The last time around I drove the Jeep Compass Trailhawk, I called it a wolf in sheep's clothing, and you can check out the review too. A lot has changed in the last couple of years though. But you know what, we were excited then and we are excited now because the Jeep Compass Trailhawk is back which means there's demand for the car and it makes us happy that an exciting off-road capable car is back in the market!
So let's get through it step-by-step and start with the design.
The Jeep Compass Trailhawk is back which means there's demand for the car.
Photo Credit: Pawan Dagia
The first thing that you'll notice is the 'Trail Rated' badge and that just summarises what this car is all about. Now there are a few changes that we see here and most of them we've already seen on the Compass facelift. So, you are familiar with the front end. You get nice-looking LED DRLs and the new face. From a distance, it still looks like a Compass but comes closer and you'll see that the front and rear bumpers have been tweaked to ensure that the Approach and departure angles are enhanced.
The front and rear bumpers of the 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk have been tweaked to ensure that the Approach and departure angles are enhanced.
Photo Credit: Pawan Dagia
The approach, departure, and break-over angles have seen an improvement, which basically means that the car is now better equipped for any terrain thrown at it.
And we did throw some rocks in its way, Of course before we did all that we changed the mode into Rock. And it can be done with a simple touch of the button. Thank the Select Terrain system that lets you do all that very easily. There are 2 more modes, Snow and Sand/Mud and of course, there is auto. The great part here is that Jeep has moved away from a rotary dial to just a quick toggle switch and that makes life easier too, thus keeping the premiumness of the SUV intact.
The great part here is that Jeep has moved away from a rotary dial to just a quick toggle switch and that makes life easier too.
Photo Credit: Pawan Dagia
Of course, you have to take things slow when it comes to off-roading but clearly, the Compass Trailhawk had everything sorted. The 20:1 crawl ratio really does give the Trailhawk a significant advantage and the ability to climb like no other car in the segment. And the 9-speed automatic really shines out here too, providing power continuously to the wheels and making sure the torque delivery takes you where you want to go.
2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk
Photo Credit: Pawan Dagia
Now that transmission has been made in-house but the design has been sourced from ZF and that just shines out when you've taken the off-beat track.
But how does it perform on normal roads? Well, The engine is a familiar one, which we've seen on the Jeep Compass facelift as well, the 2-litre diesel which churns out 168 bhp and there's 350 Nm of torque on offer. Now, the gearbox is a bit sluggish during initial acceleration, so there's nothing till the turbocharger hits at around 2000-2200 rpm and that's tricky. There is no sports mode either which you can shift to, so while the gearshifts are smooth, we are left lacking when it comes to initial acceleration. As far as the ride and handling go though, the reworked suspension handles the revised ride height pretty well and it feels pretty good on the tarmac too. The bumps on the road are handled with ease but yes, there's a bit of kickback from the suspension on the big ones you encounter.
The engine is a familiar one, which we've seen on the Jeep Compass facelift as well.
Photo Credit: Pawan Dagia
But you know what, the cabin is absolutely sublime. It carries the same layout as on the facelift version and hence carries all the gizmos and that's a big upgrade from 2019. You can't miss the 10.1-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system which basically is central to that premium, luxurious experience! You get wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto as well. There's a 360-degree camera too which comes in very handy when you go off-road.
The 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk has the same layout as on the facelift version and hence carries all the gizmos and that's a big upgrade from 2019.
Photo Credit: Pawan Dagia
The Compass Trailhawk basically gets all the features from the S(O) variant of the line-up, so yes, there's the panoramic sunroof, integrated navigation, and voice commands and of course, it's big on safety.
There are very few cars that come close to what the 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk has to offer, but as an overall package, it's hard to find a perfect match.
Photo Credit: Pawan Dagia
Now we don't have the price of the Compass Trailhawk yet, but it will be upwards of Rs. 30 lakh from what we know by experience. So, yes, it's not going to be cheap, but if you take it off-roading like fish to water, then yes, this one should be your pick. There are others more capable, yes, but thrilling? No. There are very few cars that come close to what the Trailhawk has to offer but as an overall package, it's hard to find a perfect match.
