2021 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2020 Jeep Compass

The 2020 Jeep Compass was a handsome SUV, reflecting the refined side of the Jeep brand, much like the Grand Cherokee. It came in four core trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk, with various packages and special edition trim upgrades available. Prices started at $22,280 for a Compass Sport with front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission, while a fully loaded Compass Limited with all-wheel drive could reach up to $39,755. Despite its attractive design and numerous appealing upgrades, the Compass had some cost-cutting measures that detracted from its overall appeal.

In contrast, the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica underwent a mid-generation refresh that gave it a more muscular aesthetic with new standard LED headlights and a hexagonal grille. The rear featured an all-LED taillamp running the width of the model, with the Chrysler wing badge at its center. The Pacifica offered six new wheel designs and the S Appearance Package, which included darkened features and black accents. Inside, the Pacifica maintained a balance between practicality and luxury, especially in the Pinnacle trim, which featured premium materials, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, and advanced sound deadening technology.

The 2020 Jeep Compass was powered by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, known as the Tigershark, producing 180 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 175 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm. Despite these figures, the engine was loud, slow, and thirsty, with the test vehicle averaging 23.1 mpg, below the EPA rating of 25 mpg combined. The nine-speed automatic transmission often shifted harshly and resisted downshifts, while the automatic engine stop/start system could make the air conditioning swampy on warm days. The Compass's suspension controlled body roll but allowed too much vertical motion and impact harshness. However, the Trailhawk trim offered decent off-road capability with added ground clearance and an Active Drive Low AWD system.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offered two powertrain options: a traditional 3.6-liter V6 engine with 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, and a hybrid powertrain with a V6 engine, dual-motor electrically variable transmission, and a 16-kilowatt-hour battery, achieving 260 horsepower. The base Touring and Touring L trims came standard with the V6 engine, while the Limited and Pinnacle trims offered either AWD or the hybrid powertrain. The AWD system activated on-demand and deactivated to improve fuel efficiency when not needed. The hybrid model had an all-electric range of over 30 miles and a total range of over 500 miles, delivering 82 MPGe and 30 mpg combined. The traditional V6 Pacifica achieved 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined, with slightly lower figures for the AWD version.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered a 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. The back seat was roomy, with air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and a 115-volt power outlet for rear passengers. Cargo space was 27.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. However, the optional spare tire and Alpine subwoofer housing took up some luggage room, and the cabin had limited storage space and awkwardly positioned cupholders.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was designed with family life in mind, featuring spacious seating, power-sliding rear doors, three-zone climate control, and Stow 'n Go seats with in-floor storage bins. The second- and third-row seats provided ample legroom, and the Stow 'n Go seats tumbled into the floor for easy loading. The Pacifica Pinnacle offered best-in-class total storage of 227.6 liters, making family travel a breeze. The under-console storage for second-row passengers included a bin for charging cords, tissues, and other items, as well as cup holders.

The 2020 Jeep Compass featured an excellent Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and 4G LTE WiFi. The system also supported SiriusXM Guardian connected services, navigation, and an Alpine premium audio system. Uconnect was intuitive and easy to use, though some features were embedded in menus that should have been more accessible. The voice recognition system worked well with naturally spoken requests, but navigation required more specific prompts.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica's Uconnect 5 infotainment system was modern and customizable, with a clean design and quick responsiveness. The system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the navigation was easy to use and read. The second-row in-seat entertainment system remained an option, with four new games added to the existing roster. The Pacifica offered a six-speaker sound system, with 13-speaker Alpine and 19- and 20-speaker Harman Kardon options available. The Pinnacle model featured FamCam, an interior monitoring camera with a rear-facing child seat view, split-view display, and zoom-to-seat feature.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered a range of safety features, including 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 some overreacting or being more insistent than desired. The Compass earned Good ratings in most IIHS crash tests but received mixed ratings from NHTSA.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica came standard with 97 safety features, increasing to 100 in the Pinnacle trim. Key safety technologies included forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, rain-sensing wipers, automatic high beams, advanced brake assist, third-row lock out, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. The Pacifica received a five-star overall rating from NHTSA.