Jeep Compass vs Ford Transit

What's the difference?

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?

Meet Ford’s electric pioneer for Australia - the E-Transit.

It may not be as exciting as a Tesla Model S, Porsche Taycan or Audi e-tron, but this electric version of the Blue Oval’s large van will help create a new market for zero-emissions commercial vehicles. 

This is seen as a major opportunity by Ford to provide an electric alternative to typically diesel-powered vans, which will no doubt prove popular with fleet operators looking to cut fuel costs and corporate emissions. While unlikely to suit all van buyers, thanks to its limited range and recharging restrictions, for those companies with shorter delivery routes it will certainly have appeal.

Ford’s research (performed by YouGov) suggests up to 58 per cent of business “can see EVs becoming part of their vehicle fleet in the future".

But it’s just Ford’s first step into the larger world of electric vehicles. We’ve already had confirmation the smaller E-Transit Custom is headed our way and there are good odds the Mustang Mach-E will eventually find its way to Australian showrooms, so there’s plenty of exciting models in store for Ford.

In the meantime, though, the E-Transit isn’t due in Australia until sometime in the first half of 2023, but CarsGuide was able to take one for a test drive near Ford’s Detroit headquarters recently to get a taste of what’s to come.