Jeep’s volume-selling Compass crossover adopts a plug-in hybrid powertrain - can the 4xe impress our road testers?
As appealing as the Giulia and Stelvio are to the enthusiast, their bespoke Giorgio platform is just a bit too specialised and expensive for volume models; and Alfa Romeo is in desperate need of a true volume model, more specifically a posh compact crossover.
Most crossovers look a bit vanilla, but this one has the very distinctive Jeep face, with the seven-slot grille and square styling. It now always has LED headlights too.That much was clear well before Fiat Chrysler Automobiles merged with PSA to form Stellantis in January last year. And so the obvious base from which to develop said posh crossover was the Jeep Compass. It’s the right size, it was available and an all-important plug-in hybrid powertrain was in development for it.
However, the story goes that when new Alfa Romeo CEO Jean- Philippe Imparato tried the Tonale, he wasn’t too impressed so ordered the launch date to be put back to make the car Alfa Romeo-worthy. When we tested the Jeep Compass in 2018, we gave it just three stars, so we would be inclined to agree. In the meantime, that plug-in hybrid Compass has come to the UK, along with a facelift that’s relatively minor on the outside but rather more drastic inside.
Reassessing the Jeep Compass, here in 4xe plug-in hybrid form, therefore gives us a taste of what to expect from the forthcoming Tonale. At the same time, Jeep itself could use a strong new model, because the iconic US brand, too, has long traded on superficial charm without enough substance to make it stick for demanding British buyers.
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