Introduction: The Jeep Compass is a very capable SUV in its category. However, as much as we like it for the dynamics, engine options and package on offer, there was always one major shortcoming in the product. Indians are fast accepting automatic transmission, especially in cars priced in the premium domain and this is where the Compass fell short in terms of delivering a diesel-automatic combination. This is something that all rivals offer - be it the lower priced Mahindra XUV500 or the higher priced Hyundai Tucson.
So, while the company finally invited us to sample the diesel-automatic set-up on the Compass, they went a step ahead and gave us the trail rated Trailhawk model. This is the adventurous cousin of the road going Compass and does come with its own set of changes and updates to make sure all your adventure fantasies will be satisfied without breaking a sweat. Jeep will eventually launch the diesel-automatic combination on the normal Compass, both 4x4 and 4x2 versions but for that we have to wait for a few months. But for now, with the Trailhawk, Jeep aims to achieve two things: a Compass that can literally go anywhere on weekends and give you the convenience of an automatic on weekdays. Smart move.
Body and Design: So how does the Jeep Compass Trailhawk diesel automatic look like? For starters, you will immediately notice the dual tone theme. We had two colors at the media drive event and both, the red and white did stand out. The black and dark grey treatment for various body panels gels along well - for instance the blacked-out roof, dual tone alloy wheels and dark grey (looks almost blackish) theme for the logos. The new look alloy wheels wear 225mm wide Falcon Wildpeak tyres that do their dual-purpose job well - more on this later. Finally, the black wrap on the bonnet has a functional role too. It keep away the glare from the sun specially when going up or down steep inclines.
But more than the aesthetics, it's the stance of the Trailhawk that impresses us. It sits almost 30mm higher up the ground and gets reshaped bumpers to increase the approach and departure angles. This alone makes the Trailhawk look purposeful and ready to explore. The rear bumper gets a contrasting tow hook and this can pull cars 1.5 times the weight of the Trailhawk. Front ones have been removed for India in order to comply with the latest pedestrian safety norms.
Interiors: Step inside and you are greeted with the same all black theme as the Black Pack edition. However, there is Trailhawk branding here along with red stitching for the seats and red surrounds at place. You can see this around the gear lever, on the circumference of the speedometer console and even around the speaker assembly on the doors. Nice touch. What is new here is the larger display inside in the console that throws a lot more information for the driver. The gear lever is new and you also notice the rock mode and 4Low mentions ahead of the lever. There are a few features missing to keep the price low and this includes manual seat adjust and lack of auto function for the wipers, lamps and internal review view mirror. On the other side, the audio system seemed to have been upped with better speakers and the sound quality was terrific. A cruise control has also been added and the new start-stop feature aids economy by as much as 6% in urban use. Yes, this can be switched off!
Engine and gearbox: This also gets us to the capabilities of the Trailhawk. Before we hit the trails, it was time to drive the Trailhawk on tarmac and this brought back fond memories we have had with the diesel MT variant. The engine remains the same but has been tuned to meet the upcoming BS-VI or Bharat Stage VI emission norms. Next, the power delivery has been made linear and there is no longer the torque jump that we are all used to in the earlier Compass diesel. This in turn is a good thing as it makes city runs far smoother.
Talking of which, the nine-speed torque converter is a boon for those who love driving than getting driven. The clutch on the diesel Compass frankly is on the heavier side but this time around, it's a different experience all together. It isn’t very quick to respond and takes its own sweet time shifting gears but driven with a gentle right foot or during part throttle response, the combination seems to be work nicely. Jeep also claims that they worked hard on NVH levels and yes, the engine feels smoother than ever before.
Pedal to medal is where the Trailhawk disappoints. To get the best, you have to change gears manually and recalculate overtaking maneuvers. Given the 8th and 9th cogs, long distance cruising is where this vehicle should fare well in my opinion.
Jeep had organized a perfect trail driving experience for us. This didn't just last for half an hour or so but a full 3 hours. This is something that we miss on other off-road drives and this time around, had all kind of terrains to push the Trailhawk to near its limits. For starters, the increased clearance and better approach / departure angles makes going into deep sections or undulations a stress-free experience. Even if you the under-belly, the Trailhawk gets reinforced skid plates for the sump, fuel lines, fuel tank and other essentials.
The low ratio box came in handy at multiple locations. This along with dual purpose tyres had us climbing up not so easy inclines with ease. The sidewalls of the tyres are stiff which meant negotiating rocks during the rock crawl section did not see even a single tyre on the 10+ Trailhawks getting ruptured. And then there was the 4 Lock mode which ensured we never got stuck.
Lastly, we used the downhill assist multiple times which took control of the braking and allowed us to spend all our concentration on steering the vehicle in the correct manner. And at the end of the section, the faster stretch on uneven surface brought out the best from the new FSD set-up (frequency selective damping). This ensures wheels drop down quickly this insuring traction at all times. But we weren’t done yet - uneven sections allowed us to get some air in the Trailhawk and even landing hard did not seem to bother it. The new hydraulic rebound stoppers do help. Lastly, the water fording abilities have gone up to 480 mm thanks to a different positioning of the air-intake as well as closing off a part of the grille!
Verdict: Pricing for the Jeep Compass Trailhawk will be announced by the end of this month. Given the fab 4wd set-up, the nine-speed auto box and external changes, this vehicle will not come cheap. Jeep has removed a few features and this might ensure a price that's about Rs 2 lakh more than the current top end Compass diesel 4x4 MT. At this price, it will still be far more affordable than the big adventure daddies, the Fortuner and the Endeavour. If you want a go-anywhere vehicle that you can drive to work in style and use it to explore the unknown on weekends, the Compass Trailhawk won’t disappoint you. No add-ons or mods needed, the stock factory version seems well equipped!
