Jeep Compass powertrains explained

The Jeep Compass has been unveiled in India and the smallest Jeep yet is all set to waltz in by July, later this year. We have had a good look at the car and the technology that has gone in to building this machine. Powertrains are an important part of every vehicle, but when it comes to the Jeep, it is probably the most important thing along with the suspension. It’s the powertrain which defines the ability of a Jeep and sets it apart from others. So here is a peek into what the Jeep has in store for us.

To begin with, Jeep offers two engine options – the 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine and the 2.0-litre turbodiesel. The 1.4-litre Multi-air four cylinder engine develops over 160bhp of power and thanks to the forced induction, it also develops 250Nm of torque. The 2.0-litre diesel is also an inline-four cylinder engine and develops over 170bhp of power and 350Nm of torque.

The transmission comes in both manual and automatic gearboxes. The manual gearbox is a six-speed synchromesh unit. The automatic gearbox is a seven-speed dual dry-clutch unit. In your Compass, you can either opt a front-wheel drive as well or an all-wheel drive setup. The all-wheel drive system switches between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, depending on the driving conditions to maximise driveability and fuel economy. You can also setup the AWD for different trains using the terrain select function as well.

Off-roading is deeply ingrained in Jeep genes and the Compass has been built to tackle tougher terrains. You can also setup the AWD for different terrains using the terrain select function as well. You can select from the four available modes – auto, sand, mud and snow. The intelligent AWD system alters throttle response, gearing and torque between the axles to ensure maximum traction and driveability. For example, in snow mode, the car launches in second gear from standstill to help avail more traction and reduce wheel slip. In mud and sand mode, the AWD system allows wheel slip while distributing torque to the front and the rear axles dynamically to help the Compass carry momentum while wading through the low traction terrain.

It also gets the electronic brake-lock differential which works like a diff-lock to ensure that both the wheels on a particular axle run at the same speed. For example, if one wheel on the rear axle is stuck in mud, the standard differential will send all the power to the other wheel which will start spinning. The terrain response system uses brakes to control wheel spin and send power to the wheel that requires more traction to get unstuck.

Along with the active all-wheel drive system, it gets frequency sensitive damping to offer better ride quality and handling characteristics on road while not compromising on the off-road ability. The Chapman independent rear suspension gives the Jeep the required articulation along with improved cornering performance.