You won’t find much performance in the world of the compact crossover. Sure, you have outliers like the Hyundai Kona N and the Mazda CX-5 Turbo. But for the most part, a lot of offerings in the segment can be described as underpowered or slow. Jeep may change that for 2023, as it could drop a new turbocharged engine into its Compass, creating one of the most powerful crossovers in the segment.
Right now, the most power you can get out of a Compass is from a 2.4-liter I4 with 180 horsepower. Even if you drop nearly $40,000 for a fully loaded Compass High Altitude you’ll still only have 180 HP. Other Compass trims make do with a 177-hp version of the same engine.
Dodge’s introduction of the new Hornet crossover has changed things, though. It’s given Jeep access to the Hornet’s 2.0-liter turbocharged I4. A certification application Car & Driver found on the EPA’s site confirms this new engine for 2023. It would seem that Alfa Romeo not using it for the Hornet clone Alfa Romeo Tonale has freed up this engine for the Compass.
At 2.0 liters, it’s turbocharged and puts out 270 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. If you’re counting, that means the Compass is getting a 90 to 100 HP increase. Jeep has yet to release details on the ‘23 Compass, but I would assume this engine will be offered on higher trims of the crossover. Or they may surprise us and offer the engine across the entire lineup.
Update: Jeep has finally released official details on the 2023 Compass. While it does have the new 2.0-liter engine and is available on all trims, power is rated at 200 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, way lower than the 270 hp we thought it would have.
The other notable news is that Jeep’s Active Drive four-wheel drive system is standard across all trims. Trailhawk models get a special low ranger version with a 20:1 crawl ratio.