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18 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 5, 2006 www.oakvillebeaver.com Compass helps Jeep find the heart of the compact SUV segment By JIM ROBINSON ROAD WORTHY EVERYTHING Auto your guide to everything auto in Oakville INSIDE: Experience the all-new Jeep Compass . . . . . . . . . .Page 19 Honda powers in for Goodwood Festival of Speed . . . . . . . .Page 20 More power for the new Porsche Boxster . . . . . . . . .Page 21 For years there were three Jeeps and now with the 2007 Compass, suddenly, there are seven. We all know the demand for SUVs, any kind of SUV, seems to be an unquenchable North American consumer thirst. Say the word "Jeep" and an image springs instantly to mind. Rugged, unstoppable, but until about five years ago, slightly behind the curve in terms of styling, creature comforts, in short, all those things taken for granted in today's SUVs. That Jeep was moving to keep pace with the times is evidenced with the latest Grand Cherokee featuring wall-towall leather and even a hubris-spitting 425 hp Hemi V8. But at the same time, the market was moving swiftly away from big, bruising truck-based SUVs to mid-size and compact car-based "crossover" SUVs. Anticipating this, Jeep brought out the Liberty four years ago that filled the gap, but they realized something smaller was needed. What Jeep did was show the Patriot and Compass concepts at the Detroit auto show three years ago, leaving it to public reaction to help Jeep decide which one to build. To Jeep's surprise, both were hits and this was confirmed by umpteen focus groups. The decision was to go with both and increase what Jeep stores have to offer from its traditional three core models to seven and that does not include a pickup truck that's in the works. Crucial to Jeep's marketing plans is the compact SUV segment that is expected to double in sales by 2010 to 55,000 units or seven per cent of the Canadian truck market. Chrysler has a knack for taking a basic platform and turning out vehicles that vary widely in tone and temperament and the 2007 Compass is case in point. It is on the same chassis as the Dodge Caliber economy car, but you'd never guess it by looking; and especially when driving it. Walk up to the Compass and you see the Jeep signature seven-slot grill and two round headlights. From the side it has that purposeful Jeep look right down to the flared fenders with trapezoidal wheel openings. A Caliber it ain't. Because it is car-based, it does not have the bucking bronco ride of the Jeep Wrangler. This is what is called a crossover SUV and it's suited more for the wilds of city/country driving than taking on the Rubicon Trail. ERYTHING The 2007 Compass is the entry-level Jeep in an expanded sevenmodel lineup. With a base price of $17,995 it includes side curtain airbags, traction control and stability control as standard. Driving on the freeway in Oregon, the all-independent front and rear suspension soaked up the pavement with a very tight feel; the only downside being noise from the more aggressive tires that are part of the SUV vogue. Compass is available with a five-speed manual or constantly variable transmission (CVT). There is one powerplant, the DaimlerChrysler 2.4-litre, "world engine", the same as in the Caliber, but here making 172 hp and 162 lb/ft of torque. It is available in front-wheel-drive (2WD) or four-wheel-drive (4WD) using Jeep's new Freedom Drive 1. With all-season active 4WD, the driver can also lock the wheels using a transmission-mounted switch for snow, ice and even sand. Yes, I said sand. Part of our drive route took us to a lunch stop at an oceanside eatery. Instead of parking in the restaurant lot, we were told to park on the beach. Getting there meant going through fine, loose sand that was up past my ankle when I tried walking back up for lunch. With the wheels locked and the traction control off, my driving partner and I churned our way through what would have spelled disaster for any all-wheel-drive SUV. Later we were let loose on a dedicated all-terrain park that includes sand dunes and sharply rising hills. Instead of being chaperoned by grizzled off-road experts hired for the day, we were given the keys and told to go for it. Any sub$20,000 "off road" tagged vehicle is really what I call a "soft roader". It can go down an earthen lane to a Muskoka cottage but that's about it. With this demonstration, Jeep was proving that legendary Jeep mobility is always definitely part of the package. Continued on Page 19 Oak-land Ford Lincoln YOU GET THE BEST PRICES OF THE YEAR. PERIOD. 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