2022 Jeep Compass vs 2023 Jeep Wrangler

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?

The Jeep Wrangler is a very capable 4WD with real bush cred, but the all-out glory is usually reserved for the hard-core Wrangler variant, the Rubicon.

The Overland is often disparagingly referred to as the city Wrangler. But is that really the case? After all, it’s 'Trail Rated', as well.

We tested the four-door Overland over a seven-day period to see how it’d perform on-road, but most of our focus was on its comfort and capability in an off-road environment.

Read on.