THE SUREST WAY to tell that a brand has arrived is when its name becomes part of society's vocabulary. 'Kleenex' is a good example when someone asks for tissue paper and you can order a 'Red Bull and vodka' just about anywhere in the world, only to ask for a 'Panadol' to take care of the resulting hangover.

In the automotive world, no other brand comes as close to being a generic term than Jeep. Ask even the most car-illiterate person to point out a Jeep on the road and it'll most probably turn out to be a Sports Utility Vehicle of some kind.

With such a strong identity, a Jeep that's affordable and practical is reason enough for admirers of the American brand to pony up for one. If you're one of them, all you need to know is that the Jeep Compass is here and it's priced at $95,000 with COE. The rest of you who need a little more convincing can read on.

Those shopping for a 2.4-litre SUV are spoilt for choice as the likes of Honda's CR-V, Mitsubishi's Outlander, Toyota's RAV4 and more recently, Chevrolet's Captiva all make for compelling propositions. The Compass is the latest model to join this party as Jeep's smallest and most road-friendly model yet.

At a little over 4.6-metres in length, the Compass is around the same size as its contemporaries and uses a platform that was jointly developed with Dodge and Mitsubishi for the Caliber and Outlander respectively.

At first glance, the Compass features all the unmistakeable styling traits of a true Jeep with its round headlamps and seven-slot front grille along with pronounced wheel arches.

Despite the traditional styling elements, contemporary relief comes in the form of hidden rear door handles and low profile tyres on 18-inch alloys as standard.

DRIVING IT

Power for the Compass comes from a 172bhp, 2.4-litre four-cylinder unit that transmits its power through a Continuously Variable Transmission - a first for Jeep.

Another new innovation for the American carmaker is the Compass' on-demand four-wheel drive system called Freedom Drive I. In normal driving conditions, power is sent to only the Compass? front wheels for lower fuel consumption.

When the going gets rough and additional traction is needed, Freedom Drive will send power to the rear wheels as conditions dictate.

In more extreme situations, the Freedom Drive system can also be locked into a permanent four-wheel drive mode with the centre differential locked.

On asphalt, where Compass drivers are expected to spend most of their time, the Jeep proves to be as refined and comfortable Japanese and Korean-made rivals.
Show the Compass a set of corners and it obliges its driver impressively with little body roll or drama, prompting at least one of the CarBuyer team members to decide that this must be the best Jeep he's driven.

Despite having a suspension with a 20cm ground clearance and the ability to handle 32-degree inclines, the Compass' ride isn't as bone-jarringly stiff as some other off-roaders we've driven.

INSIDE IT

The interior of the Compass is almost all hard plastics. Instead of feeling out of place, the slightly angular architecture of the cabin actually seems to complement the materials used quite well.

Fit and finish is good but still not quite up to Japanese standards. Most of the switches are exactly where you would expect to find them, but the steering wheel mounted switches for the audio system are hidden behind the left and right sides of the steering wheel, and are accessible by your index fingers.

Not the most conventional place, but it does actually feel more convenient to use than the usual switches mounted on the top surface of the wheel.

The Compass is not much bigger than its corporate twin, the Dodge Caliber, and so is designed to seat five regular adults. Front seat cushions are supportive and comfortable but the rear seats feel a little thin, especially near the corners where the framework can be felt through the upholstery.

Legroom is adequate, but the person sitting in the middle rear seat will need to have pixie-sized feet as the fixed rear cupholder takes up plenty of room.

Compared to its rivals, the Compass has a shallow boot, probably as a result of packaging the rear mechanicals above the chassis? framework ? a time-honoured tradition practised by builders of ?proper? off-roaders.

A nifty little fold-out iPod Nano cradle in tucked into the center console, and little splashes of chrome around door sills and gearknob make the interior feel special with going too far over the top. Storage compartments big and small pepper the cabin, adding to the vehicle?s appeal for urban use.

DOLLARS AND SENSE

If buying American is your kind of thing, the Compass is probably right up your alley. It is currently the most affordable Jeep you can buy here, even if it does not have the true hardcore off road capability of its larger siblings. What it does have is a decently comfortable cabin and good ride character.

At under $100,000 the Compass sits in the same territory as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Stiff competition is likely to come from the Korean-built Chevrolet Captiva, which sits in the same price bracket but has seating room for seven.

CONCLUSION

With the Compass, Jeep has placed itself right in the thick of the most competitive segment of the SUV market.

It may still fall behind in terms of quality compared compared with efforts from Honda and Toyota, but its pedigree as an off-roader makes it a compelling alternative for those looking for substance.

Toyota RAV4 Premium 2.4 (A), $101,988 with COE

The Premium version of the RAV4 features hill decent control, which hints at the Toyota's deceptive off-road bent. It's however, let down by a four-speed automatic gearbox when its rivals feature most advanced five or six-speed units or clever CVTs.

Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4 (A) $98,988 with COE

Mechanically, the Outlander is the most similar car to the Compass. While the Mitsubishi has slightly more interior space, the Jeep has better off-road capability. For extra money, the Outlander can be had with a third row of seats.

2,359cc, 16V in-line 4
172bhp at 6,000rpm
220Nm at 4,500rpm
6-step CVT
185km/h
11.3 seconds
$95,000 with COE
3years/ 100,000km
Chrysler Jeep Automotive of Singapore
6479-3333

PLUSES

Impeachable pedigree, comfortable, practical and affordable

MINUSES

Quirky styling and unconvincing cabin quality

VERDICT

A Jeep that?s perfectly suited for everyday use