Used 2008 Jeep Compass SUV Consumer Reviews
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Seven year switch
My 2008 Compass was purchased new and now has about 78k miles. In the winter months it won't take gas.... In the deep freeze I have to slowly drip gas into my tank. Takes me 20 mins to get enough gas to get me to work. In the spring/summer is fine. Now my engine is slamming around. My husband says I have a broken manifold. It is paid in full, I hate to sell, but what else can I do?
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Great for the first 5 yrs
My husband and i bought this jeep brand new in 8/2008, we paid it off 2yrs ago and when we paid it off we looked up the value on it which ended up being much less than we thought:( The jeep drove great at first, it has a great handle, turns eaisly. Good looking body style. But after 5 yrs the car started hesitating and as we were at a red light the car almost always wants to shut off. Well fast forward 8 yrs later... 2 major brake repair, jeep sounds awful super loud and now needs major repair. Basicly a great car for a few years.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
- Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $4,995182 mi away
- Sport 4dr SUVMSRP: $3,950380 mi away
- Sport 4dr SUVMSRP: $2,995429 mi away
Perfect Small SUV
Love this Jeep!! Its everything I wanted in a SUV. I went from an Olds Alero to this jeep and couldn't be happier. My kids have so much more room to stretch out in. Have had the Jeep for 3 years now and have had to get the front end overhauled and new tires. Only have 127900km's on it. Still in love with my Jeep.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Great little car
I have 78,000 miles and have had very few problems with my Compass. I have only had to replace I believe the tie rods or whatever goes bad in all of them and the back brake pads. The front pads are still good. I bought a lifetime warranty and have only used it for the tie rods. It drives great, has plenty of room(I am 6'2") and has been very reliable. For a $15000 car it has alot of value. 87,000 miles and still running great. Not a single problem. 92,000 and still a great car. 98,700 and still no problems 102,000 hesitates occasionally when accelerating but otherwise still great and no other problems 111,000 miles 2nd problem, had clock spring replaced in steering 121000 had to replace the transmission. Got screwed out of the lifetime powertrain warranty so I had to pay for it myself. Luckily I have a CVT rep. down the steeet and had it replaced for about 2/3 what the dealer wanted. 132,000 Replaced the altenator, belt and belt tensioner Sold it
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Love this baby Jeep
I bought my Jeep Compass used 2 years ago at 22,000 miles and I'm at about 50,000 now. They didn't give me the option to select the correct model I have, mine is the 2.0L 4-cyl autostick. All I have had to replace so far is brake pads, and I probably need new tires soon. I love this car because I am a tall person (5'10) and it is so spacious I don't feel like I'm compacted into a car. The turn radius is great. The seats are comfortable, even on long 12 hour drives. Perfect for moving because there is so much space when you put the seats down. I dislike the 2.0L engine because the get-up is slow and my gas mileage is about 26mpg highway.
Fun & Reliable
We traded in our second Honda Hybrid for this 2008 Jeep Compass (had a 2003 and 2005 Honday Civic hybrid...transmissions and CV joint went out on both of them). I liked the styling of the Compass because it didn't really look like anything but a Jeep. Plus, I'm 5'11" and fit very comfortably in this Compass...unlike the Civic. Nice & comfy for road trips too; not alot of road noise. Using BF Goodrich tires and makes for a nice ride. Averaging about 32 to 33 mpg on the freeway when doing 60mph and using cruise control. No frills basic interior, typical utilitarian Jeep.
My baby
I have had no engine problems! I have had no transmission problems! Front wheel drive, front disk, rear drum brakes. No rack and pinion problems Was not recalled for sub frame rusted out but dealer split cost on front one. Another dealer gave us rear one free and we installed. I have 168,000 miles on her. I drive 150 each day. Still get 25 mpg. Do your part and she'll do hers
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
HA!!!!!
I rented this vehicle once upon a time and it felt like a great drive so I bought one thinking I would get the same kind of quality....HA!!!, what a joke. If this vehicle costs a lot less I wouldn't be unhappy, but it wasn't worth the money I spent. The stabilization in both front axles will go very easy and cost a lot to repair as well as the throttle body ( this is a common problem in Nearly all of these models ). I hear the the updated models have been improved ( I'll believe it when I see it). Other than that if you can tolerate the little maintenance here and there , you should be good to go otherwise I'll spend my money elsewhere ! REVIVED (Sep 2017): this car after the repairs is still hanging in there, it's been great on gas ( A fill up will last me roughly about a whole week ) i've only had to change the front sway bars since all the major repairs ( parts made in China ) otherwise my only problem is the sudden rise in rpm when going up a hill ( probably have to check the transmission )
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
I like it!
