We Took A Jeep Compass Rallying And It Was Awesome

"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54)
01/06/2015 at 21:44 • Filed to: rally

What do you do with a car that wants so much to be an off road vehicle, but can't actually go off road? Take it to a rally.

When I got rear ended last August, I ended up driving a Jeep Compass while my car got fixed. The Compass is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . The reviews I read said it was like its mechanical twin, the Dodge Caliber, only not as good. And the Caliber doesn't exactly have an outstanding reputation to begin with.

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I never expected performance like my car, but man, what a letdown. The 2.4 liter four banger felt like it had a lot less than its rated 172hp, and it constantly whined like a wind-up toy. The transmission downshifted if I even thought about increasing speed, causing an abrupt lurch, and then the engine would whine even more. It was like the transmission was trying to whip the engine like a cruel jockey to a race horse, who would then reply "I'm givin' it all she's got, Captain! If I give 'er any more she's gonna blow!" At least I could shift it manually to stop this madness, and sometimes I did just to save myself from having to listen to it.

I quickly named this car the Penalty Box. I felt like being forced to drive a car this bad was my penance for crashing the BRZ. Also, my girlfriend is Canadian, so she's genetically engineered to like hockey.

The Compass is a poser, plain and simple. It wants to be like its big brother, the Grand Cherokee, so badly, but at 7/8 scale it just doesn't measure up. It wants to be powerful, which is why the transmission is so quick to downshift and give you more power every time you breathe, but it's just not there. It wants to have a real four wheel drive system like other Jeeps, but all it has is a flimsy chrome switch between the seats that you awkwardly pull up to engage its version of 4WD, which I don't know how it differs from normal mode. It wants to be an off road vehicle, but it was made for the street. The particular Compass I had wasn't even "Trail Rated," whatever that means in Jeep speak. It tries way too hard to be something it's not - a real Jeep. It's no wonder !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

My girlfriend and I drove her Jeep Liberty - a real Jeep - as a sweep vehicle at the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! last spring. Amazingly we didn't kill each other, so we volunteered to drive the Penalty Box as Combo Car at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! last September.

Our job as Combo Car was not to deliver various flavors of tasty snacks to the spectators, but to sweep behind the RallyMoto entries, and make sure the stage was clear before the cars ran - a combo of sweep and course opening duties. As potential first responders to a motorcycle mishap, and because the stages were closed to other traffic, we hustled right along at a safe but very brisk pace.

This, of all places, is where the Compass actually came alive.

I ran it in 4WD, with traction control off, and the transmission in manual mode to hold it in the gear I wanted. I had to shift a little early to give the slow transmission time to get into the gear I wanted by the time I wanted it, but I learned the timing and had no problem. The Compass was surprisingly competent at speed. Its car-like handling was an advantage on these gravel roads. It was wider than the Liberty, and more stable. I could left foot brake through the turns, inducing a slight drift and staying on the power to maintain speed, with electronic nannies only kicking in once or twice all weekend. It was remarkably tossable this way. The brakes never faded, and the suspension never bottomed out.

Keep in mind that I was not driving flat out. We were volunteers, not competitors. I slowed down approaching every blind crest, just in case there was a bike down on the other side and we needed to stop. We had no stage notes, only the road book and an odometer app on my girlfriend's phone that she used to call out instructions to me as we approached intersections, bridges, and jumps. That said, her app did time our run down the first stage to be only 20 seconds behind the slowest competitor to successfully finish. Wisely, she never told me another stage time. This was a deliberate choice on her part to bypass my competitive streak that might try to improve on my previous run. Good co-driver, keeping her driver under control. But the fact that we did have that pace, without notes, in a stupid Jeep Compass, has convinced us that we want to try competing in a real rally car someday.

Back to the Penalty Box. Our first run down the Goose Pond stage, known for its big jumps, I took it pretty easy. Two years ago, when I was co-driving car 0, we went flying off a jump whose mileage was marked incorrectly in the road book. We landed hard, denting his skidplate and bending his radiator support slightly. I was wary of similar mistakes, especially since this was a bone stock Compass with no skidplate. Fortunately, the book was dead on accurate this time. We approached a big jump with many spectators, and I slowed down so we wouldn't launch into low earth orbit. But the jump had such a kick at the crest that it felt very much like this:

John Hughes (no relation to me) must have actually jumped a car himself. He captured the experience of time slowing down while in mid-air perfectly. The planet fell out from under us, and the hang time felt like minutes rather than the second or so it actually was. Amazingly, the Compass took the landing perfectly in stride. The suspension had enough travel to soak it right up, and we continued down the stage as though nothing exciting had happened. Meanwhile, my girlfriend/co-driver was having difficulty giving me the next instruction because we were both laughing so hard.

