2022 Jeep Compass vs 2023 Buick Encore GX

The 2022 Jeep Compass received exterior styling updates and new wheel designs, but it retained much of its look from the 2017 redesign. It resembled 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 impressed with a new dashboard design, updated digital instrumentation, and luxury-grade leather seats. Soft-touch surfaces and added sound deadening enhanced its premium feel.

In contrast, the 2023 Buick Encore GX did not reflect Buick's historical design excellence. The rounded exterior and tall stance gave it awkward proportions, lacking the high-riding SUV appeal. The Sport Touring Package added subtle enhancements like different bumpers, a black mesh grille with red inserts, and 18-inch wheels, but the changes were barely noticeable. Inside, the Encore GX Essence trim offered leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, and power-adjustable seats. However, the plastic interior elements and uninspired design detracted from its premium aspirations.

The 2022 Jeep Compass came 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 power, making it feel sluggish. The nine-speed automatic transmission paired with the AWD system aimed to maximize fuel efficiency but resulted in a busy and unrewarding powertrain. The Compass averaged 23.8 mpg in testing, slightly below the EPA's 25 mpg estimate. With 8.1 inches of ground clearance, it handled light off-roading well, but the driving dynamics needed improvement.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX offered two turbocharged three-cylinder engines: a 1.2-liter with 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, and a 1.3-liter with 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. The AWD model with the 1.3-liter engine and nine-speed automatic transmission provided decent acceleration but required patience for smooth power delivery. The Encore GX excelled in ride comfort and noise reduction, thanks to its well-damped suspension and active noise cancellation. However, it felt ponderous and awkward, with slow and lifeless steering and significant body roll.

The 2022 Jeep Compass offered spacious seating 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 and Uconnect 5 infotainment system improved perceived quality. The Compass provided 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 59.8 cubic feet with the seats folded, surpassing the more expensive Cherokee model.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX had competitive passenger space, with headroom comparable to rivals like the Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30. However, the front seats were placed close together, reducing the sense of spaciousness. The Encore GX offered 23.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 50.2 cubic feet with them folded. Small-item storage was well-executed, with large door pockets and a space-efficient wireless phone charger. The instrumentation was clear and user-friendly, but the lack of a 360-degree camera button was a drawback.

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, with a 10.1-inch option available. The system supported wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and over-the-air updates. A nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system was also available. The voice recognition system was fast and accurate, but finding specific locations required extra effort.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX included a standard 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch driver information display. Optional features included built-in navigation, a head-up display, wireless phone charging, and an eight-speaker Bose audio system. The interface was user-friendly, with clear graphics and menu layouts. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio were standard. However, back-seat passengers lacked USB ports.

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, adaptive cruise control, and a 360-degree camera system were available. However, the lane-keep assist was overly insistent, and the forward-collision warning system occasionally gave false positives. Safety ratings from IIHS and NHTSA were not yet available.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX included standard automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and a Teen Driver system. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, automatic park assist, blind spot monitoring, and a 360-degree camera system. The Encore GX received a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA and was an IIHS 2022 Top Safety Pick, though it had an "Average" score for child-seat anchor ease of use.