Jeep is getting a boost from the recently launched plug-in hybrid version of the Compass in Europe.
The plug-in hybrid variant accounted for 31 percent of the Compass' sales in Italy through May, according to the UNRAE industry association, making it the country's most popular model with that powertrain with a volume of 3,631 units sold during the period.
The plug-in hybrid version, which arrived in late 2020, also already accounts for 25 percent of the Compass' sales in the region, Jeep Europe head Antonella Bruno told the media in April in Turin.
Through four months the Compass, Jeep's No. 2-selling model overall after the Renegade, had a volume of 17,159 units.
Based on what Bruno said, that means the plug-in hybrid variant accounted for about 4,300 of those sales.
She didn't say whether that percentage number would rise or remain the same in this year.
Also helping the Compass is that Jeep recently gave the entire model family a mid-cycle update, which included external and internal modifications.
The Compass' exterior tweaks include full LED headlights, which are now standard across the range, and new front fog lamps integrated into a single broad linear opening in the center, resulting in what Jeep calls a "layered construction of the front."
On the inside, Jeep raised the height of the central console as well as the SUV's touchscreen, which has grown to 10.1 inches from 8.4 inches in the previous generation. The infotainment system is based on the fifth-generation of former parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Uconnect system. Storage space has been increased by 4.4 liters.
Growing electrified lineup
The Compass is the second model that Jeep is offering in Europe with a plug-in hybrid powertrain after the Renegade small SUV. The third model, a plug-in hybrid version of the Jeep Wrangler, will join the lineup this month.
The Compass and Renegade plug-in hybrids are assembled at parent Stellantis’ factory in Melfi, southern Italy. The plant also makes internal combustion versions of Compass for Europe.
The Compass plug-in hybrid, badged the 4xe, couples a 1.3-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with a 59-hp electric motor located on the rear axle, enabling four-wheel drive, and powered by an 11.4-kilowatt hour battery. The 1.3-liter engine is offered with either 128 hp and 177 hp.
The car accelerates from zero to 100 kph (0-62 mph) in about 7.5 seconds. It has a top speed of 200 kph in hybrid mode and 130 kph using electric power only.
The Compass' base price is 29,850 euros in Italy, including 22 percent VAT, while the plug-in hybrid starts at 41,950 euros.
The Compass' engine range also features gasoline and diesel powertrains.
The gasoline range includes a 1.3-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine with two output levels: 128 hp and up to 270 newton meters of torque in combination with a six-speed manual transmission or 148 hp and up to 270 Nm of torque, paired with a dual-clutch transmission.
According to Jeep, the engine's consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by up to 27 percent when compared to the previous gasoline model, according to the WLTP cycle.
The diesel version of the Compass features a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine delivering 128 hp and 320 Nm of torque, paired with a six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive.
Power has increased by 10 hp compared with the Compass' previous-generation 1.6-liter diesel. The change has reduced fuel consumption by 10 percent and CO2 emissions by 11 grams per kilometer, according to the automaker. Both gasoline and diesel options are front-wheel drive.