Later on, we were waiting to run Goose Pond a second time while the road was open and some spectators drove out of the stage. One of them stopped next to me and insisted on giving me a high five for that jump.

The Compass completed the rally and made it home with no issues whatsoever. It seems that the only place where an off-road-but-not-really-off-road SUV-but-not-really-an-SUV really works well is on a gravel rally stage. So, if all of your driving consists of bombing down rally stages as a course car, buy a Jeep Compass. Otherwise, skip the Compass and get !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

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(Photo credits: Justin Hughes, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )

DISCUSSION (65)

Do-Rif-To > Justin Hughes
01/06/2015 at 22:40

That's about 2.5ish miles into Jerdan Falls right? I'm pretty sure that was the upper portion of my marshaling point, I was down with the EMTs just after that crest. I didn't really question the Compass, there have certainly been stranger Combo/Light Sweep cars!

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Justin Hughes
01/06/2015 at 22:47

I once accidentally jumped my Jeep as well. Let's just say that if you're bombing down a grid road at 70 mph, and you crest a small rise and see these signs in this order:
SLOW
BUMP
SLOW
RR XING
SLOW

you should do more than just take your foot off the throttle.

It wasn't a particularly steep climb and drop off, but the lightly angled tracks were about three feet above the rest of the road with only about 30 feet of "ramp" on either side. The jump is a strange feeling — suddenly everything goes quiet. You lose the road noise and vibrations, and you just kinda hang there for a bit.

The landing is unpleasant. Where there was no noise, suddenly there is a huge collection of noises that you know are not good noises; axles slamming into bumpstops, shocks bottoming out, unsecured objects bouncing around, chassis and body taking far more strain than typical. It's not just one big crash, it's a bunch of smaller ones. The front lands just before the rear. The left side hits slightly before the right. Each wheel bounces once, twice, and the body bounces a few times before the suspension settles. Then you realize that other horrendous sound is your tires plowing gravel out of the way as you're now sideways at upwards of 50 mph on a narrow gravel road with ditches on either side. A touch of opposite lock ends this new unpleasantness, but not before sweat-cooled cries to dieties.

You don't pull over, you just stop in the middle of the road. You park and shut everything off. You're shocked that you still needed to shut everything off. You get out, wander across the ditch and sit down at a fence post. You watch the dust settle for a few minutes while the Jeep ticks and hisses quietly in the silent countryside. Slowly you hear the wildlife going back to its daily routine. After five, fifteen, thirty minutes have gone by with you just staring into space. A raven cawing snaps you back to reality. You splash some of the ditch water on your face, and realize your feet are soaked as you ask yourself how you didn't notice the water on your way across. You do a couple laps of the Jeep, crawl underneath, tug at a couple things — everything seems to still be attached — get back in, start it up, and drive off at a much slower pace with a much greater appreciation for blind crests.

Jumping your daily driver while several miles away from the nearest person is not something I would recommend other people doing.

Justin Hughes > Do-Rif-To
01/06/2015 at 22:52

The jump I went flying off of was 4.33 into Goose Pond. Aside from that, we kept most of the wheels on the ground most of the time.

There have definitely been stranger cars - Bruce Turk's Saabs, for instance!

Do-Rif-To > Justin Hughes
01/06/2015 at 23:04

Those Saabs are wild, I missed having one for the 000 this year! At BRS 2013 the schedules were a bit off for the volunteer meetings so Bruce told old rally stories for a while, the man is a special kind of crazy that we all hope to be some day.

And more specifically I meant your 3rd picture, as far as I remember that was the only really sandy part of the stage. I think it was about half a mile before The Rock, for landmarks.

Justin Hughes > Do-Rif-To
01/06/2015 at 23:12

Ah, OK. You're probably right. The book didn't have anything listed at 2.5 on that stage (I just checked) but it was definitely a spectator area, as you can see. That's why I chose that frame capture from my GoPro!

Do-Rif-To > Justin Hughes
01/06/2015 at 23:24

Yup, it was mostly just locals that showed up on ATVs from behind us at the road crossing, it looks like they did a pretty good job of staying behind the tape after I yelled. They actually saved the lives of some turds in a Razr that thought they could cross the stage faster than the cars, ah the mini-crises of amateur rally!

thebigbossyboss > Do-Rif-To
01/07/2015 at 08:28

You were at BRS???? I was at BRS 2013...but couldn't make 2014 and due to work commitments probably not 2015 either.

