Jeep has confirmed that the next Compass can only be had with all-wheel drive if you’re willing to purchase the top electric variant — at least insofar as the European market is concerned. Meanwhile, North American drivers still don’t know if they’ll be getting a new version of the model at all.
According to Motor1, gasoline-powered Compasses will be offered exclusively to Europeans with front-wheel drive. Only the dual-motor (375 horsepower) electric variant will feature all-wheel drive, meaning the single-motor base EV (210-230 horsepower) will likewise be front-wheel drive.
From Motor1:
Jeep claims the all-wheel-drive variant uses a rear motor not shared with other Stellantis group models. That’s even though the new Compass rides on the same STLA Medium platform as the latest Peugeot 3008, 5008, and Opel Grandland. The rear motor delivers a peak power of 66 hp and instant torque of 171 lb-ft (232 Nm). It enables the AWD-equipped Compass to climb a 20 percent slope even without front-wheel traction.
The motors are powered by a 96-kWh battery pack, offering a range of 373 miles (600 kilometers). The first-ever electric Compass supports DC fast charging at up to 160 kW, allowing a charge from 20 to 80 percent in half an hour.
In some respects, this could be a wise marketing strategy. As an entry level model, offering the Compass as something other than a 4×4 lowers production costs and allows Jeep to upsell people on what’s probably the brand’s most desirable feature. It also allows Stellantis, which clearly wanted to pivot the former FCA brands toward electrification, to make the all-electric variant more appealing to would-be buyers.
However, the strategy could also backfire on the North American market due to the fact that the current Jeep Compass already defaults to being a 4×4. While Europeans still get a base-trimmed model with front-wheel drive, that hasn’t been an option in our neck of the woods for a couple of years. Americans will surely notice and also have less of an appetite for all-electric models, due to the longer driving distances and admittedly subpar charging infrastructure vs their European counterparts.
Then again, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe has done some good business for the brand. Granted, that model is a plug-in hybrid that eliminates any range anxiety one might experience while en route to the trailhead. But it at least shows that some Jeep shoppers aren’t totally adverse to electrification — even if electric Wagoneer S sales have slipped of late.
It also should be said that we don’t have any confirmation that this will be the case for the North American market. Development on the Compass in a spec that conforms to our regulations have been paused, according to the manufacturer. But it seems unlikely that the brand would outright dump its most affordable model during a period where drivers are hungry for vehicles with lower MSRPs. A production gap taking place while Stellantis decides exactly where and how to build it does seem plausible, however.
“As we navigate today’s dynamic environment, Stellantis continues to reassess its product strategy in North America to ensure it is offering customers a range of vehicles with flexible powertrain options to best meet their needs. As a result, the Company has temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at the Brampton Assembly Plant,” the company explained earlier this month.
The original plan was to have the third-generation Compass hit our shores sometime in 2026. But the third-generation is significantly larger and heavier (particularly the all-electric models) than the model we’re accustomed to. That undoubtedly makes it difficult to decide where to slot it into the lineup, as it could step on the toes of larger vehicles boasting similar price tags.
Here’s hoping they figure it out.
[Images: Stellantis]
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