Jeep Compass vs Buick Envision

The 2021 Buick Envision underwent a significant redesign after two consecutive years of facelifts. This two-row compact crossover, available in China and North America, positioned itself between the smaller Encore GX and the larger Enclave in Buick’s lineup. The 2021 Envision was lower and wider than its predecessor, boasting a more planted appearance on the street. Its premium crossover styling was more sculpted than its cousin, the Cadillac XT4, but not as sleek as the Acura RDX. The Envision offered three trim levels: Preferred, Essence, and Avenir, with the Avenir trim making its debut in 2021. The Avenir grade featured upgraded exterior elements, including a Black Ice Chrome mesh grille, body-color painted lowers and wheel arches, rear lens LED taillamps, and 20-inch Avenir-specific pearl nickel wheels. The interior of the Avenir models included unique trim patterns, leather-appointed seating with diamond perforated leather inserts, and a head-up display (HUD). All Envisions came with LED headlights, taillights, and daytime running lights, as well as a welcome lighting animation.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, despite exterior styling updates and new wheel designs, retained much of its look from its 2017 redesign. The High Altitude test vehicle featured appealing 19-inch multi-spoke wheels painted in a dark sparkly finish, giving it an upscale appearance. Inside, the 2022 Compass proved more convincing as a premium SUV, especially in the High Altitude specification. It featured a new dashboard design with updated digital instrumentation and infotainment systems, soft-touch surfaces, luxury-grade leather seats, and added sound deadening. The High Altitude was the most expensive version of the Compass, with prices ranging from $26,020 to $35,085, excluding a $1,595 destination charge. The test vehicle came with standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and the Elite Interior Group and Driver Assist Group 1 option packages, resulting in an MSRP of $40,470, including destination.

The 2021 Buick Envision featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous 2.5-liter four-cylinder base engine. This engine produced 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, a downgrade from the 252 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque in the 2020 model. Despite a weight reduction of 200 to 300 pounds, the power loss was noticeable. The Envision offered front-wheel drive (FWD) as standard, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available. The FWD model achieved an EPA-estimated 24 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined, while the AWD version fared slightly worse with 22 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined. The Envision’s drivability was more akin to a Lincoln, providing comfortable cruising without sporty driving dynamics. The typical GM drive mode selector included a Sport mode, which changed the revs but did not significantly improve performance.

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. This “Tigershark” engine lacked the power of a turbocharger, making it less competitive in terms of acceleration. The Compass featured 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 the engine, leading to hard engagement during acceleration. The Compass High Altitude achieved an average of 23.8 mpg in combined driving, slightly below the EPA estimate of 25 mpg. The Compass offered Jeep Selec-Terrain with Auto, Snow, and Sand/Mud driving modes, and the Jeep Active Drive AWD system could send all engine power to the rear wheels when necessary. The Compass had 8.1 inches of ground clearance, suitable for light off-roading and snowstorms. The Trailhawk trim provided additional off-road capabilities with a different AWD system, hill descent control, skid plates, and 8.6 inches of ground clearance.

The 2021 Buick Envision’s redesign did not improve cabin functionality. Despite a longer wheelbase, the 2021 model had less headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in the front row, and rear-seat passengers lost two inches of legroom and nearly six inches of hip room. The Envision’s cargo capacity was also reduced, with 25.2 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat and 53.7 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. The driver-centric cockpit limited the front seat passenger’s access to climate controls and the infotainment screen. Small-item storage was relatively good, and the Envision offered standard heated driver and front passenger seats, eight-way power-adjustable seats, and a heated steering wheel. Forward visibility was not great, and shorter drivers had difficulty seeing beyond the cowling between the hood and the windscreen.

The 2022 Jeep Compass offered spaciousness for four adults and their luggage, with a maximum cargo capacity of 59.8 cubic feet when the back seat was folded down. 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 Compass had a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, a redesigned soft-touch dashboard, and a new Uconnect 5 infotainment screen. The center console provided twice the storage of the previous model, but the bin beneath the armrest remained small. The Compass also offered an available hands-free power liftgate.

The 2021 Buick Envision featured a standard 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, which was responsive to touch. The driver could see station and song title information faster on the available 8.0-inch driver information display. Standard features included USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate control, a rearview camera, keyless entry, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto. Available features included navigation, driver massage, HD Radio, a surround-view camera, a HUD, a rearview camera mirror, and wireless device charging.

The 2022 Jeep Compass featured the new 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 touchscreen available as an upgrade. Uconnect 5 supported wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, an Amazon Alexa skill, satellite radio, and voice text-to-reply capability. The Compass also offered a navigation system, connected services, a WiFi hotspot, Alexa Built-In, and a wireless device charging pad. The voice recognition system was fast and accurate, but it had some limitations in filtering search results and providing directions.

The 2021 Buick Envision had not yet been rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Standard safety features included Buckle to Drive, a following distance indicator, forward-collision alert, front and rear park assist, lane change alert with blind-spot alert, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, rear park assist, rear-seat alert, automatic emergency braking, and teen-driver monitoring. Adaptive cruise control and enhanced automatic park assist were available on Avenir models.

The 2022 Jeep Compass came with standard 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. The NHTSA had carried over the previous three-star rollover resistance rating, and the IIHS needed to improve headlight performance based on the 2021 Compass scores.