Do-Rif-To > thebigbossyboss
01/07/2015 at 08:37

Aye, I've been going for 2 years now, unfortunately I'm probably going to miss this year as well. It's nice having a proper backwoods rally in your backyard!

thebigbossyboss > Do-Rif-To
01/07/2015 at 08:45

Hopefully it was dryer this year than 2013. 10 hours of rain. Ugh. I was on Texas for day 1. Got totally soaked. I guess you just stay at home when you go? I stayed at cranberry lake last time.

As Du Volant > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 08:48

About 7 years ago I had a stick shift Jeep Compass. As awful as it was I always thought it'd be a riot to rally. With the direct torque application of the manual instead of the slushiness of the CVT it was very easy to kick the tail out as much or as little as I wanted on loose surfaces.

Since their value retention is terrible maybe I'll do that one day. Within a couple more years the early model ones should be old and cheap enough to hit beater status.

Do-Rif-To > thebigbossyboss
01/07/2015 at 09:10

Yeah that rain was rough, I was by the rock at Jerdan that Saturday and the spectators spent just about all day trying to light one bonfire to no avail. Texas got cancelled after two runnings didn't it? I remember the bikes were basically just transiting the stages by nightfall.

thebigbossyboss > Do-Rif-To
01/07/2015 at 09:15

Yeah we only ran 2x. Thank the lord for small mercies. I was damn near death at the end.

When it was time to leave, I took off as much clothes as possible, hung them over my passenger seat and drove with the heat on full blast. I should have taken better precautions, as I was damn near hypothermic.

King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 09:26

I always thought the idea of a Lancia Delta-inspired Patriot would be fun.

#flyingbrickracing

factsonly1 > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 09:30

I used to own a 2012 Compass 4wd. If a person doesn't mind banging it then its very capable offroad. My only issue with it is that at $22k you better REALLY it as opposed to the many other good vehicles available in that price range.

Justin Hughes > factsonly1
01/07/2015 at 09:33

I'd rather spend a lot less on a much more capable vehicle I won't mind banging up a little.

Juan > As Du Volant
01/07/2015 at 09:34

That should be fun and cheap enough... remove all the seats and interior crap, remove bumpers and fab a skid plate... but, do the manual ones come with "awd"?

Do-Rif-To > thebigbossyboss
01/07/2015 at 09:36

Between ESPR in April and BRS in September, it's hard to find a fair weather event in the area! This year was much better, there was just enough rain to make for some sliding action on Sunday and then a brief downpour as the stages were being broken down.

Kinja'd Again > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 09:47

I accidentally jumped my Range Rover over some railroad tracks and that was one of the most expensive mistakes of my entire life.

As Du Volant > Juan
01/07/2015 at 09:53

Yeah, they do. The AWD system in them sends up to 50% torque to the rear as needed, and pulling the little chrome switch on the console puts it into a 50/50 split and keeps it there, though the center diff doesn't fully lock allowing you to turn on dry pavement without binding.

I found mine really easy to control on loose surfaces- I could put as little or as much slide into it as I wanted pretty much anytime. Very predictable handling.

I figure in another 2 or 3 years one could buy something like this off a private party for like 2 grand: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/…

Brumos59-2 > King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
01/07/2015 at 09:56

Having driven a Patriot for work for a while I would have to advise against this. It's boxiness is it's only redeeming quality and even so it had less room inside than the 1st gen Focus wagon we also had. It's engine was gutless, it's CVT transmission laughable and it's front wheel drive useless. The AWD (I can't call it 4WD) Patriot we had was much better but that could just be because it had less miles and less years of abuse on it. In conclusion, DONT. Just don't. Unless of course you add box flares and a Martini livery and enter it in a LeMons race. In that case, go right ahead and hell, I'm available to co-drive.

angusparvo > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 10:03

"Jeep Compass" and "awesome" should never appear in the same sentence, unless maybe it's "Someone stole my Jeep Compass and drove it off a cliff, awesome!".

King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider > Brumos59-2
01/07/2015 at 10:04

Haha, challenge accepted.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 10:07

This is the most hilariously awesome thing I'll read this week.

Thank you for giving that silly thing a purpose!

Justin Hughes > angusparvo
01/07/2015 at 10:11

I should've filed this under "SO WRONG IT'S RIGHT."

Justin Hughes > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
01/07/2015 at 10:12

I can't imagine a higher compliment. Thank you!

