Compass: the most aerodynamic Jeep ever sold in the EU (updated)

Despite its boxy shape, the Jeep Compass is, according to Stellantis, the most aerodynamic Jeep ever made. This was qualified in the text as “the most aerodynamically efficient Jeep ever on the European market,” because the possibly-more-aerodynamic Wagoneer S, made in Mexico, is only sold in North America (for now). One can ask why the Wagoneer S has yet to be launched in Europe, where BEVs are increasing in popularity.

The company released two images showing the inside of a wind tunnel with a man spraying vapor over the form of an electric Compass made for European sale in Italy. The BEV has up to a 650 km (404 mile) range, by EU standards, which are somewhat looser than American rules.

Like the 2013 Dodge Dart, the new Compass has active grille shutters (though Compass’ are integrated into the bumper) and a flat underbody; it also has aero-optimized wheels. The end result is a coefficient of drag of 0.29, which is quite good given the boxy, utilitarian shape of the Compass. Generally, lower wind drag means less noise, better economy, more usable power at highway speeds, and longer range.

The Compass is sold in Europe in EV, hybrid, and PHEV forms. It is not yet sold in the United States; work on the American version has reportedly been paused while the Canadian factory refit has stopped, due to import taxes. While some vehicles made in Canada can still be sold without the 25% import tax, the North American free trade agreement expires completely in mid-2026 unless renegotiated.

David Zatz

David Zatz started what was to become the world’s biggest Mopar site (Allpar) in 1994. After a chemo-induced 2007-2010 break, during which he wrote car books covering Vipers, minivans, and Jeeps, he returned with Patrick Rall to create StellPower.com for daily news, and to set up MoTales for mo’ tales (Chrysler history and “permanent” car and truck pages). He most recently wrote Century of Chrysler, a 100-year retrospective on the marque.