Just picked up an '08 last weekend. So far I love it!. Fun to drive very comfortable and good on gas. I actually really enjoy the CVT transmission and when I need a change I go to autostick. You do not need any more power than this in a vehicle.
DONT BUY THIS P.O. S. .
THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. The sun roof leaks drastically when it rains or when I wash the vehicle. So much that the sun roof has stopped working, it leaks down on all electrical units underneath. The whole ceiling is water stained , and when it rains heavily the rain pours out of the ceiling light and the seats are covered ! Not considered a manufacturer defect, not covered under warranty or extended warranty. Passenger side back seat floor leaks all year long. The floor is continuously wet then frozen in the winter. Go through brakes like crazy , having to change every 3 months. ( I am not heavy on the brakes either) RUSTS LIKE CRAZY EVERYWHERE ! Overheated and blew thermostat, leaking anti freeze liquid, with only $75000.00 , this was covered under warranty. Does not hold its value at all. Thankfully I paid ahead on loan so I can at least break even when getting rid of this P. O. S ! 4 wheel drive stopped working when I first bought vehicle , the wires housing compartment melted and wires where fried. This was figured out after taking to the dealership 4 times . They kept saying the couldn't find the problem. Do not buy what ever you do ! Blind spots all over .
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Surprisingly reliable
Bought the 2008 Compass after being a long time, repeat Toyota buyer. The price was excellent and I got a 3 year gas card that I am still using, every time I get gas I save some change or more. I don't have the confidence in Jeep, but I have been pleasantly surprised. I have not had problems, other than battery died once after a cold spell. The car has never died or stranded me. I have not done any additional service other than the most basic. I have 48K miles on it.
Zippy
My wife and I got this Jeep for $12,700... NEW off the lot with 62 miles on it. We have the 2.4L with a five-speed. We heard the CVT was a turd and are very happy with a manual; my wife hates it, but I turn of the traction control and pull the parking brake, roll and smoke the front tires all day long. I don't like the styling its too round, but its my wife's car and she loves it. The transmission had to be replaced after 10,000 miles, it was not do to my abuse, but because of the syncro for 5th gear exploding on the freeway. We get on avg 28mpg with a mix of 50%city 40%highway 10%idling (I idle alot waiting on my wife while she is inside the store shopping and I'm sleeping in the Jeep.)
20MPG, GPS, bluetooth, Comfort
Quiet ride, GPS easy to use, Gas sticks around 20mpg due to it seems to have to hit 5rpm or higher to shift.4x4 is actually AWD and only 4wd low. seats lay almost flat backwards for naps, very comfortable for a Jeep. Very quiet on the highway and nice ride. Handsfree bluetooth will take over your phone call when you start the truck, nice safety feature, the caller can even hear you clearly and the people in the back seat too! GPS is fairly easy to use, but the huge sound system is not as good as the base model radio due to a 3 band EQ with no sub adjustment. in the 4 fillups I've had max I've driven is 250 miles on 13 gallons, been worse ever since.
lots of repairs on a 7 yr old vehicle
2008 Jeep Compass 5 sp manual tranny with 88,000 mi. in the past 9 months I have replaced the drivers ball joint, clutch assembly and stabalizer bars (several times) and it now looks like the struts are going. I am disgusted with the vehicle. I have a 97 Saturn with 236,000 miles and a 5 sp. manual tranny same clutch and only routine maintenance on it, that should tell the whole story on the Jeep..........Don't buy one! I am on a fixed income, just recently semi-retired and can't afford to keep fixing it.
Michigan/Wisconsin Road trip
We took a 2163 mile road trip and couldn't believe how smooth the ride was in such a small vehicle. The seat are at just the right height for age 65 to get in and out of. The best mileage 29 least 24. The MPG computer was very accurate. I compare each fill up and follow the mileage. We never felt the transmission shift when going up and down hills. I could see the RPM going up but could not feel it shift gears. Amazing. It fits in the garage better and handles the roads with ease. This is my wife's car. Think I will get me one. I have to 2.0 engine. It has fine pickup.
Late to the Review Party!
