JEEP COMPASS

Ford Kuga rival is comprehensively updated and gains a plug-in hybrid offering

- STEVE CROPLEY

TESTER ’S NOTE

Jeep offers an off road-focused version called the Trailhawk, with underbody protection, 17in wheels, all-terrain tyres, a towbar and tougher-looking styling that features a black bonnet. SC

Despite the fact that the UK is very much Land Rover’s home turf, Britons have long had a soft spot for Jeeps. Some say it goes right back to the age-old reputation for ruggedness of wartime editions that still ply our roads in summer.

Whatever the reason, the British reception of the new Jeep Compass, with its all-new interior and new 237bhp plug-in hybrid powertrain, looks like being the warmest yet.

This soft-roader seems to have just about everything going for it. It lands in the UK’s biggest market sector (C-segment SUVs), which accounted for a thriving 22% of sales in 2021 and is predicted to grab more like 26% in 2022. Jeep UK’s bosses also expect it to be better built and much easier to order than the previous model, because production has been moved from India to Italy.