Changes to the 2011 Jeep Compass include a new front end, rear LED lights, new roof rails, new 17-inch aluminum wheels and optional 18-inch chrome wheels. Safety features, including standard front air bags, stability control, electronic roll mitigation, Hill-start Assist with manual transmission, side curtain air bags for all rows and available front-seat-mounted side air bags.
In addition to the base front-wheel-drive version, also available are the Freedom Drive I and the Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package. Freedom Drive I is an available full-time, active all-wheel-drive system with lock mode. The Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package is an available four-wheel-drive system that delivers “Trail Rated” capability.
For 2011, the little Jeep Compass becomes grand – as in Grand Cherokee. A miniature Grand Cherokee
The updated Jeep Compass sports new hood lines, headlights, front fenders and fascia that closely resemble the Grand Cherokee's.
Black plastic lower side cladding now graces every model in the lineup, protecting the bodywork when drivers venture off the beaten path. It perfectly matches the front and rear aprons, also draped in black plastic. Each one comes in 2WD and 4WD configurations.
Considered by some to be more of a crossover-styled wagon than an SUV, the Jeep Compass fully independent suspension and front-wheel-drive version were both firsts for Jeep. But it was also the only model within Jeep’s lineup with a four-wheel-drive system not “Trail Rated” for more extreme off-road duties.
The powertrain, which the Jeep Compass shares with the Patriot, remains as before. In addition to the standard front-wheel-drive system, the "Jeep Compass" is available with Freedom-Drive I 4×4 and the new Freedom-Drive II Off-Road Package. Standard wheels are 17-inch aluminum rims, with 18-inch aluminum or chrome-clad wheels on the Limited.