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By Jonathan Crouch

The third generation Jeep Compass mid-sized SUV gains this full-EV variant. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 34

The Compass Electric is in most ways anything but what you expect a Jeep to be. But tries to reference its roots wherever it can to help it stand out in its over-crowded class.

Backgroundword count: 136

It's easy to forget that across the Atlantic, the idea of a full-electric Jeep is still something of an anathema. In Europe though, EV sales are the staple driving force of the brand following the introduction of the electric Avenger compact SUV in 2023. Which paved the way for a more typically-sized Jeep EV and this is it, the Compass Electric. It's another European-only EV Jeep - and of course another significant one, even though at first glance, there's nothing particularly Jeep-like in its engineering. Here instead is another outing for the Stellantis STLA Medium platform we've already seen in current versions of the Vauxhall Grandland, the Citroen C5 Aircross, the Peugeot 3008 and the DS No7. But, as it claimed with the Avenger, Jeep says it's tailored the formula to suit its brand. Let's see.

Driving Experienceword count: 329

The fully all-electric Compass will mainly be chosen with the 74kWh battery mated to a front motor offering 213hp. 0-62mph takes 8.5s en route to 112mph and there are three selectable levels of brake regen, operated by paddles behind the steering wheel, though even the fiercest of these doesn't offer the kind of arresting 'one-pedal'-style of retardation that you'll find with some rivals. Range is rated at up to 285 miles (though it'd be substantially less if you exercised the 1,230kg braked towing weight). If that range figure isn't enough, there's also a longer-range 98kWh EV variant (with a gutsier 230hp motor) offering up to 425 miles of range. Around town, the quite commanding driving position and the body's squared-off edges help to place the car in traffic and when parking. Ride quality has been a problem with the rival Peugeot and Vauxhall STLA-Medium architecture models we've tried; it's a bit better with this Jeep but still never really fully settles down over poorer surfaces. Refinement at speed is fine, but most rivals are quieter. On twistier roads, the steering's not bad, by unexceptional class standards; it's a variable rack that feeds in more steering angle as you turn. Let's finish with a look at the only Compass model that properly justifies its maker's famous badge. At the very top of the line-up is the 4xe 4WD Compass flagship model. We mentioned it earlier. This one gets a second 179hp electric motor on the rear axle that takes total power to 375hp, which makes this Europe's most powerful STLA-based Stellantis model yet. Jeep claims that the 4xe's rear motor can deliver up to 3,100Nm of torque and can pull the car up a 20% incline even if there's no traction for the front wheels. The 4xe has 10mm more suspension lift - to increase ground clearance (rated at 210mm) and give 28-degree approach, 31-degree departure and 17-degree breakover angles. Towing capacity is 1,300kg. The 4xe range is 372 miles.

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