What's the news?
The new Jeep Compass is the latest competitor to enter the hugely popular crossover segment, and the American company is giving the vehicle its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show.
Already available in the US and touted to come with five engine choices (three petrol and two diesel), the Compass is aimed squarely at the likes of the Volkswagen Tiguan and Nissan Qashqai. Jeep hopes that an advanced all-wheel drive system could give it an edge over its rivals when the going gets rough.
There will also be a host of special edition models on the Jeep stand for the event. The Wrangler Rubicon Recon comes with sturdier underbody protection and thicker casings for the transmission's vital parts. It also gets some choice exterior and interior upgrades to differentiate it from the regular models, and will be available from April onwards with a choice of 2.8-litre turbodiesel or 3.6-litre V6 petrol engines.
The Night Eagle trim, already available on the Cherokee and Renegade models, is now coming to the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler ranges, and the changes follow much the same cosmetic theme. Black detailing features prominently inside and out, while a wide suite of connectivity and driver aid systems are fitted as standard to both models. The Wrangler also gets the 'Trac-Lok' torque-sensing rear differential to further improve its off-road capabilities.
Anything else?
Mopar (the Fiat Chrysler group's in-house tuner) will display customised versions of the Wrangler Rubicon, Cherokee Overland and Renegade on the Jeep stand, while a virtual reality configurator for the new Compass will give punters a thorough look at all aspects of the model. The vehicle can be "placed" in either urban or off-road settings, and all combinations of trim and options can be selected.