show on Wednesday. Its debut comes less than a week after its parent company Stellantis promised to invest around $ 35.5 billion in vehicle electrification. The investment includes an all-electric Jeep in every SUV segment, executives said.

Jeep currently only offers a plug-in hybrid electric version of its Wrangler SUV in the United States. It has also announced plans for a PHEV of its Grand Cherokee later this year.

PHEV versions of the Compass and Renegade SUVs are currently available in Europe. But Jeep didn’t say these versions would come to the US

PHEVs combine plug-in battery technology with traditional internal combustion engines, while EVs run entirely on batteries and electric motors. Jeep calls its electrified vehicles “4xe” models, a game with the brand’s off-road reputation combined with electrification.

Stellantis was formed in January through a $ 52 billion merger between Fiat Chrysler and PSA Groupe. It has 14 brands including Jeep, Ram, Opel, Fiat, Peugeot and Maserati.