FCA's Jeep brand has released the first official photos of the 2017 Compass ahead of its North American debut at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Jeep Compass
Here in North America, we won't get a chance to see the all-new 2017 Jeep Compass until November 18th, when it's scheduled to be unveiled at the 2016 L.A. Auto Show. But the new model has already made its world debut, which happened yesterday at the factory in Brazil where it will be assembled and exported to most of the world.
For those of you not steeped in Jeep lore, the first production Compass rolled off the assembly line in Belvidere, Illinois on May 30, 2006 as a 2007 model. Sharing the same platform architecture with the Jeep Patriot, the Compass was the less Jeep-like of the two and, by 2010, was being out-sold by the Patriot by a margin of more than 2 to 1.
In 2011 the Compass received a Grand Cherokee-like facelift and sales tripled. But time has a way of catching up, and the underpinnings of the Compass have remained relatively unchanged for ten years in what has become, since gas prices have fallen, the hottest vehicle size in the hottest vehicle market segment here in the U.S. In other words, the Compass was long past due for a major change.
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2017 Jeep Compass
Speaking of change, an all-new 2017 Jeep Compass made its global debut at FCA's Jeep Assembly Plant in Goiana, Pernambuco, Brazil. And while we'll have to wait until the L.A. show for FCA to release details of the new model, we now know, from the press release, that it "will be produced with 17 fuel-efficient powertrain options for consumers in more than 100 countries around the world."
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So far, so good. The press release went on to state that:
The all-new Jeep Compass expands the brand’s global reach with an unmatched combination of attributes that includes legendary and best-in-class 4x4 off-road capability, advanced fuel-efficient powertrains, premium and authentic Jeep design, superior on-road driving dynamics, open-air freedom, and a host of safety and advanced technology offerings.
2017 Jeep Compass prices and availability
According to FCA, we'll see the new Compass in Jeep showrooms during the first quarter of 2017, while additional images and information will be released at its debut in L.A. If FCA follows the usual procedures, pricing details will be released closer to its on-sale date.
