The Essentials

• Price from £17,455
• What Car? says:
• Fuel economy: up to 46.3mpg
• What is it? Rugged looking crossover simply can't match the best cars of this type to drive.

• Drive

  Best kept off-road or used for towing

• Inside

  Visibility could be better and the steering wheel only adjusts for height, not reach

• Safety

  Active front headrests, six airbags and a clever braking system but a poor crash-test result

• Reliability

  Jeep came third from bottom in What Car?'s 2012 reliability survey

• Space

  Fine for four but a central rear passenger pulls the short straw

• Standard and extras

  All come with air-con, electric windows, cruise control and MP3 socket

• What's it like to drive?

  As well as petrol or diesel you can choose between front and four-wheel drive for your Compass. None are much fun to drive on the road, but the Compass is a useful off-road or towing vehicle. On that basis we'd go for the four-wheel-drive diesel model which will haul 2000kg on a braked trailer. Just be prepared for the agricultural soundtrack from the engine, which will compete with road and wind noise at higher speeds.

• What's it like inside?

  There's a good view forwards from the high-set seat but the steering wheel only adjusts one way and thick rear pillars reduce visibility over the shoulder. We'd avoid the touch-screen infotainment system which ups the price but isn't that easy to use. Four adults can get comfy inside but a central rear passenger must straddle the centre console housing cupholders. The rear seats fold almost flat to extend the shallow boot.

• How reliable is it?

  Jeep has not performed well in reliability surveys. Safety kit includes six airbags, stability control, a braking system that works to prevent the car rolling over and active headrests to reduce the risk of whiplash in a shunt. The Compass scored a disappointing 2 stars in Euro NCAP crash tests, with 61% for adult protection and 76% for child protection.

• Should I buy one?

  The Compass looks cheaper than a Nissan Qashqai or VW Tiguan but any savings you make can help with the running costs or offset the lower resale value. The most efficient Compass is the two-wheel-drive diesel version which claims 46.3mpg - a Qashqai claims up to 62.8mpg.