Jeep Compass Trailhawk long-term review: After 11,250km and eight months
Last time I wrote about the learning experience of living with the Jeep Compass Trailhawk, because it's powered by a BSVI diesel engine that has a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) that uses DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) or AdBlue to neutralise nitrogen oxides and turn them into inert nitrogen and water. As mentioned, the AdBlue needs regular refills and I continue to monitor its consumption via the dashboard display, which you can select by going into the vehicle settings section.
The odometer has crossed the 11,000km mark and the overall fuel economy so far has been in the region of 10.5kmpl. This may not sound very impressive, especially for a vehicle with a 9-speed auto gearbox. But the truth of the matter is that the Trailhawk has been largely driven with a heavy foot and at high speed. The fact that the gearbox is also inclined to keep shifting down every time you lift off, or even gently touch the brake pedal, certainly does not help matters. The shift settings are obviously tuned for performance and to keep the engine on the boil to provide instant power delivery. If the gearbox was set to upshift more quickly and stay in higher gears for longer, the Trailhawk would deliver slightly better fuel efficiency, but then it wouldn't be as much fun to drive.
As the Jeep Compass Trailhawk has been used mainly for long-distance journeys, one thing I wish it had was better boot space. Being a vehicle with good off-road ability, it has a full-size spare, which is very reassuring and useful. But it obviously eats into the boot space, which is 438 litres with the rear seat fully up. As I have discovered, this is insufficient if more than two persons are travelling together.
Acquired August 2019
Last reported at 8,290km
Total mileage 11,250km
Fuel 273 litres
Economy 10.81kmpl
Next Update: An all-rounder, suitable for both on and off-road driving.
Starts Rs 17.79 Lakhs
1956cc
Automatic
163
350
14.9 Kmpl
