Exey electrified Jeep Compass models here soon

TWO new electrified Jeep Compass small SUVs have been announced for Australia – the eHybrid MHEV (Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle) and the 4xe PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle) in two grades, Limited and Summit arriving in June to join the existing Grand Cherokee 4xe in Jeep Australia’s electrified line-up.

Pricing for the entry Compass Limited e-Hybrid starts from $45,990 (a $4500 premium over the Night Eagle 2.4-litre petrol model) with the Limited 4xe PHEV listing at $61,990 while the higher spec’ Summit e-Hybrid is from $54,990 and the Summit PHEV from $69,990 all excluding on-road costs.

Competitors in the small hybrid SUV space include the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV AWD from $47,790, Toyota’s Corolla Cross Hybrid from $36,480, Toyota C-HR Hybrid from $42,990, Nissan Qashqai e-Power from $51, 590, Hyundai Kona Hybrid from $36,000, Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid from $38,590 (all + ORCs) and the Honda HR-V e:HEV L from $47,000 drive-away.

More competitively priced hybridised choices are available in the red-hot small SUV segment.

Digging into details we find the front-wheel drive only Compass e-Hybrid features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine coupled with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and a 48-volt, 17.5Ah battery driving an integrated electric traction motor.

It is Jeep’s first mild hybrid unit with the vehicle capable of travelling under EV power at low speeds and while parking (less than 15km/h). The battery/electric motor also assists the vehicle boosting performance at high speeds.

The e-Hybrid powertrain automatically switches between full electric, hybrid, and internal combustion engines based on factors such as the 48V battery state of charge, real-time driving conditions and other parameters.

Total system power is 96kW at 5250 rpm with 240Nm of torque available from 1560 rpm with claimed fuel combined fuel consumption of 5.1 litres per 100km.

Useful features include Silent Start that uses a pure-electric silent driving mode without the need to fire up the petrol engine, Energy Recovery – another name for regenerative braking and coasting, Boost & Load Point Shift that gives a short increase in torque to the wheels from the electric motor and Electric Drive - -a zero emissions EV drive mode.

Surprisingly, the Compass e-Hybrid is capable of a greater towing capacity than the existing 2.4-litre Tigershark ICE engine model with a 1450kg (braked) rating.

Moving to the Compass 4xe we find this AWD model runs a version of the new four-cylinder Stellantis Global Small Engine slated for use in numerous vehicles, as part of its PHEV hybrid powertrain.

In the Compass 4xe the 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine combines with two electric motors one attached to the ICE engine and the other located on the rear axle powered by an 11.4kWh battery driving all four wheels via a conventional six-speed automatic transmission.

Maximum combined output is a claimed 176kW with the ICE engine and front electric traction motor generating some 132kW at 5750rpm and 270Nm at 1850rpm while the rear electric motor produces 44kW and 250Nm.

It’s sufficient to propel the small SUV from zero to 100 km/h in around 7.3 seconds offering a pure electric top speed of 130km/h, rising to 200km/h in hybrid mode where applicable.

Full EV mode is good for a claimed range of 47.3km.

Compass 4xe models feature an updated Selec-Terrain rotary control with eAWD modes (4WD Lock, 4WD Low, Hill Descent Control) to engage the different driving modes. Along with Auto, Snow, Mud & Sand, and Rock mode, there is also a new Sport mode for enhanced throttle response and steering.

It uses a Type 2 Smart Charging Port located at the rear of the vehicle and is equipped with a 7.4kW maximum on board charger for use with domestic AC charging as well as public AC charging.

The Type 2 Smart Charging Port gives immediate feedback on the charging status and the ability to manage set charging schedules or commence immediate charging.

A feature called E-Save is managed through a dedicated button switch on the central console that allows the battery to charge or to maintain the battery charge using the ICE engine while driving.

Standard kit on the Limited models entails 18-inch alloys, Uconnect 5 with 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless charging pad, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 10.25-Inch TFT instrument cluster, passive entry and keyless go, cloth and TechnoLeather upholstery, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, LED reflector headlamps, dual-zone climate control, rain sensing wipers and automatic headlights.

Safety features include adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, active lane management, pedestrian and cyclist emergency braking, full speed forward collision warning, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitor, surround view camera, Parksense front and rear parking system, parallel and perpendicular park assist with stop.

The Summit models add 19-inch alloys, dual-pane sunroof, leather accented seats, ventilated front seats, driver eight-way power seat adjustment with memory function, passenger four-way power seat adjust, LED projector headlightss, traffic sign information, active driving assist, hands free power tailgate, native satellite navigation, privacy glass, LED fog lightss, gloss black facias and roof rails.

2024 Jeep Compass pricing*:

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.