Jeep has just outed an all-new version of the Compass today in Brazil in celebration of the start of production at FCA’s new assembly plant in Goiana, Pernambuco. This completely separate replacement sheds any memory of the Compass and Patriot siblings that came before, with the only exception being Jeep’s retention of the name.
Looking at the initial pictures of the 2017 Compass, it’s clear that Jeep hasn’t been shy about cherry picking design cues from other models in its line-up. In all, it closely resembles a Grand Cherokee but is, of course, dimensionally smaller.
Reminds us of the original Audi Q5 and how that was so closely reminiscent of the larger Q7 of the period. And just like that three-pronged SUV approach, the folks at Jeep have decreed it to be the perfect midway offering between the Renegade and Cherokee.
The American SUV maker calls the all-new Compass ‘a truly global compact SUV’ that will be sold in more than 100 markets with a plethora of fuel-efficient powertrain options. In total, they’re saying 17 engines, but we’re unsure if that would also include states of tune. In that case, that claimed figure is significantly reduced.
Jeep also will be furnishing the all-new Compass with a ‘host of safety and advanced technology offerings’ leading us to suspect new active safety features as well as a more sophisticated connectivity and infotainment suite could make its debut on the all-new model.
The Compass is due to make its full debut at the 2016 Los Angeles Motor Show in November in its near-production guise. A full global rollout will commence following that with the Australian market expected to receive it in late 2017.
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