I bought my Compass new for about $30k. I am the kind of driver who is easy on the engine and brakes. My Compass has 307,000 miles on it and I've changed the brakes once. It's been faithful. Low maintenance with regular oil changes (full synthetic) and one tune up. I transport rescue dogs and can fit two large crates in the back with the seats down. I love my Compass! My only real complaint is the damn CVT transmission. Only a dealer or AAMCO can work on it....even to check the oil. I had my transmission replaced about 4 years ag at 180,000 miles and it cost about $5,000. I'll never get another car with a CVT transmission! The air conditioner (compressor and condenser) needed replacing recently but after 300,000 miles I call that wear and tear. All in all, it's been a great, dependable vehicle and over 1,500 dogs would agree with that! Some even tasted the back seat and decided foam is over-rated. So, go buy a Jeep and Adopt Don't Shop! LOL.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
roll-backs
I thought i loved the jeep compass, until i came to an incline, the truck goes backward instead of forward. Has anyone else had this problem with the 08 COMPASS? Other than the roll back, it seems to be a great little car. I reported the problem to Chrysler's headquarter, they had the car picked up about 20 minutes after i called.I am waiting to hear from them.
The little Jeep that could
A great Jeep I love the looks. Way better than the Honda CR-V that my cousin just bought. A great snow vehicle. A Compass owner for life!
A great suv
I wanted a SUV, but I didnt want to pay the big bucks to own an SUV. So I bought the compass. Very quiet SUV. Gets good gas mileage nothing spectacular. When it goes to shift, I actually cant hear it. My passengers have tried to listen for it but found it very hard to hear. The back seats are very roomy. I have no problem getting in with the seats all the way back and I'm (6"1' and 320 lb). Overall a great car to have.
Discussed
I have had this jeep for 1 week and the shop has had it more than me. I love jeeps but this one is a joke. After 1 week the front axle broke on this jeep. What a rip off. I am unhappy and disappointed with this jeep my van works better than this car.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Fun, reliable, useful
The seats are excellent, build quality is good, no initial problems. The lifetime warranty is drivetrain only, but for $2k I also got the bumper to bumper lifetime. Fun to drive, roomy American made. Am going back to buy another for my daughter.
Great Car - Great Value
I Love driving my Red Jeep Compass. I am an over 40 woman and drive to and from work. I like simplicity. Leather seats are not for me especially in Florida. I love the fabric upholstery because it is cool and supportive. Since I am short, I love that I can raise the drivers seat and I am not sitting in a hole. The power is plenty and I can easily pass other cars when needed. Driving this car is fun and easy and there are no blind spots to worry about.
CVT is not for lead foot drivers
The engine & CVT is set for max engine performance not gas guzzling. Applying gradual pressure to electronic speed control pedal will give you the best acceleration. From take-offs and passing you will notice a difference. And for added speed try running RPMs up and then back off a little on ESCP. This is an analog input devise with no direct connection to throtle valves. Work with on board computer not against it.
Good
I got it in Oct 2008 and I like it seeing how I own 1 other jeep before, it runs very good so far, I can not say that I like the way or how the sales people push it on me, I would change a lot about the way Cary auto park does there thing and have a lot of bad things to say about them but I do like the Jeep compass over all!
Good Value, Great MPG
Compass FWD Limited with CVT Bought 3 weeks ago Fun vehicle with great bang for the buck. A bit noisy but otherwise I love it. First tank 29.1 MPG with city in at 25.88 MPG.
Stalls out
Is a fairly comfortable ride, somewhat fun, but stalls out in the morning hours. Currently have a computer installed on the car to try to find the problem. I'm hoping my family does not get hurt in a car accident, cause by the car stalling out. Might have to sue the dealer and Chrysler.
Really???
I purchased this vehicle used. One owner, good carfax report.... Had it for a year.. Repair cost have exceeded 3800.00!!! Still a little more to go. Needless to say I am disappointed in jeep. I have been a jeep owner for ten years. My other jeeps were well made tough machines that finally wore out after tons of miles. Repair cost are ridiculous on these compass models in my opinion. I seriously doubt I will ever purchase another jeep after this compass.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Disappointed
I bought this car after a Liberty because I was trying to save on gas. Saved there lost elsewhere. I am 5'10 and this car is NOT for tall people. The roof is not like other cars and when I pull up to stop lights (on the white line) I have to duck my head to see what color the light is. I do like how it whips around corners and handles great. However, after having this car for a week, I am in the process of returning it. I wish the roof was better and didn't have the extra material by the windshield. Jeep struck out with this one for tall people.
