Jeep Compass News

Stellantis, the parent company that owns Jeep and Alfa Romeo among other car brands, will discontinue the sale of all plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) in North America.In a statement issued by Stelantis the company cited a lack of demand for PHEVs as the reason for its decision to remove them from sale.“With customer demand shifting, Stellantis will phase out plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) programs in North America beginning with the 2026 model year, and focus on more competitive electrified solutions, including hybrid and range‑extended vehicles where they best meet customer needs.”Stellantis confirmed the decision would see plug-in hybrid versions of models discontinued, including the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and Alfa Romeo Tonale.Stellantis blames customer demand, but sales show the Wrangler 4xe to be the best-selling plug-in hybrid in the United States. Stellantis has been plagued with hybrid woes in the US, with the company issuing a recall as recently as November 2025 for a potential fire risk that affected more than 320,000 vehicles across the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and Wrangler 4xe ranges. In September, 2025, Jeep announced it would discontinue its plans for a PHEV version of its Gladiator ute before it had even gone into production.The move to pull PHEVs from its brands in the US is at odds with global trends, which show sales of hybrids, particularly PHEVs, increasing as demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) wanes.Stellantis said it will focus on building its BEV and regular hybrid ranges in North America. Stellantis’ decision to discontinue PHEVs in the US doesn’t affect Australia’s Jeep range mainly because the Jeep Grand Cherokee was axed in 2025, including the 4xe, and the Wrangler isn’t offered with plug-in hybrid power.The Jeep Compass is offered as a PHEV in Australia and will continue to be even when the new generation arrives because it will be produced in Europe and won’t be affected by the company’s US decision. Meanwhile the Avenger SUV is the only BEV offered by Jeep in Australia.As for the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV this was axed from the brand’s Australian line-up in 2025.

To write that Jeep is in trouble is not news. The American off-road brand has been in major decline in the Australian market for years.The real question is — can Jeep survive 2026? Because there is some hope beyond that, but first Jeep must make it there.Instead of thriving in this SUV-dominant era, Jeep has found itself struggling to retain buyers or find news ones. The decision to drop the Grand Cherokee, once the backbone of the brand in Australia and the best-selling large SUV just over a decade ago, was seen as a sign parent company, Stellantis, is preparing a retreat from Australia.The brand is adamant that is not the case and the late 2025 introduction of the 2026 Gladiator and the incoming updated Wrangler are a sign the brand isn't ready to quit yet.Jeep could continue on selling its two core models, the reality is those would be lucky to each pass 1000 sales annually, leaving the brand in a precarious position with the Grand Cherokee gone.Instead, Jeep has to spend 2026 holding on for a better future. There is hope on the horizon, in the form of the new-generation Compass, which was revealed in early 2025 and was originally touted as coming in ‘26, but a Jeep Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide no official timing has been locked in.While it could sneak in by the end of ‘26, it’s more likely to be ‘27 by the time the Compass arrives. When it does, it would finally give the brand a fresh small SUV to compete in one of the biggest segments of the market, where the current model is literally one of the least popular models.The new Compass is bigger and more spacious than the current model and sits on the same underpinnings as the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008, so it will introduce European-style ride and comfort; something that could help woo buyers back to Jeep.Fortunately for Jeep Australia, while there will be an all-electric variant, Jeep is also offering the new Compass with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains to give it broad appeal.Will this be enough to revive Jeep’s fortunes in Australia? Unfortunately not, at least not unless the new Compass is a runaway sales success. But it does have the potential to give the brand a much needed boost.Certainly more than the electric Avenger has done or the possible addition of the Recon mid-size electric SUV or larger, more premium Wagoneer S have the potential to do.It’s telling that the Grand Cherokee is on-track to remain the brand’s best-selling model in 2025, despite being axed as early as March. The Wrangler may be iconic, but it’s an extremely niche vehicle, and the same is true of the Gladiator.Perhaps the biggest problem for Jeep Australia is that the problems aren’t local. Jeep is struggling in its home market, and naturally that is where the focus will be to ensure the long-term survival of a brand that was forged in battle but has become a synonym for off-roaders.Like so many brands it got caught up in the excitement/legislation around electric vehicles and strayed too far from its core principles, wasting billions of dollars on 4xe vehicles that are so far proving to be deeply unpopular; certainly the Grand Cherokee 4xe did not find its mark in Australia.Stellantis is now looking to invest many more billions into reinvigorating Jeep’s US manufacturing operations, to try and revive its sales at home. What that means for Jeep in Australia remains unclear, but 2026 will all be about hanging on and hoping for a brighter future.

