2022 Jeep Compass vs 2023 Mazda CX-30

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?

Sometimes it’s good to check in on your friends.

You might not have seen them in a while, and they might not be the most recent addition to your circle, but it’s still good to see how they’re doing once in a while.

For this review, we’re checking in with the Mazda CX-30, which we loved when it first arrived, and we of course made some great memories with.

A few years have passed since, and the small SUV space in which it competes has become ever more crowded since.

The question is, should we be spending time with our old pal, the CX-30? Or, is it better spent with one of its new, trendy rivals?

We’ve grabbed a top-spec G25 Astina in front-wheel drive guise to find out.