BYD Atto 2 vs Jeep Compass
What's the difference?

BYD Atto 2

$31,990 - $35,990

2026 price

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Jeep Compass

$14,990 - $35,990

2022 price

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Summary

2026 BYD Atto 2

2022 Jeep Compass

By Andrew Chesterton

By Tim Nicholson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Diesel Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Diesel

Fuel Efficiency

6.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Sensible, soothing looks
Ridiculous value
Spacious back seat

Excellent multimedia system
New semi-premium interior
Spacious cabin

Dislikes

Tech can be fiddly
Driving dynamics are't stellar
Is 345km enough range?

Overall drive experience
Badly executed driver assist systems
Poor value for money

2026 BYD Atto 2 Summary

There has never been a better time to be shopping for an electric SUV in Australia, with the avalanche of Chinese brands constantly smashing through the price floor as they bid for the title of Australia’s cheapest.

MG led the charge with its S5, which is $40,490, drive-away. Then Leapmotor upped (or downed?) the ante with its B10 with a $38,990, drive-away, price tag. And now BYD has knocked them both out with its Atto 2, officially Australia’s cheapest electric SUV (at least for now), with a MSRP of $31,990, which, in NSW, translates to a drive-away cost of less than $35K.

Cheap is one thing. But cheerful? Let’s find out, shall we?

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2022 Jeep Compass Summary

The Jeep Compass is something of a unicorn among the long list of small SUVs sold in Australia. It is now the only model in either the light or small-SUV category that is available with a diesel engine.

That diesel is found under the bonnet of just one variant – the rugged Trailhawk which is also the flagship of the range.

Aside from Suzuki’s adorable Jimny light SUV, the Compass Trailhawk is the only small SUV with some off-road ability.

After going on sale in Australia in late 2017, the second-generation Compass was overhauled as part of a mid-life update in 2021. Aside from subtle styling tweaks, the biggest change was a new multimedia system.

Has Jeep done enough to lift the Compass from an also-ran to a model that buyers should consider, or was the update too little, too late?

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Deep dive comparison

2026 BYD Atto 2 2022 Jeep Compass

Verdict

The BYD Atto 2 isn't just the cheapest electric SUV in Australia, it's also one that doesn't feel all that cheap, which is a hell of a magic trick. If it's easy, comfortable city motoring you're after, the Atto 2 delivers in spades. But if your blood type is high octane, there are better driving EVs out there.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Verdict

The Jeep Compass Trailhawk is a curious beast. On the one hand, it looks pretty cool, and it has a well-executed new interior, featuring one of the best multimedia set-ups in the business. It’s spacious and has a long list of standard comfort and safety gear.

Sadly, that’s where the positives end.

It is way too expensive for what you get, especially when you consider the quality of some of its rivals from mainstream and premium brands.

The driver assist features are badly in need of recalibration and the overall drive experience is a letdown.

If you really want a diesel-powered small SUV, perhaps look at one of the much better diesel models at the smaller end of the medium-SUV segment.

BYD Atto 2 vs Jeep Compass What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

BYD Atto 2 vs Jeep Compass
What's the difference?