The most extreme variant of the Jeep Compass, Trailhawk, appears to be ready for launch in India. It was spied testing in Pune, half covered in camouflage-wrap across the bonnet, front and rear bumpers, front fenders and the top half of the boot lid too. The uncovered bits include a red and black dual-tone exterior paint, but the wrap covered the distinct visuals of the offroad-spec Trailhawk variant.

Since the Jeep Compass Trailhawk is already available in markets abroad, we know it gets redesigned bumpers that improve the approach and departure angles of the midsize SUV. It’ll also get ‘Trail Rated’ badges on the front fenders and the right side of the tail gate along with distinct Ruby Red tow hooks. Another offroad-specific feature of this variant is a matte black strip on the bonnet positioned in the centre specifically so that the sun’s reflection does not blind the driver while driving up steep gradients. The Compass Trailhawk is also expected to get an increased ground clearance of 225mm which would be 47mm more than the usual variants.



Apart from being more capable at off-roading, the Trailhawk variant will also carry the appeal of a long overdue diesel-automatic option for the Compass. It’ll be powered by the same 2.0-litre unit as the regular variants and will produce the same 173PS and 350Nm. But instead of the 6-speed manual, it’ll likely be paired to a 9-speed ZF torque converter automatic transmission also present in the new Honda CR-V diesel. At present, the Jeep Compass automatic only has the option of the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol paired to a 7-speed DCT and misses out on the 4x4 drivetrain.

This variant of the Compass will feature a more advanced version of Jeep’s 4x4 drivetrain called Active Drive Low along with the Rock Crawl mode in its terrain select system. The four other modes available on the standard 4x4 drivetrain’s system include Snow, Sand, Mud and Auto. A sixth ‘Sport’ mode may be on offer too.

‘Trailhawk’ insignia on the seat backs and red accents for the all-black dashboard set the interiors of this variant apart from the standard car’s. In terms of comforts and conveniences, expect it to be equipped similarly to the current top-spec Limited Plus variant which gets a panoramic sunroof, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory function and more. In addition to that, front parking sensors are expected to be offered on the Trailhawk variant, but cruise control may be given a miss.

Jeep is likely to price the Trailhawk variant around the Rs 25 lakh mark, at a premium of Rs 2 lakh over the Limited Plus (Rs 23.11) variant with the launch likely in July 2019. At those prices, this top-spec Compass becomes a more direct contender to the Hyundai Tucson’s AWD variant which carries a price tag of Rs 26.95 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom, Delhi).

Jeep could also introduce the 9-speed auto on the regular diesel models with the 4x4 drivetrain as well, as it does in Australia. So, if you’re not particularly keen on paying for all the off-road goodies that the Trailhawk variant gets and would instead like the convenience of an automatic transmission with that diesel engine, don’t give up on the Compass just yet.