Jeep has confirmed the next-generation Compass will arrive in Australia in the second half of 2026 after launching overseas in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric guises.The European-designed and built Compass will ride on Stellantis’ modular STLA Medium platform, which currently underpins Stellantis stablemates such as the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008, and will join the smaller Avenger in its electric line-up.It will shape up considerably longer than its predecessor at 4550mm long, up from 4404mm. It subsequently benefits from a new 34-litre frunk, an additional 45-litres of boot capacity (550-litres in total) and 55mm of additional legroom.The Compass’ exterior design has also been refreshed to reflect its larger stature, with boxier, retro-styling, a new front grille and headlight clusters, black plastic wheel arches and a rear LED light-bar.Inside, a new 10-inch digital driver’s display and 16-inch multimedia display will come standard, as well as connected services with over-the-air updates and Level 2 autonomous driving.Customers will have the choice of a 106kW 48V eHybrid powertrain and a 145kW plug-in hybrid powertrain, both are likely to use the 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine carried over from the current-generation. Power on both variants will be sent exclusively to the front wheels.Three additional electric variants will provide optional front-wheel and all-wheel-drive, with power peaking at 279kW on the latter thanks to a new rear electric motor that delivers 49kW/232Nm.All electric variants will carry a 74kWh battery, with driving range peaking at 650km on 158kW front-wheel-drive variants. 160kW DC fast charging will see the battery replenished from 20 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes, with a 22kW on-board charger becoming standard.Despite standard front-wheel drive on the Compass, Jeep claims it will be “100% capable”, offering 200mm of ground clearance, 20°/26° approach/departure angles and a 470mm water wading depth.All-wheel-drive variants will see improved ground clearance and water-wading depths, although Jeep hasn’t confirmed by exactly how much. Approach and departure angles will also increase to 27°/31°, while hill-descent control will come standard.A suspension tune with updated springs, dampers and an antiroll bar across the board will offer what the brand says is “a good compromise between handling and comfort”.Jeep will launch the new Compass in Europe in the second half of 2025 in special electric and eHybrid First Editions. Both variants will carry 20-inch alloy wheels, LED matrix lights, a surround-view camera and a hands-free power tailgate.Six colours will be made available, including a new Hawaii green colour at launch.Jeep Australia will be looking to the new Compass to reinvigorate the brand, which has been in a sales freefall over the last decade after peaking in 2014 with a tally of 30,408 sales.Last year the brand sold just 2377 cars, which preceded an announcement in March that it would axe the Grand Cherokee from the brand’s line-up this year – Australia’s best-selling large SUV in 2014.

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Jeep rolling out more hybrids in key segments both in Australia and overseas.

Jeep Australia has committed to going hybrid-only for its Compass small SUV line-up, with electrified powertrain replacing the existing petrol and diesel options from the first half of 2024.

Jeep Australia is open to returning to the popular mid-size SUV class after the global demise of the Cherokee, but expects the smaller Compass and larger Grand Cherokee to cater to buyers until a suitable new product arrives.

The 2023 Jeep Compass has been updated in the US with a new standard engine across the range: a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine to replace the less powerful predecessor.The Compass small SUV, which is available in Australia with a 2.4-litre naturally aspira

Jeep Australia has increased prices again for about half of its model range, with some variants increasing in price by almost $5000, while the iconic Cherokee is just about dead in Australia.The model copping the biggest price jump, for the third time thi

Episode 229 - Top 10 JDM models we need!