COMPASS PROBLEM
I have driven the car 1000 miles now and only one problem so far. Now and then it makes a whining noise for about a minute then goes away.This happens once a day. Has anyone else had this problem? Good gas mileage and fun to drive.A whole lot better than the 05 Equinox I traded in for it.
Great Jeep
We have put almost 4K miles on our Compass and love it! This is my 2nd Jeep, previously had a Grand Cherokee. This jeep is perfect for what we use it for. Seats are comfortable, the ride is good and power is acceptable with the manual tranny. I have grown to love the looks of the Jeep. The build quality appears to be very good as well. The reviewers are way off on this vehicle. I would recommend it to anyone!
Pretty decent so far
So far this vehicle has been great, I haven't had any complaints against it. I find it to be comfortable to ride/ drive in. I like the way it handles, but I'm not a speed demon anyways. I read the Editor's reviews before purchasing and I don't have any regrets on buying this vehicle.
Ignore the critics.... Compass is A-OK!
Our 2008 Compass Sport is an extremely nice, well featured vehicle... esp. when considering what we paid out-the- door for it: $16,400. The interior catches way TOO much flak from reviewers. It is roomy and the seats are very comfortable. Gas mileage is good: 4 people/luggage, A/C on, 75 mph produced nearly 26 mpg on a recent trip. No A/C and under 65 mph pushed it up over 30 mpg! It's been reliable, and only had one warranty repair for a couple of suspension bolts in nearly 20k mileage. As far as performance... all you have to do is put your foot down on the accelerator a bit more firm and get the RPMs up. That's it. The 172 HP does the rest. Highly recommend for $$$
Love the Compass
Drove Chicago to Phoenix roundtrip, no problems. Very comfortable seats let me drive 16 hrs straight. Lots of room, good quality, just what they should have been building all these years.
My favorite car.
I wanted to get a car that was SUV- like, but gets good gas mileage. This car does that wonderfully. I get an average of 27 mpg and still have comfortable room for passengers and a fair amount of storage space in the back. It rides higher up and has plenty of leg room. I bought a standard transmission, and I love the way it shifts gears. Very smooth.
Jeep styling with great mileage
I have had the compass for a month now and love it. Although I've only run one tank through it (its my second vehicle). I got 26 mpg on the first tank and it ain't broke in yet 300miles on it total. I bought the plain jane nothing on it to brag about. No problems so far. Great vehicle for the money got the $250 cash back made it a $15,000 vehicle talk about bang for the buck.
RaLLyE
I just bought my 08 jeep compass 2.4L Rallye Edition in black with black interior and everyone ragged on me about getting a compass until I told them that I was getting the Rallye package. Now people are asking me where I got it and telling me how much they love it! The Rallye package sold me on it. It's no good without it.
LOVE my Compass!!!
I love the Compass! My husband and I are constantly back and forth between Champaign, IL and Detroit, MI, and the ride is always smooth and comfortable! Not the *best* mileage, but better than others. I love that we were able to add what we wanted of the Limited's features to our Sport and still end up at a great price!! LOVE the bumper-to- bumper warranty!! It's easy to get our 15-month old in and out, as well, and with the stain-resistant YES fabric, we don't have to worry as much about spills and messes in a new car!!
Almost 2 Month's Experience
Approaching 2 months and 2000 miles of commuting in Washington, DC -- avg 23.5 MPG (not bad for second worst traffic in the nation). CVT should be traded for Avenger's 4 spd auto even at expense of mileage. Love the overall driving position and utility. Wish there was less flash/rough edges where hands spend most time -- steering wheel and gear shift handle. Wide a-pillar width is distracting when rounding curves. Adequate rear seat leg room, but wouldn't want to sit on those seats for any length of time. Overall a competent beater, but it's quirks probably give it the lifespan, and legacy, of an AMC Pacer.
Why Why would you buy this?
My father just bought this car. We both thought that for the price it was a good buy. How disappointed we both were. In fact so disappointed that after exactly 9 days we returned the car. The interior is horrible. Looks like a cheap fake toy car. Buttons are poorly built. No interesting options (i.e. USB connections etc nothing) Though the car has only 4 cylinders it consumes way more than the design info states. The fact that for this price it 4 wheel drive is not standard is shocking especially when compared to others like the Grand Vitara (for 2 k more than the compass) or the Tuscon (or less or the same price as the compass)
Interior is terrible.
