Jeep Compass Vs Toyota Fortuner: Specifications and Features Comparison

Agencies Updated at: 23 Feb 2018 11:30 PM (IST)

Both the SUVs are offered with petrol and diesel engines with the option of four-wheel-drive with the diesel only

The Jeep Compass and Toyota Fortuner are the two titans of the mid-size and full-size SUV segments, respectively. Both the SUVs are bestsellers in their respective spaces. Here's how they stack up against each other on paper, if one wishes to compare them together.

Which is bigger?

Dimensions	Jeep Compass	Toyota Fortuner
Length	4,395mm	4,795mm
Width	1,818mm	1,855mm
Height	1,640mm	1,835mm
Wheelbase	2,636mm	2,745mm
Ground Clearance	178mm	184mm
Kerb Weight	Up to 1,641kg	Up to 2,140 kg

Takeaway: Clearly, the Toyota Fortuner towers over the Jeep Compass. It’s the bigger SUV and belongs to a segment above the Compass’. The Fortuner can also seat seven while the Compass is a 5-seater. The Compass, however, has good road presence if you compare it against its natural rivals, like the Hyundai Tucson and the Honda CR-V.

2018 Honda CR-V Revealed At Auto Expo 2018

The Fortuner’s higher ground clearance puts it at an advantage off road; the Compass sits 6mm lower, which is adequate over bumps in cities but you'll need to be careful not to scrape the underbelly off-road.

Mechanicals

Specifications (Petrol)	Jeep Compass	Toyota Fortuner
Engine	1.4-litre Turbo	2.7-litre Naturally Aspirated
Displacement	1,368cc	2,694cc
Power	163PS	166PS
Torque	250Nm	245Nm
Transmission	6-speed MT/ 7-speed AT (dual-clutch)	5-speed MT/ 6-speed AT (paddle shifters)
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel-Drive	Rear-Wheel-Drive

Jeep Compass Petrol Automatic: Review

Specifications (Diesel)	Jeep Compass	Toyota Fortuner
Engine	2.0-litre	2.8-litre
Displacement	1,956cc	2,755cc
Power	173PS	177PS
Torque	350Nm	420Nm (MT)/ 450Nm (AT)
Transmission	6-speed MT	6-speed MT/ AT (paddle shifters)
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel-Drive/ All-Wheel-Drive	Rear-Wheel-Drive/ Four-Wheel-Drive

Takeaway: Whether petrol or diesel, the Fortuner’s engine is bigger than the Compass’. It’s also more than 500kg heavier than the Compass. But compare the output of the Compass’ relatively smaller 1.4-litre petrol engine against the Fortuner’s mammoth 2.7-litre unit, and you’ll realise the power of a turbocharger. Talk of outright power and the Compass’ petrol engine is only 3PS short of Fortuner’s. Not impressed? Consider the engine’s pulling power (torque) and the 1.4-litre engine makes 5Nm more torque than the Toyota’s 2.7-litre unit! Considering its lower weight and monocoque architecture, the Compass petrol is likely to be the more agile SUV out of the two.

Toyota Fortuner Petrol Review

The Jeep puts up a strong show with its 2.0-litre diesel engine as well, which is only 4PS short of the Fortuner’s 2.8-litre, 177PS unit. But the bigger displacement of the Fortuner’s diesel engine means that it’s more torquey, by 70Nm to be precise. But consider power to weight ratio and the Compass comes out tops.

Jeep Compass Review

More Differences

Segment	Mid-size SUV	Full-size SUV
Asking price	The Jeep Compass is priced in the range of Rs 15.16 lakh - Rs 21.91 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). The difference between the base petrol models of the Compass and the Fortuner is a whopping Rs 11 lakh!	The Toyota Fortuner is priced in the range of Rs 26.30 lakh - Rs 31.99 lakh.
Chief Rivals	The Jeep Compass primarily competes with SUVs such as the Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V and the upcoming Skoda Karoq.	The Toyota Fortuner competes with SUVs such as the Ford Endeavour, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and the Isuzu MU-X.
Construction	The Compass features a monocoque construction, wherein the platform and the body are a single unit. A vehicle with monocoque construction generally exhibits better high-speed manners compared to ladder-frame vehicles.	Like the previous one, the second-gen Fortuner is also based on a body-on-frame construction. In this, the Fortuner’s body has been bolted to a ladder frame chassis. Vehicles with such a construction are often more capable off roaders compared to those with monocoque construction.
Weight	Thanks to its car-like construction, the Jeep is almost 500kg lighter than the Toyota.	The Fortuner weighs over 2 tonnes!
Drivetrain	The Compass features an all-wheel-drive setup with its top-spec diesel manual, while primarily it is a front-wheel-drive SUV. So its driving dynamics are more car-like compared to the Fortuner, which is a RWD.	The Fortuner too features four-wheel-drive option with its diesel, but with an automatic transmission as well. It is primarily a rear-wheel-drive SUV.
Driving modes	The AWD model of the Compass comes with off-road modes: Auto, Snow, Sand and Mud.	The Fortuner 4x4 gets 4WD high and 4WD low modes. Low ratio mode allows the Fortuner to be more capable off the road than the Compass.
Seating	The Jeep Compass is a five-seater.	The Toyota Fortuner is a seven-seater.

Check out: Toyota Fortuner vs Ford Endeavour: Comparison Review

Features

Audio	A 7-inch unit with Android Auto (navigation based on Google Maps) and Apple CarPlay, coupled to a six-speaker system.	A 7-inch unit with built-in navigation, coupled to a six-speaker system.
Safety	Standard equipment: electronic parking brake, dual-front airbags, traction control, electronic stability control, ABS + EBD, electronic roll mitigation, Isofix child seat mounts and hill start assist. AWD variant: 6-airbags.	Standard equipment: 7-airbags (knee airbag extra over the Compass AWD), ABS + EBD, Isofix child seat anchors. All variants except 2WD MT: vehicle stability control with brake assist, traction control, hill start assist and downhill assist control (only 4x4).
Lighting	Optional Bi-xenon projector headlamps. Standard daytime running lights (halogen). Tail lamps with LED inserts	Standard LED projector headlamps with LED fog lamps and LED daytime running lights. Tail lamps with LED inserts
Tyres	Up to 225/60 R17 silver alloys	Up to 265/60 R18 machined alloys

Which one should you buy - Jeep Compass or Toyota Fortuner?

Frankly, there’s no match between the two SUVs as both of them belong to different segments and are separated by a huge price gap. The Fortuner caters to a different need-set compared to the Compass as it’s a 7-seater SUV while the Compass is a 5-seater. The Fortuner should also be more off-road friendly given that it gets a low ratio option as well. But if all you need is a more compact SUV for urban use with a light off roading capability, then the Compass would be a better fit. And while the Toyota's road presence and reliability make it a favourite among builders, politicians and the ilk, the Jeep's iconic status gives it an appeal that’s hard to resist.

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