2022 Jeep Compass vs 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse was a nod to the past, with Chevy using styling details to give each trim level its own identity, much like it did with older models. The exterior was a typical SUV design with a tall roof, chunky wheel arches, and a big grille, which appealed to many buyers. However, it lacked the personality of the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride, and the streamlined appearance of the Mazda CX-9. The Traverse's restrained styling highlighted the cosmetic elements of different trims, such as blacked-out trim on the RS model and chrome on the High Country. The base model came with 18-inch wheels, while higher trims offered 20-inch wheels. Sharing a platform with the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Cadillac XT6, the Traverse aimed for a more blue-collar feel and featured car-like unibody construction, unlike the larger Chevy Tahoe.

Inside, the Traverse continued its restrained styling, with the standout feature being an optional Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof. The materials in the higher-level RS model were fairly good but not quite up to the $50,000 MSRP. This was a common issue among midsize three-row crossovers, which tend to get expensive with options. The interior was functional but not overly luxurious, aligning with the Traverse's overall design philosophy.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, despite exterior updates and new wheel designs, retained much of its look from the 2017 redesign, resembling a smaller 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 felt more like a premium SUV, thanks to a new dashboard design, updated digital instrumentation, and infotainment systems. Soft-touch surfaces, luxury-grade leather seats, and added sound deadening contributed to a sophisticated cabin.

The High Altitude was the most expensive Compass model, with prices ranging from $26,020 to $35,085, excluding a $1,595 destination charge. Our test vehicle, equipped with standard AWD and several option packages, had an MSRP of $40,470. The interior upgrades, including the Elite Interior Group and Driver Assist Group 1 packages, made the Compass feel more luxurious and refined.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. While the V6 didn't feel particularly strong off the line, it provided sufficient power for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed automatic performed well overall, though it occasionally had rough shifts. The Traverse excelled in highway road manners, offering a quiet cabin, bump-absorbing suspension, and precise steering. However, it lacked agility on twistier roads, partly due to its AWD system, which required manual activation and could send torque to individual wheels but didn't noticeably improve handling. The Traverse had off-road and tow/haul drive modes, with a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, which was average for the segment.

The 2022 Jeep Compass came with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 177 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. Dubbed the "Tigershark," this engine lacked the power to compete with other SUVs. A turbocharger would have significantly improved performance, especially for those planning mountain adventures. The engine was noisy when revving hard, which was often due to its high power peak. The nine-speed automatic transmission was a better choice than a CVT, but it was reluctant to downshift and quick to upshift, resulting in a busy and unrewarding powertrain. The automatic stop/start system was slow to re-engage, leading to hard engagement when accelerating from a stop. The Compass felt slow overall, with the drivetrain being its least appealing feature.

Jeep's Selec-Terrain system offered Auto, Snow, and Sand/Mud driving modes, and the Active Drive AWD system could send all power to the rear wheels when needed. The Compass High Altitude had an EPA rating of 25 mpg combined, but our testing averaged 23.8 mpg. With 8.1 inches of ground clearance, the Compass was capable of light off-roading and handling snowstorms. The Trailhawk trim offered even more off-road capability with features like a low range, hill descent control, and skid plates. The Compass High Altitude's 19-inch wheels improved grip on pavement, and its compact dimensions made it nimble. However, it felt bouncy on uneven pavement, and speed bumps revealed its dated suspension. The Compass was quieter than before, with adequate steering and braking, but overall driving dynamics needed improvement.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse offered seating for seven or eight, depending on the second-row configuration. Headroom and legroom were above average in all three rows, though not segment-leading. Heated front seats were standard on the RS model, with ventilated front seats and heated outboard rear seats available on higher trims. The Traverse excelled in cargo space, offering 23.0 cubic feet with all seats in place, 57.8 cubic feet with the third row stowed, and 98.2 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. A power liftgate was optional on the LT Cloth trim and standard on higher trims, with a gesture-activated liftgate available on the Premier and High Country models. Despite its size, the Traverse had limited interior storage options, typical of midsize three-row crossovers. For maximum practicality, a minivan would be a better choice.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, positioned between the Renegade and Cherokee, offered enough space for four adults and their luggage but lacked extra room. The High Altitude trim felt more premium, with eight-way power-adjustable front seats, heating and ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. These features were part of the Elite Interior Group option package, which also included premium leather upholstery and contrast stitching. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof and redesigned dashboard with the new Uconnect 5 infotainment system added to the upscale feel. The new center console provided more storage, though the bin beneath the armrest remained small. The Compass offered 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded, exceeding the capacity of the more expensive Cherokee model.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and Bluetooth. Higher trims offered an 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, 4G-LTE WiFi hotspot, and a Bose 10-speaker audio system. While Ford and Toyota offered larger screens, the 8-inch screen in the Traverse RS was easy to use with large icons and retained analog controls for audio and climate. The analog instruments, supplemented by a small LCD screen, were functional but might seem dated to tech-savvy buyers. The Traverse also featured a rearview camera mirror, which eliminated blind spots and improved rear visibility. An optional HD surround-view camera system made parking easier. Chevy provided two USB ports for each row as standard, but wireless phone charging was only standard on the Premier and High Country models.

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 as an upgrade. Uconnect 5 supported pairing two devices to Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, an Amazon Alexa skill, satellite radio, and voice text-to-reply capability. Over-the-air updates kept the system current. The Compass also offered navigation, connected services, a WiFi hotspot, Alexa Built-In, and a wireless charging pad. A nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system was available. 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 Chevrolet Traverse received top "Good" scores in all crash tests from the IIHS, along with a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention. However, it received "Acceptable" and "Poor" headlight ratings and an "Acceptable" rating for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA awarded the Traverse a five-star overall safety rating, with four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests, and five stars in side-impact tests. Chevy offered less standard driver-assist tech than competitors, with features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert being optional extras.

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. Later in the model year, the Compass would add Highway Assist, combining adaptive cruise control and lane-centering for highway driving. A parallel and perpendicular parking assistance system and 360-degree surround-view camera were also available. During testing, the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping systems worked well, though the lane-keep assist was too insistent at lower speeds. The forward-collision warning system occasionally gave false positives. As of this review, the IIHS and NHTSA had not published safety ratings for the 2022 Compass, but the NHTSA carried over the previous three-star rollover resistance rating, and Jeep needed to improve headlight performance based on 2021 scores.