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 10:17

RALLY ALL THE THINGS!

Brumos59-2 > King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
01/07/2015 at 10:19

Haha, that's my exact response to tires with a 90,000 mile tread life warranty.

Regarding the Jeep, I'm not one of those nerds who goes around quoting Star Trek but I can't think of a more appropriate response than, "Make it so."

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 10:19

I wish I could see one sincerely do a rally stage now

basementshow > angusparvo
01/07/2015 at 10:21

" Someone I stole my Jeep Compass put a brick on the gas pedal and drove it off a cliff, awesome!"

- how I will document the end of my Avenger's existence

captdownshift > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 10:43

Kinja'd!!!

but did to take the jump on the opposite end of the bridge. The stages I worked had an red audi wagon as sweep, I missed the compass. Rally does make every vehicle more enjoyable though, my lowered first gen xb is even fun on stage.

Justin Hughes > captdownshift
01/07/2015 at 10:46

I unloaded the suspension quite a bit on that bridge, but didn't catch air like most other people (as I've seen in Matt Stryker's excellent photos). That was intentional. I was trying to keep most of the wheels on the ground most of the time.

captdownshift > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 11:01

your self control is much better then mine.

enderxenocide > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 11:01

Where is the video of this?

jimmy-buffett > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 11:02

When I got rear ended last August, I ended up driving a Jeep Compass while my car got fixed. The Compass is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike my BRZ .

In the spirit of this sentence, I find that I enjoy owning two niche vehicles much better than one generic vehicle. Lifted/armored 2011 FJ Cruiser:

Kinja'd!!!

'06 Honda S2000:

Kinja'd!!!

When it's time to go somewhere, depending on the weather/road conditions I'm rarely conflicted as to which to drive.

Justin Hughes > enderxenocide
01/07/2015 at 11:04

Oh dear, I never edited and uploaded it! I guess I should've done that before posting this. I'll have to get on that.

jimmy-buffett > Kinja'd Again
01/07/2015 at 11:04

Owning the Range Rover wasn't an expensive enough mistake?

enderxenocide > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 11:25

It's all good, I just want to see how it performs. I like the grand cherokee looks on a smaller platform that is more economical but i just keep hearing crap reviews on its performance. It's just one of those things that I want to like even though it'll probably be a disappointment.

Vic788 > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 12:01

Take a Mustang GT next time with the track package on it.................

Juan > As Du Volant
01/07/2015 at 12:02

That is awesome, one of those at about two grand, to have fun and hoon around...

I think that would be interesting to say the least, however, a roll cage may be in order, LOL

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > Juan
01/07/2015 at 12:11

yup

longdx > As Du Volant
01/07/2015 at 12:12

Exactly what i was thinking. I had an opportunity to drive a stick shift Caliber and was pleasantly surprised at the car. Not that the Caliber/Compass/Patriot platform is inherently great, it isn't. But, the stick does transformed the driving experience from horrid to eh... alright The Caliber still has/had awful sight lines, poor interior bits and just felt like the the design was half baked. . But, I would totally take a stick shift Compass as a go to AWD car for a bad weather commute (not worrying about scrapes/bruises) and the Rallye trim strikes some weird part of my reptilian brain.

Justin Hughes > Vic788
01/07/2015 at 12:27

If I'd still had my ex-cop Crown Vic I definitely would've taken it.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 12:55

I've said it before that they should make an SRT version of the Compass and go rally car racing with it with the goal of beating or at least competing with the Subaru STI.

Justin Hughes > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
01/07/2015 at 13:03

I would've laughed at you for suggesting that before, but now... MINI rallied the Countryman, so why not?

drdude > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
01/07/2015 at 13:08

Like everything, the ultimate answer is Miata..... with a suspension lift.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 13:12

Doesn't the Compass share the basic chassis design with the Mitsubishi Lancer? Yes it does.

And if Mitsubishi can make the Lancer EVO on that chassis, I don't see why Chrysler/Jeep couldn't do the same with an SRT version of the Compass.

Duder > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 13:26

But did it go up in flames?

LifeIsStout > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 13:32

A little story about jumping a vehicle that shouldn't be jumped.

My now wife and I had borrowed her father's mid-eighties manual diesel F-150 (single cab) while living in Huntsville Al to get some things from the local big box hardware store. We were on our way back to her dad's place to return the truck, and this meant crossing some railroad tracks near our house.

Here is a picture of the crossing now, you can see that they are doing construction to even out the sides, but at the time the road looked completely different.

