Jeep has provided a first glimpse of the next-generation Compass SUV, due to debut next year as a 2026 product.
Europe first
The SUV will first make launch in Europe, before being offered to North America and other markets in 2026. That's why the vehicle is expected to be a vintage 2026 on this side of the Atlantic.
The image shared is a sketch that shows very little, apart from a line with contours conveying a good deal of ruggedness. The wheel arches are pronounced and the overhangs are short. Jeep's signature headlights and taillights can be seen at both front and rear, although the latter are barely visible. The C-pillar is also blackened, which is fashionable and gives the effect of a floating roof.
What's next?
Production is set to start take place at one of the Group's plants in Melfi, Italy. It is one of the plants producing the current generation of Compass.
The new model will be built on Stellantis' STLA Large platform. That architecture is designed for compact and mid-size electric vehicles, but it can also accommodate gasoline and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
As such, Jeep has already declared that the next Compass will offer different propulsion systems, suggesting that gas-only and plug-in versions will be launched alongside an all-electric variant.
Opel, another Stellantis brand, unveiled a compact SUV called Grandland earlier this year, based on the STLA Medium platform. This vehicle offers gasoline, plug-in hybrid and electric powertrains. In the electric version, the largest battery has a capacity of 98 kWh. It remains to be seen whether that battery is destined for the future electric Compass.
The current Compass generation has been with us since the 2017 model-year. The model, despite its flaws and hefty price tag, is Jeep's third best-selling vehicle, behind the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. And despite its age, the Compass saw sales grow by 12 percent last year in the U.S., to 96,173 units.
Last year in Canada, Jeep sold 6,206 Compass SUVs, 16.5 percent more than in 2022, when it moved 5,328 units.
Original content from auto123.
