2022 Porsche Macan vs 2022 Jeep Compass

The 2022 Jeep Compass received exterior styling updates and new wheel designs, but it 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 that matched the paint, giving it an upscale appearance despite its compact size. Inside, the Compass High Altitude impressed with a new dashboard design, updated digital instrumentation, and luxury-grade leather seats, enhancing its premium SUV feel. The High Altitude trim, the most expensive in the lineup, came with standard all-wheel drive and several option packages, bringing the MSRP to $40,470.

The 2022 Porsche Macan, introduced in 2015, remained nearly indistinguishable from its original design despite regular updates. The 2022 model received a styling refresh, larger standard wheels, and a new center console with haptic touch controls. The Macan lineup included the base model, Macan S, and Macan GTS, with the Macan S benefiting from a new twin-turbo V6 engine. Our Macan S test vehicle, priced at $87,670, featured Volcano Gray paint, 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels, and several performance upgrades. The Macan's design conveyed a taut, athletic look, and its interior, with red leather and metallic accents, exuded an upscale, sporty feel.

The 2022 Jeep Compass was equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 177 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. Despite its "Tigershark" name, the engine lacked acceleration and was noisy at high revs. The nine-speed automatic transmission, paired with all-wheel drive, aimed to maximize fuel efficiency but resulted in a busy and unrewarding powertrain character. The Compass High Altitude averaged 23.8 mpg in testing, slightly below the EPA's 25 mpg estimate. With 8.1 inches of ground clearance, the Compass handled light off-roading and snow well, but its driving dynamics needed improvement.

The 2022 Porsche Macan offered a range of powerful engines. The base model had a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 261 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The Macan GTS featured a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with 434 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Our Macan S test car had a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 with 375 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, accelerating to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package. The Macan's seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission and fully variable all-wheel-drive system provided a responsive and engaging driving experience. The Macan S averaged 18.1 mpg, close to the EPA's 19 mpg rating.

The 2022 Jeep Compass shared similar interior dimensions with the Renegade and Cherokee, offering 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 redesigned dashboard, new Uconnect 5 infotainment screen, and soft-touch surfaces improved perceived quality. 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 Cherokee's capacity.

The 2022 Porsche Macan provided a comfortable experience for the driver and front-seat passenger, especially with the optional 14-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation. However, the rear seats were cramped, and taller passengers had to splay their legs around the front seatback. The new steering wheel, modeled after the 911 sports car, felt thin and uncomfortable after extended driving. The redesigned center console with haptic touch controls looked advanced but required the driver to look away from the road to use. The Macan offered 17.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 53 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2022 Jeep Compass featured the new Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which was five times faster than the previous version. It came with an 8.4-inch touchscreen display, with a 10.1-inch option available. Uconnect 5 supported wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, satellite radio, and voice text-to-reply capability. The system also offered over-the-air updates, a navigation system, connected services, a WiFi hotspot, and a wireless device charging pad. The voice recognition system was fast and accurate, though it struggled with some specific requests.

The 2022 Porsche Macan came with a 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system called Porsche Communication Management (PCM). PCM included wireless Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM satellite radio, a navigation system, and connected services with available WiFi hotspot access. The standard 10-speaker sound system could be upgraded to a Bose premium surround-sound system or a high-end Burmester audio system. The voice recognition system was less accurate than those in BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, or Volvo vehicles. However, the Macan's intuitive user experience and separate climate control system minimized the need for frequent interaction with the touchscreen.

The 2022 Jeep Compass came with forward-collision warning, 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 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. However, the lane-keep assist was too insistent at lower speeds, and the forward-collision warning system occasionally gave false positives. The NHTSA had not published safety ratings for the updated 2022 Compass, but the previous three-star rollover resistance rating was carried over.

The 2022 Porsche Macan included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and a reversing camera. Blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist were optional, with blind-spot monitoring included in the Premium Package of our test vehicle. The Macan also offered front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera, and an optional Park Assist system. However, the Macan lacked more advanced driving assistance technologies. Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS had published safety ratings for the Macan.