Driven: Jeep Compass 2.0 Multijet II 170 4WD 2017

You’d think that Jeep, of all brands, would have this SUV/off-road/crossover thing really sorted, yet only now are we seeing something that can go bumper to bumper with the likes of the Seat Ateca, VW Tiguan, Renault Kadjar and all the many others in the compact sector. Jeep has bigger and smaller models but had nothing in the Nissan Qashqai area so it’s about time the needle swung to the Compass.

Being Jeep, the Compass is aimed at the more rugged, off-road end of this sector than just something that likes splashing in puddles. But, while four-wheel drive and decent axle articulation figure, so too do the sort of things you might expect on a slightly brash but road-focused crossover, like the big alloys and rather a lot of brightwork in this Limited version.

The lines are quite butch in a four-square sort of way, but it’s certainly not an extreme iteration. Inside there’s plenty of headroom and room for your other appendages and organs too. It’s all sort of middle of the road, so it won’t enthral or upset many. There is still plenty of switchgear to go with the Uconnect infotainment system on the 8.4in touchscreen, but some of the lower switchgear is a bit muddled and needs too much attention to work when you’re driving. However, the screen works well and looks well.

There is a less powerful version of this diesel, but here we have 168bhp and a tasty 280lb ft of torque. You can specify where you want the power to go, two or four wheels, or leave it up to its own devices, but it can shunt the power from front to back in a slightly quick 300 milliseconds – if you can measure such a timeframe.

There’s obviously enough torque to keep things rolling along steadily, and the nine-speed auto box works well enough, even if it could be a bit jerky on downshifts. Performance is entirely adequate but no more than that. Handling is really in the same category, with not a lot of feedback from the heavily weighted steering through the chunky steering wheel. It’s all quite solid and rugged and, well, Jeep.

You can tow decently if you get the Towing Pack (£650) and there’s hill descent control as standard, to back up the idea that this is actually a Jeep. But there’s no doubting that this feels faintly underwhelming in areas such as handling and performance, and for some those areas really matter. The Seat Ateca in four-wheel drive diesel form, to pick just one of the competitors that comes to mind, is cheaper, more powerful and more economical.

Perhaps the answer lies elsewhere on the Compass. There will be a four-wheel drive petrol-powered version coming next summer – the diesel models will be here in February next year – and a brief drive showed that had the potential to address some of the shortcomings.

Jeep Compass 2.0 Multijet II 170 4WD Limited Auto