Jeep Compass Blackhawk 2015 Review

Jeeps don't need the 'mohawk-and-hatchet' look to be tough, as a general rule. They are dinkum off-roaders, for the most part.

But the Compass Blackhawk swims against the tide. Finished entirely in black it looks tougher, but really isn't. The particular vehicle we tested was a front-wheel drive variant with 2.0-litre engine driving through a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Almost immediately it was apparent that spaciousness is the Compass's strength. Rear-seat accommodation was pretty impressive, with surprising levels of head and legroom available for adults. In the bespoke Chrysler way, there's plenty of room in the luggage compartment too, and with the rear seats folded down there was more than enough room on board for a couple of flat-pack computer desks and chairs.

Unfortunately, however, the Compass was less accommodating for human payload. It lacked face-level vents in the rear, and the seat cushioning was flat, hard, and there was no shape or contouring at all. The front seats weren't all that wonderful either. From the driving position it felt like the seat wasn't actually mounted square on with the instruments, pedals and steering wheel. I felt more like I was sitting on the rear of the left bolster than the rest of the seat. Just like the rear seats, the driver's seat cushioning was flat and firm.

Other issues with the driving position included the lack of a footrest for the driver, the typical left-hand placement of the indicator stalk and the lack of reach adjustment in the wheel. The wheel itself was the right size however, and there was a very clear view of the instruments through it.

Given the price of the Compass Blackhawk – just over $30,000 before any extras – it's competitively priced, but interior fit and finish remain a concern, even at that price. A persistent rattle from the rear was obvious from the first few kilometres of driving. There's also at least a good half centimetre of free play in the wiper and indicator stalks, and the switches and knobs are similarly loose fitting. Even the finger pulls for the electric window switches felt cheap and tacky. The uConnect audio system frequently struggled to stream music from a smartphone.

You would live with this level of quality in a Wrangler. Off-roaders are willing to accept a quality deficit from a hard-working all-terrain wagon, but the front-wheel drive Compass is anything but. After our recent experiences with Cherokee and Grand Cherokee – both of which are offroad-capable, yet deliver quality fit and finish – the Compass was a real let-down.

And look, $30,000 is not a big ask for a car in this day and age, but any SUV should be fitted with reverse parking sensors at the very least – and ideally a reversing camera. The Compass came with neither, although it's not alone among its competitors in that regard.

Other instances of cost-cutting choices or dated design include the lockable fuel cap, for instance. The fuel filler flap doesn't secure with the central locking system – yet we still get the anti-hijacking two-stage unlock for the Compass, which I personally find annoying. Jeep owners are still turning a key to start the engine, what's more, at a time when  Mitsubishi's ASX and its French badge-engineered counterparts provide a starter button.

The engine was a peaky choice for the CVT, delivering its best performance above 5000rpm. It was generally quiet but inclined to labour at around 2500rpm under load. That was almost certainly due to the CVT holding a ratio higher than suitable on hills. Compass buyers may not be fussed about performance or sportiness though. The engine needs to be left revving for best results, but if you shift sequentially through the CVT's six steps, kickdown is overridden, which might catch out drivers in an emergency situation.

There's precious little engine braking available and Chrysler-Jeep's engineers have set up the engine management system's mapping for reasonable step off, but once speed is above 40km/h any vitality is lost. At lower speeds the Compass lurches forward unless the driver applies accelerator pedal pressure with a degree of finesse. And with the engine management system calibrated to deliver brisk performance below 40km/h there's actually some torque steer apparent on occasion.

Jeep's engineers would be well advised to take Nissan's QASHQAI out for a spin, to see how to match a CVT to a free-revving four-cylinder. While the Jeep's CVT wasn't as loud as the transmission in the Subaru XV, it was noisier than CVTs from other brands.

Fuel consumption for the week fell as low as 11.5L/100km after long passages of gentle driving on arterial roads. Prior to resetting the trip computer a second time the posted fuel use had been as high as 13.5L/100km, which is not brilliant for a 2.0-litre petrol-engined vehicle – even one as handy-sized as the Compass. Idle stop-start would have helped level out the Compass's fuel use, but it was just as likely the lack of accessible performance that hurt fuel economy. Whoever drove the Compass was peddling hard at times, leaving the accelerator pedal buried in the carpet for best effect.

And performance didn't help cornering either. With little in the way of engine braking it was hard enough to get the right amount of weight on the nose for the entry to a corner, which meant typically the Compass was slow to turn in and a little prone to understeer – although grip was passable. Even on longer corners, the Compass was too slow to build up a head of steam that would have actually challenged the vehicle's road holding.

On the rare occasion it was possible to approach the Compass's dynamic limits the stability control shut down everything very quickly indeed. The Continental tyres fitted to the Compass rode comfortably enough, but they were also a bit noisy – squealing under duress but also roaring away at open-road speeds.

The upshot of all this is the Compass Blackhawk looked menacing, which will ingratiate it with those who care about looks above all else. It's also roomy inside, comfy-riding and easy to drive.

But frankly, if you are expecting the Compass to be a smaller version of the Grand Cherokee, you will be disappointed.