2022 Jeep Compass vs 2021 BMW X5

The 2021 BMW X5 showcased BMW's renowned high-quality craftsmanship. As part of BMW's true SUV range, the X5 featured the brand's signature kidney grille and unmistakable body shape, ensuring it stood out as a BMW. The X5's exterior was enhanced with full adaptive LED headlights, matte aluminum grilles, and satin aluminum finishes on standard xLine models. M Sport models boasted body-color matched trims and high-gloss black accents, giving the SUV a sporty appearance. Inside, the X5's interior, while familiar across BMW models, offered a mix of leather and soft-touch materials, though it was prone to collecting dust and liquid spots. M Sport models added unique styling elements like an M sports steering wheel and exclusive interior trim strips.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, despite exterior updates and new wheel designs, retained much of its look from its 2017 redesign, resembling a shrunken Grand Cherokee. The High Altitude test vehicle featured 19-inch multi-spoke wheels with a dark sparkly finish, giving it an upscale appearance. Inside, the Compass High Altitude impressed with a new dashboard design, updated digital instrumentation, and luxury-grade leather seats. The cabin's soft-touch surfaces and added sound deadening elevated its sophistication. The High Altitude trim, the most expensive in the lineup, offered a range of premium features, making it a convincing premium SUV.

The 2021 BMW X5 offered a variety of powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base X5 sDrive40i/xDrive40i featured a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine delivering 335 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. The X5 M50i came with a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 producing 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, while the X5 M offered 600 hp, increasing to 617 hp with the Competition Package. The X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid achieved 389 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque, with a 30-mile all-electric range. The X5's driving dynamics, however, were less engaging than other BMW SUVs, with steering issues at both low and high speeds. The X5 xDrive45e's cabin remained quiet, and its suspension effectively absorbed road imperfections. Charging the hybrid model was convenient, with a five-hour charge time on a Level 2 charger and an EPA-estimated 400-mile range. Fuel efficiency varied, with the X5 M achieving 15 mpg combined, the X5 M50i at 18 mpg, the X5 xDrive at 23 mpg, and the X5 xDrive45e at 20 mpg combined or 50 MPGe with electric power.

The 2022 Jeep Compass was equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 177 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. The engine, dubbed the "Tigershark," lacked acceleration power and was noisy at high revs. The Compass featured a nine-speed automatic transmission for AWD models and a six-speed automatic for FWD models. The transmission's reluctance to downshift and quick upshifting resulted in a busy and unrewarding powertrain. The automatic stop/start system was slow to re-engage, causing hard engagement when accelerating from a stop. The Compass High Altitude averaged 23.8 mpg in combined driving, slightly below the EPA's 25 mpg estimate. The Compass AWD had 8.1 inches of ground clearance, suitable for light off-roading, while the Trailhawk trim offered enhanced off-road capabilities. The Compass High Altitude's 19-inch wheels improved grip, but the suspension struggled with speed bumps and uneven pavement, revealing its dated design.

The 2021 BMW X5 made efficient use of space, with front cupholders positioned conveniently and a wireless phone charging pad out of the driver's line of sight. The center console's buttons and dials were difficult to differentiate at night. The seating was comfortable for short trips, but the front seats felt hard after extended periods. The rear seats were spacious enough for two adults, and an optional third row was available. The climate controls were easy to manage, and the split liftgate with power functionality and vehicle height adjustment button made loading cargo easier. The X5's cargo area was spacious, though slightly reduced in the xDrive45e model. However, the rear doors did not open wide, making it challenging to move children and cargo in and out.

The 2022 Jeep Compass offered similar interior dimensions to the Renegade and Cherokee, making it spacious enough for four adults and their luggage. The High Altitude trim featured eight-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. The Elite Interior Group option package added premium leather upholstery and contrast stitching. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof and redesigned soft-touch dashboard enhanced the cabin's sophistication. The new Uconnect 5 infotainment screen was integrated into the dashboard, and the center console offered increased storage. The Compass provided 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down, exceeding the cargo capacity of the more expensive Cherokee model.

The 2021 BMW X5 came with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 10-speaker sound system, voice recognition, Bluetooth, five USB ports, navigation, HD Radio, satellite radio, automatic climate control, proximity key, and a panoramic moonroof. Optional features included remote start, a head-up display, quad-zone automatic climate control, a wireless smartphone charger, massaging seats, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, a 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, rear sunshades, and a dual-panel panoramic roof. The iDrive system required some acclimation but was user-friendly once familiar.

The 2022 Jeep Compass featured the new Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which was five times faster than the previous version. An 8.4-inch touchscreen was standard, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen available. Uconnect 5 supported wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, satellite radio, and voice text-to-reply capability. Over-the-air updates kept the system current. Additional options included navigation, connected services, a WiFi hotspot, Alexa Built-In, a wireless device charging pad, and a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system. The voice recognition system was fast and accurate, though it struggled with specific requests like finding the nearest hospital. Overall, Uconnect 5 was impressive but not as user-friendly as the best systems in the industry.

The 2021 BMW X5 was equipped with a comprehensive list of standard safety features, including blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, fatigue and focus alert, lane departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. A rearview camera was also standard. However, the Driving Assistance Professional Package's adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping systems had issues, particularly in bright sunlight and light rain. The 2021 X5 received nearly all Good ratings from the IIHS and a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, despite being subject to seven recalls.

The 2022 Jeep Compass saw improvements in safety features, with every model now including forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Highway Assist, combining adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance, was set to be added later in the model year. A parallel and perpendicular parking assistance system and a 360-degree surround-view camera system were also available. The adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping systems generally worked well, though the lane-keep assist was overly insistent at lower speeds. The forward-collision warning system occasionally gave false positives. The 2022 Compass had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the previous three-star rollover resistance rating was carried over, and headlight performance needed improvement.