2011 Jeep Compass

2011 Jeep Compass

2011 Jeep Compass

2011 Jeep Compass

2011 Jeep Compass

Jeep Compass has always been more like a pair of flip-flops—you could wear them on a trail, but in doing so you'd probably slip in the mud and stub your toe. This year, though, the Compass is toughening up. It's now officially "Trail Rated"—if you pony up for the Freedom Drive II off-road package. It's the same grouping of parts that have been available on the Compass's chassis mate, Jeep Patriot, for years.

No, don't expect Freedom Drive II to get you through a hardcore trail the way the legendary Rubicon could. But now—thanks to a 1-inch-higher ride height, 17-inch all-terrain tires, skid plates, tow hooks, 4WD Lock mode, Hill Descent Control and a continuously variable transaxle (CVT) with a lowered first-gear ratio—a Compass with Freedom Drive II can traverse surprisingly difficult terrain.

Compass's CVT has a clutch pack that diverts torque to the rear axle, and unique CVT programming to simulate a total "geared" reduction of 19:1. That ratio comes from multiplying the lowest forward ratio in the CVT (2.34:1) by the final drive of 8.14:1. For comparison, a Wrangler with an automatic transmission has a total reduction (or crawl ratio) of 31.7:1 when you multiply the first gear in the transmission by the low-range ratio in the transfer case by the axle ratio. What it all means is that despite the Compass's new ruggedness for 2011, a Wrangler could crawl up a trail nearly twice as slowly, offering the driver more torque and control.

The Compass completed the trail with no close calls or mechanical snafus. On a run like that, the Compass's limited off-road capability requires the driver to be more engaged and focused. And sometimes that can be a more rewarding experience than effortlessly cruising that same terrain in a more capable 4WD.