2022 Jeep Compass vs 2023 Cadillac Escalade

The 2022 Jeep Compass, despite receiving exterior styling updates and new wheel designs, retained much of its familiar look since its 2017 redesign. It resembled a smaller version of the Grand Cherokee, with our test model featuring attractive 19-inch multi-spoke wheels that matched the paint, giving it an upscale appearance. Inside, the Compass Trailhawk Elite impressed with a new dashboard design, updated digital instrumentation, and luxury-grade leather seats, elevating its sophistication. The lineup ranged from the base Sport trim to the Trailhawk Elite, with prices spanning from $29,495 to $42,795, excluding destination charges.

In contrast, the 2023 Cadillac Escalade stood as a towering presence, nearly two metres tall and requiring significant space to park. It was a motorized cargo container with three rows of leather seats and advanced technology. The Escalade ESV extended the wheelbase by 38 centimetres, offering even more space. The Escalade's design, with thin LED lights and darkened chrome accents, masked its mass, making it appear athletic. Inside, the first row featured a luxurious array of screens and wood trim, while the rear rows lacked the same level of refinement. The Escalade's interior was spacious, with generous headroom and legroom, making it a standout in passenger and cargo space.

The 2022 Jeep Compass was equipped with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 177 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. Despite its "Tigershark" name, the engine lacked acceleration prowess, and a turbocharger would have improved its performance, especially at higher altitudes. The nine-speed automatic transmission, paired with the engine, aimed to maximize fuel efficiency but resulted in a busy and unrewarding powertrain character. The Compass offered Jeep Selec-Terrain with Auto, Snow, and Sand/Mud modes, and the Trailhawk trim excelled in off-road capabilities with features like hill descent control and skid plates.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade featured a standard 6.2-litre V8 engine with 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, suitable for towing up to 3,629 kilograms. However, it felt heavy in passing situations. The Escalade-V variant addressed this with a supercharged V8 producing 682 horsepower and 653 pound-feet of torque. The optional 3.0-litre Duramax turbodiesel V6 offered better fuel economy and smooth torque delivery. The Escalade's 4WD system was rudimentary, but its magnetic ride control dampers and optional air suspension improved handling and maneuverability. Wind noise was noticeable at highway speeds, reminiscent of a pickup truck.

The 2022 Jeep Compass shared similar interior dimensions with the Renegade and Cherokee, offering enough space for four adults and their luggage. The Trailhawk Elite trim added premium features like 12-way power-adjustable front seats, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, and a redesigned dashboard with the Uconnect 5 infotainment system. The Compass provided 770 litres of cargo space behind the rear seat, expanding to 1,693 litres with the seats folded down.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade boasted an exceptionally spacious interior, with 722 litres of cargo space behind the third row, 2,064 litres behind the second row, and 3,426 litres with both rows down. The Escalade ESV offered even more space, making it a packaging marvel. The controls were user-friendly, with a smart and fast infotainment system. Optional features included a front console refrigerator, power-retractable side steps, and an air suspension for easier loading and unloading. The tailgate's separate glass window was a practical addition.

The 2022 Jeep Compass featured the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which was five times faster than its predecessor. It offered an 8.4-inch or 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system. The voice recognition system was fast and accurate, though it struggled with certain requests. Overall, Uconnect 5 impressed but wasn't the easiest to use.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade introduced a span of OLED screens across the dash, providing sharp and clear visuals. The front camera displayed a high-res feed with navigation overlays, enhancing the driver's view. Super Cruise, a hands-free highway driving system, was a standout feature, using infrared eye-tracking cameras for safety. The Escalade also offered night vision, a 36-speaker AKG audio system, and massaging front seats, making it a tech powerhouse.

The 2022 Jeep Compass improved its safety features, with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring available from the Trailhawk grade. Highway Assist was expected later in the model year. The adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping systems worked well, though the forward-collision warning system occasionally gave false positives. The Compass had not yet received crash test ratings from the IIHS or NHTSA.

The 2023 Cadillac Escalade earned four out of five stars from the NHTSA, with lower ratings for front-passenger protection and rollover resistance. It featured forward automatic emergency braking, a Safety Alert seat, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring as standard. Reverse emergency braking was optional but occasionally triggered false stops. Night Vision and Super Cruise were also available.