Kinja'd!!!

At the time we lived there, the upkick was around 1-1.5ft right around the track, and it dropped lower on the eastern side (same perspective as the photo).

Evidence of hubcaps, bumpers, splitters, skidplates would show up on a regular basis around the crossing for those that were not paying attention.

We has spent the day putting in a fence, both dog tired and just wanting to finish up our day.

She was driving, and not really paying attention.

The truck was about the slowest thing I have ever been in, but downhill and with momentum, it could carry a good head of steam.

We hit the upkick and I was suddenly weightless, I also wish I had a dash cam and that GoPro cameras had been invented, I think we might have set a record.

We landed and the worn out suspension did what it could, and actually kept us on the road. I think we may have bent a few things, but the truck was so tired and ratty, I don't think we ever mentioned the jump to her dad.

We made the rest of the drive home, me with a death grip on the door handle, her giggling all the way.

I think that was when I made up my mind that she and I were destined to spend a long time together.

Kinja'd!!!

Justin Hughes > Duder
01/07/2015 at 13:34

Fortunately my Compass wasn't equipped with an external combustion engine.

Justin Hughes > LifeIsStout
01/07/2015 at 13:37

Good story! So a couple that jumps a car together stays together? That bodes well for me...

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
01/07/2015 at 13:51

I did this in a friend's 2005 SuperDuty. It was lifted and we didn't even feel the landing. Jumping a vehicle is a wonderful thing if you do it in something that can handle it.

StingrayJake > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 14:51

My wife drives a Compass. It's a point A to point B city crossover. I accept it for what it is but I don't really like it either. I drove a late 90s Blazer in high school. Loved that thing.

Lupinsea > jimmy-buffett
01/07/2015 at 15:16

I hear you. It's why I have my '01 Wrangler and my Miata. Ones for offloading, one if for daily driving and twisty road fun.

Justin Hughes > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 17:08

Actually, I just figured out why you and I got so much air. It wasn't the kick. Our tire pressures must've been 1.5psi off.

Vic788 > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 18:25

try doing sweeper rally in the Caliofrnia mtn dirt trails.

LifeIsStout > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 18:26

11 and a half years later we are still together. I converted her to driving a manual full time, we autocrossed together for 6 years (might not recommend that, if one person is consistently faster than the other in the same car) and we fight over who gets to drive when we go out since we both enjoy it so much.

Matt Kirsch > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 19:28

Congrats on another fp!!! Really enjoyed the read, and I appreciate the link to my article. Random question… do you submit to oppo and wait/hope, or do you also tweet one of the editors?

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
01/07/2015 at 19:32

How you land depends a lot on how you hit the jump, and how you hit the jump depends a lot on how much time you have to prepare. Angled tracks on a downhill slope that you don't realize are quite as elevated as they are don't help. My Jeep was on 22 year old, 300,000 mile springs, and the shocks only have about eight inches of travel. With the hill, I'd say I caught four or five feet of air, and went just about nose first into the ground. The fact that nothing broke is huge.

Justin Hughes > Matt Kirsch
01/07/2015 at 20:30

Thanks! I figured since I was complaining about a fake Jeep I might as well link to a real one.

I posted to Oppo last night, reposted this morning (you're allowed one bump), and emailed the link to tips. The share to OppositeBlog sometimes helps too. I haven't done Twitter much but I'm pondering starting to for my writing stuff, both here and my motorcycle blog.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
01/07/2015 at 22:04

Aaah. For me the ramp was mostly level, the road just dropped out from underneath us and we landed pretty much flat.

Matt Kirsch > Justin Hughes
01/07/2015 at 22:23

Gotcha. We have no control over whether it gets shared to OppositeBlog, correct? It looks like most well-written articles with substance make their way over there anyways.

Justin Hughes > Matt Kirsch
01/07/2015 at 22:34

Yeah, we can't put it there, but the best of Oppo gets shared there anyway, so it's no big deal.

Kinja'd Again > jimmy-buffett
01/08/2015 at 10:00

No, it still is, but it's more capable than any other vehicle in its class.

Brisbane > Justin Hughes
01/10/2015 at 23:30

Now why doesn't my Compass feel like this much fun? also, im surprised the wheels havent fallen off. 3 bushing, toe links, trail links, linking trails, bushy tails you name it. All replaced in a 3 month span.

Justin Hughes > Brisbane
01/10/2015 at 23:40

Fortunately, this Compass wasn't mine. It was, in fact, "the fastest car in the world..."