2021 Jeep Compass vs 2022

What's the difference?

Jeeps have some of the best names in the car business. There’s the Gladiator, Renegade, and the Wrangler. Then there’s the Compass Night Eagle which is what this review is on. Night Eagle is the name of the grade, and it sounds terrifying. 

Yup, they’re all great outdoorsy names that suggest these are tough go-anywhere vehicles with adventurous and brave owners who build fires, pitch tents and eat the elk they hunted with a bow that morning. 

So, how does a Jeep Compass Night Eagle handle an urban jungle, full of tight streets, shopping centre carparks and school runs? It was also driven by me – and I'm someone who thinks ordering a double-shot cappuccino is adventurous. 

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?