2019 GMC Acadia vs 2020 Jeep Compass

The 2019 GMC Acadia was a handsome SUV with a shorter wheelbase that provided an athletic stance and an upscale appearance thanks to its upright grille. Despite not being marketed as an upscale SUV, it was as nice as, if not nicer than, the more expensive Buick Envision. The Acadia had broader appeal than other GM vehicles like the Chevrolet Equinox and Buick Envision. Although considered a midsize SUV, it felt closer in size to compact competitors like the Nissan Rogue.

The Acadia came in several trims: SL, SLE-1, SLE-2, SLT-1, SLT-2, and Denali. The base SL trim included 17-inch wheels, 7-passenger seating, remote keyless entry, 3-zone climate control, and heated power side mirrors. Higher trims added features like LED headlights, power liftgate, fog lights, premium stereo systems, and various driver-assistance features. The range-topping Denali trim added luxury features such as a hands-free power tailgate, unique 20-inch wheels, HID headlights, and a unique Denali grille design.

The 2020 Jeep Compass, like the Grand Cherokee, was a handsome SUV with four core trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk. Jeep offered various packages and special edition trim upgrades to flesh out the lineup. Prices started at $22,280 for a Compass Sport with FWD and a six-speed manual transmission, while the High Altitude upgrade for the Compass Limited with AWD was priced from $32,645. The test vehicle, a 2020 Compass Limited with AWD and numerous options, totaled $39,755.

Despite the high price, the Compass offered many appealing upgrades unusual in the small SUV space, such as soft-touch surfaces, premium leather, and sophisticated technology. However, it also had low-rent glossy plastic pieces and flimsy-feeling parts that detracted from its overall appeal. Nevertheless, the current model was a significant improvement over the original Compass.

The 2019 GMC Acadia offered two engines: an inline 4-cylinder and a V6. The V6 was not available in the base SL or SLE-1 trims but was optional in the SLE-2 and SLE-1 with FWD. The SLT-1 AWD, SLT-2, and Denali trims came standard with the V6. The base 4-cylinder engine produced 193 horsepower, while the 3.6-liter V6 engine delivered 310 hp, providing fantastic acceleration. Power was sent through a 6-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels or available AWD. The AWD system featured GMC’s Active Twin Clutch system, allowing drivers to switch between FWD, AWD, Sport mode, and All-Terrain mode. The V6 Acadia could tow up to 4,000 pounds when properly equipped. The best fuel economy came from the base SL Acadia with the 4-cylinder engine and FWD, returning 21 mpg city, 26 highway, and 23 combined. The SLT-1 AWD with the V6 returned 17/25/20, and in a week of combined driving, it observed 19.8 mpg.

The 2020 Jeep Compass featured a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine called Tigershark, producing 180 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 175 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm. However, it was loud, slow, and thirsty, with sluggish acceleration and nearly non-existent passing power. The test vehicle averaged 23.1 mpg, falling short of the EPA rating of 25 mpg in combined driving. The nine-speed automatic transmission often shifted harshly or resisted downshifts, and the automatic engine stop/start system affected air conditioning performance on warm days. The Compass’s suspension controlled body roll but allowed too much vertical motion and impact harshness. The steering was heavy and vague, and the brake pedal was sensitive. However, the Compass excelled in off-roading, especially in Trailhawk trim with added ground clearance, an Active Drive Low AWD system, and an exclusive Rock driving mode. The Compass Limited test vehicle had a simpler AWD system with a 50:50 Lock mode and Selec-Terrain traction system offering Automatic, Snow, Sand, and Mud choices.

The 2019 GMC Acadia provided ample space for the driver and front passenger, with deep trays for small items and functional in-door bins. The SL, SLE-1, and SLE-2 trims featured 7-passenger seating with a middle bench seat, while the SLT-1 AWD had captain’s chairs, reducing seating capacity to 6. The second-row seats were comfortable and provided decent head- and legroom, but the third-row seats were suitable only for kids. The Acadia offered 12.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, 41.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and up to 79 cubic feet with both rows folded. This was small for the midsize SUV class but still practical for outdoor activities.

The 2020 Jeep Compass test vehicle featured the new-for-2020 Luxury Seat Group, adding premium leather, ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, and a memory function for the driver’s settings. The back seat was roomy, with air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and a 115-volt power outlet for rear passengers. The Compass offered 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and a maximum of 59.8 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. The optional spare tire and Alpine subwoofer housing took up some cargo space. The cabin had scant storage room and awkwardly positioned cupholders, which could be aggravating for those carrying many personal items.

The 2019 GMC Acadia’s base SL trim came with a 7-inch touchscreen running GMC’s IntelliLink infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, five USB ports, and a WiFi hotspot. The SLT-1 trim upgraded to an 8-inch screen, and the Denali trim added standard navigation. The SLT-1 and SLT-2 trims included a 4.2-inch color information display within the gauge cluster, while the Denali trim had an 8-inch display, turning it into a semi-digital instrument panel. The Acadia also offered a color head-up display providing information such as vehicle speed, engine rpm, and safety alerts.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered an excellent Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and 4G LTE WiFi connectivity. The system was ready for extra-cost SiriusXM Guardian connected services, including emergency calling, a vehicle finder, remote engine starting, and more. The test vehicle had a navigation system and an Alpine premium audio system. Uconnect was intuitive and featured appealing graphics, though some features were embedded into menus that should have been more accessible. The voice recognition system worked well with naturally spoken requests, but navigation required more specific prompts. Overall, Uconnect impressed for the segment.

The 2019 GMC Acadia came standard with front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, and traction control. The Driver Alert Package 1, standard on the SLT-1 and optional on the SLE-2 trim, added a blind-spot warning system, lane-change alert, and rear park assist. The SLT-2 trim added the Driver Alert Package 2, including low-speed forward automatic braking, lane-departure warning, pedestrian detection, forward-collision alert, adaptive headlights and high beams, rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors. However, much of this tech was standard on the base trims of competitors like the Toyota RAV4.

The 2020 Jeep Compass extended the availability of its driving assistance and collision avoidance technology to the base Sport trim level. Optional in the Safety and Security Group and the Advanced Safety Group, the test vehicle included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic warning. These systems performed to average expectations, with the adaptive cruise control overreacting to traffic changes and the lane-keeping assist occasionally being too insistent. The Compass earned Good ratings in all IIHS crash tests except for headlight performance. The NHTSA gave the Compass a mix of three-star, four-star, and five-star ratings.