Jeep to Sell All-New Compass Alongside Old One at First

In a confusing move, both will be labeled 2017 models on dealer lots later this spring.

byKyle Cheromcha|
Jeep to Sell All-New Compass Alongside Old One at First
Share

0

Jeep is very excited about the new Compass—so much so that the company apparently just can't wait to put the old, unloved model out to pasture before sending the fresh redesign out to its dealers. In a bit of a strange move, it appears that Jeep will sell both the new and old Compasses alongside each other as 2017 models, and other than labeling the new one as, well, "new" in marketing materials, they're going to let customers figure out the difference by looking at them side-by-side on the lot this spring. 

Fiat-Chrysler has big world domination plans for the humble little Compass. The compact CUV/SUV market is exploding around the world, and Jeep wants the Compass to slot between the Renegade and Cherokee as a sort of Goldilocks product that's just the right size to compete with the massively popular Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, with the added bonus of some real off-road ability.

Though Compass and Patriot (RIP) sales increased in the U.S. last year, their combined total fell short of both those big-name competitors, as well as the Ford Escape and Nissan Rogue, so Jeep has a lot riding on this - especially considering they killed the better-selling model in the Patriot. 

Jeep spokesman Jordan Wasylyk told Cars Direct the decision stems from the fact that some countries determine model years differently and won't allow a new car to be sold as a 2018 model this early in the year. With such global ambitions, Jeep decided it would be best to keep the labeling consistent and launch the new Compass as a 2017 model worldwide. 

And while Jeep would like you to just forget about that nasty old Compass—they've scrubbed all mentions of it from their website—if for some reason you'd like to relive a disappointing rental car experience every day and buy an "old" 2017 Compass, there are some serious deals to be had...like this 4WD model for $8,000 under sticker.

stripe