Jeep is selling the new Compass in Europe as an EV, a plug-in hybrid and a mild hybrid, and Autogefühl drove two of them back to back to find out whether the drivetrain choice is really a budget decision. The electric 4xe uses a motor on each axle, a 96 kWh battery and covers 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds according to the video. The Summit plug-in hybrid pairs a 1.6 litre four cylinder with an electric motor for 225 horsepower and about eight seconds to the same mark. The car measures 4.55 metres, or roughly 179 inches. North America gets its version later, where the video says a 2.0 litre four cylinder is on the engine list. The verdict is not close.
European pricing is where the argument gets interesting. The video puts the three cylinder mild hybrid at around 40,000 euros, the plug-in hybrid starting near 43,000 and climbing to about 53,000 well equipped, the all wheel drive 4xe just under 60,000, and the fully loaded Overland test car at 67,000. That is a narrower gap between the hybrid and the EV than the badge difference suggests. Charging is the other buyer consideration the spec sheet hides. The video reports the plug-in hybrid takes 7.4 kW AC, but only on a single phase, so a typical home wallbox delivers about 3.7 kW, close to a household socket. The EV takes 11 kW AC as standard, 22 kW optional, and peaks at 160 kW on DC. Neither version has a frunk, which means the charging cables live in the boot with your luggage. The Compass also shares its underpinnings with the Peugeot 3008, something the host raises directly and treats as a positive rather than a criticism, since he rates that platform highly for steering and body control.
On the road the host prefers the EV, and says the reason is refinement rather than power. He describes the plug-in hybrid's transitions between engine and motor as noticeable, particularly the downshift when slowing at low speed, and reports rattling from the interior when the car is driven at full throttle, something he says he had not encountered in normal driving. The EV has one gear and none of that. Efficiency figures from the video: 19 kWh per 100 km at 100 km/h and 24 kWh per 100 km at 130 km/h in 29 degree weather, which he translates to roughly 300 miles and 250 miles of real world range. Jeep's official DC figures are 31 minutes from 20 to 80 percent on the smaller 74 kWh pack, which is front wheel drive only, and 27 minutes on the 96 kWh version. The plug-in hybrid carries a battery just under 18 kWh and returned about 21 kWh per 100 km in electric mode, which the host translates to roughly 50 miles of electric range, with fuel consumption around six litres per 100 km in mixed driving and eight litres once the battery is depleted. The Overland trim adds a 27 degree approach angle, 31 degree departure, 10 mm more ground clearance and 19 inch wheels. The host rates overall interior build quality as adequate rather than class leading.
Bottom line: The plug-in hybrid exists to solve a charging problem, and on this car it does not solve it very well. Single phase AC at home means overnight charging is the only realistic pattern, and the video's own driving notes suggest the powertrain is the least refined thing about the Compass. If you can charge at home at all, the EV is the better car and the price gap is small enough that the decision is not really financial anymore. If you cannot, skip both and take the mild hybrid, because a plug-in you never plug in is the worst of every option here.
Commentary on a third-party video. Figures and claims are as presented in the source and have not been independently verified. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.