2022 Jeep Compass vs 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid

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 for a small Jeep. 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 lineup ranged from the base Sport trim to the High Altitude, with prices from $26,020 to $35,085, excluding a $1,595 destination charge. Our test vehicle, equipped with all-wheel drive and several option packages, had an MSRP of $40,470.

In contrast, the 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid models, including the RX 350h and RX 500h F Sport Performance, were nearly indistinguishable from the standard RX 350, save for the badge on the liftgate. The RX 500h F Sport Performance stood out with its Copper paint job, blacked-out grille, and aggressive styling. The RX models maintained their blunt-nosed look, with a wheelbase stretch that reduced the rear overhang, making the new 2023 RX appear smaller despite being similar in size to the outgoing model. Inside, the RX adopted a cleaner, more minimalistic appearance with contemporary textures and detailing, featuring backlit ambient lighting. The RX 350h Luxury test vehicle boasted Macadamia semi-aniline leather and Ash Bamboo wood trim, while the RX 500h F Sport Performance had an all-black interior with artificial suede and dark gray aluminum trim.

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. Despite its "Tigershark" name, the engine lacked acceleration power, making it feel sluggish, especially at higher altitudes. The nine-speed automatic transmission paired with the engine was reluctant to downshift, resulting in a busy and unrewarding powertrain character. The automatic stop/start system was slow to re-engage, causing hard engagement when accelerating from a stop. The Compass High Altitude averaged 23.8 mpg in combined driving, slightly below the EPA estimate of 25 mpg. With 8.1 inches of ground clearance, the Compass was capable of light off-roading, but the Trailhawk trim offered more serious off-road capabilities. The Compass felt nimble and maneuverable, but its driving dynamics needed improvement, with a bouncy ride on uneven pavement and excessive lateral motion.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid models offered a range of powertrains. The RX 350h featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a hybrid system, producing 246 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque, and was expected to average 36 mpg in combined driving. The RX 500h F Sport Performance, with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a hybrid system, delivered 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, but was estimated to get 27 mpg in combined driving. The RX 500h accelerated to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, while the RX 350h took 7.4 seconds. The RX 500h F Sport Performance had an adaptive damping suspension, upgraded brakes, and rear-wheel steering, making it more athletic and fun to drive. However, accessing drive modes required navigating the infotainment system, and the RX 500h's fuel economy fell short of estimates, averaging 20.9 mpg. The RX 350h averaged 32 mpg, better than the RX 500h but still below Lexus' estimate.

The 2022 Jeep Compass offered a spacious interior for four adults and their luggage, with front seats providing eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. The High Altitude trim featured premium leather upholstery, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, and a redesigned dashboard with a new Uconnect 5 infotainment screen. The Compass had 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down, exceeding the cargo capacity of the more expensive Cherokee model.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid models provided a comfortable and luxurious interior. The RX 350h Luxury trim had ten-way power-adjustable front seats with semi-aniline leather, seat heating and ventilation, and three-zone automatic climate control. The RX 500h F Sport Performance had eight-way power-adjustable front seats with larger side bolsters and standard-grade leather. The hybrids' battery packs were located under the back seat, resulting in excellent leg support but tight rear headroom. The RX offered 29.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 46.2 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down, a significant improvement over the previous model but still less than some rivals.

The 2022 Jeep Compass featured the new Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which was five times faster than the previous generation. It came with an 8.4-inch touchscreen display, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen available as an upgrade. 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, but it had some limitations in finding specific locations.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid introduced a new infotainment system, Lexus Interface, which required activation of connected services plans after the complimentary trial subscriptions expired. The system included Service Connect, Wi-Fi Connect, Safety Connect, Remote Connect, and Drive Connect, with a cloud-based navigation system and an Intelligent Assistant digital voice assistant. The touchscreen was large but could only display one screen menu at a time, and it suffered from reflections. The head-up display option included dual-function touch-sensing control pads on the steering wheel, which were unmarked and could be distracting. The system had some user-experience issues, but overall, it was a significant upgrade.

The 2022 Jeep Compass came with a range of safety features, 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. Highway Assist, which paired 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 system. However, the lane-keep assist was too insistent at lower speeds, and the adaptive cruise control struggled with the engine's lack of power. The forward-collision warning system occasionally gave false positives.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid featured Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, which included motorcycle detection, evasive steering assistance, intersection turn assistance with front cross-traffic alert, and curve-speed reduction for adaptive cruise control. Proactive Driving Assist automatically slowed the RX when the accelerator pedal was released, maintaining a safe following distance and recharging the battery pack in hybrid models. The front cross-traffic alert system provided visual indicators on the head-up display, but these were not visible with polarized sunglasses. The curve-speed reduction tech was reactive rather than proactive, and the driver monitoring system could be blocked by a driver's arm. The RX also offered Traffic Jam Assist for low-speed, hands-free driving and Advanced Park for semi-autonomous parking.