2023 Jeep Compass vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox featured several styling updates, including a new grille, LED headlights, and LED daytime running lights, along with subtle changes to the rear fascia. The headlights were bisected by trim pieces extending from the grille, giving it a sleeker look. The grille appeared more upright and was flanked by large fake air intakes, making the 2022 Equinox look chunkier than the previous model. The Equinox maintained its car-based crossover appearance, avoiding the rugged styling of competitors like the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4. Its tall roofline and puffed-up front fascia made it look less car-like than the Ford Escape, striking a balance for some buyers. The interior featured a creative dashboard design with a touchscreen and large air vents at the center, and materials and fit and finish were decent for the price. The new RS model added black exterior trim, darkened 19-inch wheels, and a black interior with red stitching, though the subdued interior was not to everyone's taste.

The 2023 Jeep Compass adopted a refined and upscale look, moving away from the rugged Jeep design ethos. It shared design elements with the larger Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, and Wagoneer families. The Compass Sport and Latitude models received new 17-inch wheel designs, while the Trailhawk's wheels were painted gloss black. The Compass Red editions were available in black or silver paint. Jeep offered the Compass in five core trim levels plus special-edition models, with prices ranging from just under $32,000 to over $40,000. Our test vehicle, a Limited trim with various packages, had an MSRP of $45,800. The Granite Crystal paint and multi-spoke 19-inch wheels gave it a scaled-down Grand Cherokee appearance. Inside, the two-tone black and gray cabin with caramel accents looked and felt upscale, thanks to sophisticated digital displays, metallic trim, and low-gloss plastics. However, the high price made it less competitive in the small SUV segment.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox was powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. It came with a six-speed automatic transmission and offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The Equinox had more torque than most rivals but less horsepower. For example, the Honda CR-V's 1.5-liter turbo-four produced 190 hp and 179 lb-ft of torque, while the Nissan Rogue's turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine delivered 201 hp and 225 lb-ft of torque. The Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4 used larger naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines, with outputs of 182 hp and 176 lb-ft for the Subaru and 203 hp and 184 lb-ft for the Toyota. The Equinox's torque was appreciated in stop-and-go driving, but the engine felt coarse and unresponsive at higher speeds. The automatic transmission's shifts were a bit rough, and the vehicle lacked sporty handling and the solidity and refinement of some competitors.

The 2023 Jeep Compass introduced a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, making 200 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. The engine's peak torque was available from 1,750 rpm to 4,250 rpm, with maximum horsepower at 5,000 rpm. The Compass featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and a standard Jeep Active Drive AWD system. All models had Selec-Terrain with three driving modes: Auto, Snow, and Sand/Mud. The Trailhawk version included a Jeep Active Drive Low AWD system with a low range and a 20:1 crawl ratio, Rock driving mode, hill descent control, aggressive tires, skid plates, and recovery hooks. The new turbo engine transformed the Compass from gutless to gutsy, though it wasn't as powerful as it could be. The EPA fuel economy rating was 27 mpg in combined driving, but our test vehicle averaged 23.8 mpg. The new engine was quieter, smoother, and more refined, and the eight-speed automatic transmission shifted flawlessly. However, the Compass remained tall, narrow, and stubby, contributing to significant body motions on uneven pavement. The Trailhawk's off-roading capabilities were impressive, though the standard tires struggled in some conditions.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox offered seating for five across two rows, with decent headroom in both rows. Second-row legroom was good for the segment, but some competitors offered more legroom for front-seat occupants. The tall seating position provided an unobstructed forward view, though the rear pillars created a bit of a blind spot, and the small rear window hampered rear visibility. The climate control buttons and knobs were prominently placed below the touchscreen, making them easy to access. The Equinox offered 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was near the bottom of the segment. A power liftgate was available, but the Equinox lacked features like a sliding second-row seat or cargo-area storage bins found in some competitors.

The 2023 Jeep Compass accommodated adults in both rows of seats, despite its narrow design. Standard equipment included an air filtration system and an available humidity-sensing dual-zone automatic climate control system. Cloth upholstery was standard on Sport and Latitude models, with leather seats available on higher trims. Depending on the trim and options, the Compass offered an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. Our Limited test vehicle had all the extras, providing a comfortable seating position behind the leather-wrapped, tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The rear seat offered enough space for adults, with generous foot room and supportive seat cushions. Interior storage space was acceptable, though the bin under the center armrest was small. The Compass provided 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat, with an adjustable load floor for maximizing volume or creating an underfloor storage area. Folding the rear seat down created 59.8 cubic feet of space, and a manually-adjustable front passenger seat folded in half for carrying long items.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trim levels received an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument-cluster screen. Navigation and a Bose 7-speaker audio system were available. The 8-inch touchscreen in our test car was responsive and easy to use, with large, smartphone-like menu icons and good screen graphics. The addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a significant advantage, as most competitors still required users to plug in. The Equinox also offered numerous USB ports and power outlets, though the center-console slot for a phone was too small. Overall, the infotainment system covered the basics without too much fuss.

The 2023 Jeep Compass featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Uconnect 5 technology, supporting Bluetooth pairing for two devices, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and SiriusXM Guardian connected services with Wi-Fi and an Alexa Skill. The system received over-the-air updates to stay current. Depending on the trim level, the system paired with a 10.25-inch digital instrumentation panel. Additional features included an embedded navigation system, a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system, and an Alexa Built-in digital assistant. Our Limited test vehicle had all these features, and the Alexa Built-in technology was fast and accurate. The Alpine audio system sounded good but was a bit bass-heavy. The test vehicle also had a parking assist system and a surround-view camera, though the Compass's small size made the parking assist system less necessary.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests but received a "Marginal" rating in the updated side crash test. It earned the highest "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle situations and the second-tier "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios. The Equinox also received an "Acceptable" score for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA gave the 2022 Equinox a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover crash tests. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, a Safety Alert Seat, and Chevy's Teen Driver system. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change alert, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2023 Jeep Compass added a standard drowsy driver detection system and a rear-seat reminder system. Standard ADAS included forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Available upgrades included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, a traffic sign recognition system, and front and rear parking sensors. The Trailhawk, Limited, and High Altitude trims offered Highway Assist, a semi-autonomous driving assistance system. Our Compass Limited had Highway Assist, which worked well in light traffic but struggled with certain conditions. The NHTSA had not published crash-test ratings for the 2023 Compass at the time of writing, and the IIHS had incomplete test results. The 2022 Compass qualified for a Top Safety Pick rating, but the 2023 model was ineligible until further testing.