What It Is: A small collection of fully camouflaged new compact Jeep crossover vehicles being trailered about somewhere in Europe. Known internally as the C-SUV (compact SUV) and nicknamed the Compatriot by the Jeep cognoscenti, the as-yet-unnamed compact vehicle is slated to replace both the Jeep Patriot and Compass. Even the swirly camo pattern can’t disguise the Jeep-ness of these vehicles: See the shape of the wheel openings, the kicked up bodyline in front of the C-pillar, and the baby version of the Grand Cherokee fascia. The finished appearance of the twin exhaust tips and the way they are integrated into the rear skidplate/cosmetic bodywork indicates that the vehicle is nearly ready for prime time. Which is good, since the current Compass and Patriot have been around so long that many of have probably forgotten that they are still available.
One big point of contention in the current pair is their sub-par interior layout and materials. While these images don’t reveal much in that regard, we are at least glad to see the easy-to-use corporate dials and buttons in their familiar positions. A typical FCA screen for access to UConnect functions resides in the center of the dash, and USB and 12-volt power ports are clearly visible in the console.
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Why It Matters: The Patriot, which for a time held the dubious title of offering the lowest base price of any SUV sold in America, and its Compass sibling were largely answers to questions that no one had asked. They looked “Jeepy” and offered at least some off-road capability, but didn’t excel in any particular measure. Besides lacking distinction, their size landed between segment norms so many consumers simply chose a larger vehicle such as the Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V or, more recently, had the option to move down into a crossover in the burgeoning subcompact class, such as the Mazda CX-3 or Jeep Renegade. While that may sound unfortunate, it also represents opportunity. Should Jeep’s new C-SUV deliver the goods—primarily capability, style, and fuel economy—for a competitive price, it could score big on the showroom floor. Despite these models being nearly invisible to the enthusiast community, Jeep managed to peddle 154,726 of the pair (93,462 Patriots and 61,264 Compasses) in 2015, so there is definitely still some action to be had.
Platform: FCA is no stranger to squeezing numerous models from a limited number of platforms, and we expect this nameless Jeep to ride on an extended version of the Small US Wide 4×4 platform that also underpins the Jeep Renegade, the Fiat 500X, and the 500L. Jeep will undoubtedly cook up several trim levels, including at least one with a Trail-Rated badge or even a Trailhawk edition.
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Powertrain: While it’s a good bet that the corporate 2.4-liter four-cylinder and 2.0-liter turbocharged four paired with either the six-speed manual and nine-speed automatic will be on tap, recent rumors suggest that the still-in-development, turbocharged “Hurricane” four-cylinder slated for the next-generation Wrangler may make an appearance in this model at some point as well.
Competition: Subaru Crosstrek, Mini Cooper Countryman, Jeep Renegade, Fiat 500X, Nissan Juke
Estimated Arrival and Price: Originally scheduled to debut at the 2016 New York auto show, this vehicle was MIA. Expect to see Jeep Compass/Patriot replacement arrive in late 2016 or early 2017 as a 2017 model. With the Renegade’s base MSRP currently hovering around the $19,000 mark, which is actually lower than current Compass and Patriot, Jeep will have to decide if it wants to price the ComPatriot similarly. The top end of the range (call it the Jeep Whatever Trailhawk) will no doubt land somewhere below the price of the current $24,490 base Cherokee.
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