With the all-new Jeep Compass hitting dealerships right now, the brand was eager to show off exactly what its latest small crossover can do, and it is doing so with the Jeep Trailpass.
A custom 1.5-inch lift starts the modifications, while Continental all-terrain tires wrapped around 18-inch wheels with accent pockets provide grip. Jeep Performance Parts rock rails, custom graphics on the hood and bodyside, a roof basket and a luggage carrier complete the exterior upgrades, while the interior is finished with Katzkin leather seats with contrast stitching.
Unlike some of the wild 2017 Easter Jeep Concepts, this Trailpass is rooted in reality, demonstrating a package that is practical and boosts performance.
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The Drive
The 1.5-inch lift, the parts for which are still a concept at this point, makes the biggest difference with this Compass, bringing total ride height to 10-inches. That means that it crawls over just about everything, bringing along the confidence that is synonymous with Jeeps. This lift kit is another part that found its way onto the Moab Easter Jeep project builds that will likely make its way into production, allowing consumers to bring home a lifted Compass for themselves.
The Continental all-terrain tires provided plenty of grip to climb the rocks and run through the deep sands of Moab, while the standard powertrain, the 2.4-liter MultiAir four-cylinder puts down just enough power to pull this Jeep through some light to moderate off-roading. It could certainly use a little more power, but if you’re not rolling through trails with scary names like Hell’s Revenge and Hell-dorado, it is enough.
After spending time in the standard Jeep Compass right after our Trailpass test drive, it’s also apparent that the suspension upgrades help to soften this special Compass a little, eating up bumps and rocks rather than beating up the occupants.
There is one other small upgrade that will make a big difference: Jeep’s all-weather slush mats. These rubber mats wrap right up the side of the foot wells, offering complete protection for the carpet from muddy or wet boots.
Trailpass
The Jeep Compass Trailpass is an exercise in showing the world exactly what the new small crossover is capable of, sporting some excellent suspension upgrades which are likely to be available to the public soon.
One thing is for sure, for all those that doubt that the Jeep Compass as on off-roader, the Trailpass proves that with the proper upgrades, this thing can take some serious abuse.
