2022 Jeep Compass vs 2021 Chevrolet Suburban

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban had a polarizing front-end design, borrowing heavily from the Camaro's design language. This resulted in small headlights and large, busy grilles that didn't quite suit its massive frame. Despite the exterior's divisive look, the interior remained familiar and functional, with controls in their usual places. The Suburban offered various trim levels, from the base LS to the luxurious High Country, each adding more features and comfort. The High Country trim, in particular, included upscale elements like woodgrain and leather, although it still lacked the soft-touch materials found in true luxury SUVs.

In contrast, the 2022 Jeep Compass maintained a familiar exterior design, reminiscent of a shrunken Grand Cherokee. The High Altitude trim featured appealing 19-inch multi-spoke wheels and a more upscale appearance. Inside, the Compass received significant updates, including a new dashboard design, digital instrumentation, and luxury-grade leather seats. The High Altitude trim further enhanced the interior with features like heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, making it a more convincing premium SUV.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban offered a range of powerful engines, starting with a 5.3-liter V8 producing 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. A more robust 6.2-liter V8 delivered 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, a newly available Duramax turbodiesel engine generated 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. All engines were paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, with standard rear-wheel drive (RWD) or optional four-wheel drive (4WD). The Suburban's diesel engine provided excellent pickup and V8-level torque, making it suitable for both city driving and highway speeds. The independent rear suspension improved ride quality, although the vehicle still exhibited some truck-like tendencies, such as body roll and susceptibility to crosswinds.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, on the other hand, was equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 177 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. This "Tigershark" engine, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, lacked the power and refinement of its competitors. The transmission was often reluctant to downshift, resulting in a busy and unrewarding powertrain. The Compass' automatic stop/start system was slow to re-engage, leading to hard engagement when accelerating from a stop. Despite these drawbacks, the Compass offered Jeep Selec-Terrain with Auto, Snow, and Sand/Mud driving modes, and the Trailhawk trim provided additional off-road capabilities. The Compass High Altitude achieved an average of 23.8 mpg in combined driving, slightly below the EPA's estimate of 25 mpg.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban excelled in cargo space, offering a massive 144.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Even with the second-row seats in use, it provided 93.8 cubic feet of cargo space, and 41.5 cubic feet behind the third row. Passengers enjoyed ample head- and legroom, with the second-row captain's chairs providing impressive comfort. The control layout was similar to GM's pickup trucks, although the button shifter design was less intuitive. The power-sliding center console was a novel feature but added unnecessary complexity.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, while smaller, offered a spacious interior for its class. It could comfortably accommodate 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 dual-pane panoramic sunroof and redesigned dashboard with soft-touch materials elevated the interior's sophistication. The Compass provided 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded, surpassing the more expensive Cherokee model.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban came standard with a 10.2-inch touchscreen running GM's intuitive infotainment system. It featured wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with an available navigation system and rear entertainment system. The head-up display provided large, easy-to-read graphics, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2022 Jeep Compass introduced the new Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which was five times faster than its predecessor. An 8.4-inch touchscreen was standard, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen available as an upgrade. Uconnect 5 supported wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and over-the-air updates. The system also offered a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system and a wireless device charging pad. While the voice recognition system was generally accurate, it had some limitations in filtering search results and providing directions.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban came equipped with automatic emergency braking, forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, and rear parking sensors. Optional safety features included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic assist, front parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system. Unique options like the rear-view camera mirror and Safety Alert Seat added to the vehicle's safety features.

The 2022 Jeep Compass improved its safety features, offering 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 as standard. Additional features included Highway Assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assistance, parallel and perpendicular parking assistance, and a 360-degree surround-view camera system. However, the forward-collision warning system occasionally produced false positives, and the adaptive cruise control struggled with the engine's performance.