Whilst this vehicle is a very nice vehicle to look at the quality of the interior is terrible. My wife's car is just over a year old and the plastic skirting on the front chair has snapped off. The storage panels on both front doors are beginning to break off. Overall very cheaply made interior. About the only good thing going for this vehicle is the good gas mileage. If this is how jeeps are being manufactured now then this will be the last one that I purchase.
Love the compass
Really like the Compass. Very practical for children, loading groceries, and even pull a jet ski concept boat all summer to the lake behind it. So glad that I traded my Jeep Wrangler in for the Compass.
luvin-it
Great suv, great mileage, very roomy vehicle my family is very comfortable in this vehicle and a fun vehicle to drive 45 minute back and forth to work
Jeep Compass-stalls & cuts out
The jeep compass is an overall ok vehicle Its design is sleek & nice but the quality of the mini SUV needs to be worked on especially with the constant stalling, cutting out etc. but i'm still luvin my lil JEEP
orange limited
Overall not bad, quiet ride. like the limited accents Seat belt reminder chimes every 8 seconds. CVT can be noisy at times. Should be undercoated from factory, rust after 1 PA winter
Just had this over a month
2008 Rallye Sport in black looks very sharp! Sticked for about 22,500, but jeep gave me 2,500 back, a generous trade and I under 5% financing, so... So far, very good. Good pep with a 5 speed manual and good gas mileage (24- 28 is pretty accurate). GREAT Boston Acoustics sound system (I have the 9 speaker system including flip down tailgate speakers). Interior look average, exterior look pretty sharp. Handles and drives very well. Good roomy interior (compared to my small sedan, so...) Drawbacks: cheap looking dash, but simple and logical; no MP3 jack on the 6 CD changer stereo; hatchback side windows don't crack open
Good SUV
We love to drive the Compass. Great use of space compared to the other SUVs we looked at. Lots of head room and rear seat room. The speed stick on the CVT is great. We do mix city/highway drives with no problems. The tail gate is a bite noisy in the extreme cold (-25c).
Great vehicle for the price!
I've had the Compass for 15 mos., and have not gone back to the dealer for anything. I have the 5 spd. manual, as I prefer that with a 4 cylinder. Long trips give me 28-30 mpg's, while my "rural" driving returns 27 mpg's. Seldom do city driving. I use the Compass for errands, fishing, and hunting, (with dog). Therefore, the "cheap" plastic interior is just fine, and easy to keep clean. No regrets buying the Compass!
First time Jeep owner
It's nice to see an American car manufacturer doing what should have been standard in the industry 5 years ago. A smaller SUV with good fuel economy. Also a lifetime and I mean lifetime powertrain warranty. This vehicle rides better and drives better than my last SUV (Ford Explorer). You can tell it's a Jeep by the extra safety features like ESP and anti-roll mitigation. Everyone that likes small SUV's should buy this model. I'm 6ft and 340lbs and can put the front seats all the way to the rear and I can still sit in the rear seats with my knees barely rubbing the front seats. And I love the shoulder room.
rolling foward and back
my car has problems, it rolls back when on a hill, at a red light or stop sign, 10feet or more, so i have to give it the gas fast. it also roll's forward when in park and turned off, keys out, so i have to be real fast to run after it get in and put my foot on the brake. i get no help from the dealer, the car is unsafe to drive and they can't fix the problem. i was told he (the owner) quote, he just sells them he doesn't build them, end of quote.i was told to use the emergency brake all the time and be fast on the gas. thanks chrysler, i didn't buy a standard.61 years old and can run fast.
Not for everyone, I could care less!
I was looking for a bigger car/small SUV when I decided to trade in my 2004 Hyundai Elantra in June of '08. I was intrigued by the new Dodge/Jeep models and thought the Compass had such a unique look that I had to check it out. The first vehicle I test drove was the Dodge Caliber, which was OK but didn't have enough 'oomph' with the 2.0 liter engine. Next was the compass, and I fell in love with how it sits up higher and gives you more command of the road. I picked the Rallye Edition with the 18" tires and black rims, with the YES essentials interior. This is huge for me as I have kids!! For an SUV, I can't complain about the gas mileage. It has plenty of room, and a decent stereo to boot.