2021 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2022 Jeep Compass

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus evolved from the second-generation Lincoln MKX, which shared its platform with the Ford Edge. In 2019, it was facelifted and renamed the Nautilus, moving away from the alphanumeric naming convention and adopting more attractive styling. For 2021, the exterior remained largely unchanged, but the cabin received significant updates, including a new dash design with clean lines, soft materials, and a large, crisp touchscreen. The "Piano Key" shifter-button layout was unconventional but user-friendly, and the standard 13.2-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen system was both gorgeous and easy to use.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, despite exterior styling updates and new wheel designs, retained much of its look from the 2017 redesign. 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 also benefited from added sound deadening, enhancing its premium feel. The High Altitude trim, the most expensive version, came with numerous upgrades, including a hands-free power liftgate and a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance features.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The Reserve and Black Label trims offered an optional twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6, delivering 355 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The four-cylinder engine had standard front-wheel drive (FWD) with available all-wheel drive (AWD), while the twin-turbo V6 came standard with AWD. The V6 provided smooth and controlled acceleration, complemented by an adaptive suspension that nearly eliminated road bumps, making the Nautilus a pleasant drive in various scenarios.

The 2022 Jeep Compass was equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 177 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 172 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm. Dubbed the "Tigershark" engine, it lacked the power to compete with other SUVs. A turbocharger would have significantly improved its performance, especially for those planning mountain adventures. The engine was paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission for AWD models and a six-speed automatic for FWD models. The transmission aimed to maximize fuel efficiency but resulted in a busy and unrewarding powertrain character. The automatic stop/start system was slow to re-engage, and the drivetrain felt sluggish, making the driving experience less appealing.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus offered up to 68.8 cubic feet of cargo space, surpassing the Lexus RX 350 and Cadillac XT5. With the rear seats in use, it provided 37.2 cubic feet of cargo space. A power liftgate was standard, with an available hands-free option. The Nautilus emphasized two-row comfort, with ample head- and legroom in the rear seats and exceptionally comfortable front seats, especially the 22-way multi-contour power-adjustable units. The center console and door handles featured soft-touch materials, enhancing comfort. The center console bin was reasonably large, and the floating center controls design allowed for additional storage.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, positioned among Jeep's similarly sized SUVs, offered enough space 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 light-gray contrast stitching. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof and redesigned soft-touch dashboard elevated the cabin's sophistication. The new center console provided twice the storage of the previous model, 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 down, exceeding the capacity of the more expensive Cherokee model.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus featured a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with high-definition graphics and a sensible menu layout. The system supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with large icons and no unnecessary repackaging. The available wireless charging pad further enhanced the user experience. The Revel 19-speaker premium audio system provided excellent sound quality for both music and talk radio.

The 2022 Jeep Compass introduced the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which was five times faster than the previous generation. An 8.4-inch touchscreen was standard, with a 10.1-inch upgrade 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. The Compass also offered a navigation system, connected services, a WiFi hotspot, Alexa Built-In, and a wireless device charging pad. The nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system was available as an upgrade. The voice recognition system was fast and accurate, though it had some limitations in filtering search results and providing directions.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus came with the CoPilot360 package, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Additional features included adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors, a surround-view parking monitor, and adaptive headlights. However, the standard backup camera was of low quality, making it difficult to see in low-light conditions.

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. Highway Assist, combining adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance, was to be added later in the model year. The Compass also offered a parallel and perpendicular parking assistance system and a 360-degree surround-view camera. During testing, the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping systems worked well, though the lane-keep assist was overly insistent at lower speeds. The forward-collision warning system occasionally gave false positives, and the adaptive cruise control struggled with the engine's performance.