Jeep Compass

Third-generation family SUV introduces the option of pure electric power for the first time On sale Winter Price from £36,000 (est)

- ELEANOR COOPER [e-mail]

THE JEEP NAME is to SUVs what Hoover is to vacuum cleaners, but being synonymous for a whole category of car doesn’t mean the American brand can afford to rest on its laurels. Now, with fierce competition in the family SUV market, it’s up to the Jeep Compass to show the way forward for the marque.

As before, the new Compass will sit above Jeep's Avenger and Renegade models in terms of size, but it will now follow in the Avenger small SUV's footsteps by being offered with fully electric power. Mild and plug-in hybrid options will also be available.

The entry-level e-Hybrid is powered by a new mild hybrid 1.2-litre petrol engine that produces 143bhp - up from the 128bhp of the previous 1.5-litre equivalent and slightly more than the closely related Peugeot 3008 offers. Meanwhile, the e-Hybrid Plug-in (PHEV) combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine and an electric motor for a total output of 192bhp. No official electric-only range figures have been released yet.