2023 Jeep Compass vs 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

The 2023 Jeep Compass presented a more refined and upscale appearance compared to its rugged predecessors. It shared design elements with the larger Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, and Wagoneer families, featuring a sophisticated look with new 17-inch wheel designs for the Sport and North models, and gloss black wheels for the Trailhawk. In Canada, the Compass was available in seven trim levels, with the Trailhawk trims being ideal for off-road adventures. The test vehicle, a Limited trim, was priced at $54,775, showcasing a Granite Crystal exterior and a two-tone black and gray interior with caramel accents, exuding a sense of luxury. However, the high price tag made it less competitive in the small SUV segment.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, built on the TNGA-K platform, was a true crossover with a spacious interior, larger than its competitors like the Kia Telluride. Its design was inspired by rugged vehicles, featuring a blockier style with a trapezoidal grille and narrow headlights, reminiscent of the Toyota 4Runner. Available in three trims—XLE, Limited, and Platinum—the Grand Highlander offered a comfortable and well-built interior with black Softex synthetic leather on the XLE trim and real leather on higher trims. The Platinum Hybrid trim featured Portobello upholstery, and the vehicle boasted a 10-way power-adjustable driver seat, heated front seats, and a large centre console, making it a comfortable choice for road trips.

The 2023 Jeep Compass finally addressed its powertrain issues with a new turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 200 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. The engine's peak torque was available from 1,750 to 4,250 rpm, with maximum horsepower at 5,000 rpm. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and Jeep Active Drive AWD, the Compass offered three driving modes: Auto, Snow, and Sand/Mud. The Trailhawk version featured a more advanced AWD system with a low range and a 20:1 crawl ratio, making it suitable for off-road adventures. Despite improvements, the Compass's engine was not as powerful as it could be, prioritizing fuel economy. The official fuel economy rating was 8.8 L/100 km, but real-world driving averaged 9.9 L/100 km. The Compass's handling was improved, but it still exhibited significant body motions on uneven surfaces.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options: a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder with 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, a 2.5-litre hybrid with 245 combined net horsepower, and the Hybrid Max powertrain with 362 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. All powertrains came with AWD in Canada. The Hybrid Max provided impressive acceleration, with a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds. The Grand Highlander was larger and less maneuverable than the smaller Highlander, with some body roll and numb steering feel. However, its brakes were solid, and the 2.4-litre turbocharged engine offered adequate power. The vehicle featured three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—with additional modes for gas-only and Hybrid Max models.

The 2023 Jeep Compass offered a comfortable interior for adults in both rows, despite its narrow design. Standard features included an air filtration system and available dual-zone climate control. Higher trims offered leather seats, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, and heated front seats. The Compass provided 770 litres of cargo space behind the rear seats, expandable to 1,693 litres with the seats folded. Interior storage was adequate, with a wireless charging pad available.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was larger than its rivals, offering 2,761 litres of total cargo capacity. With seats in position, it provided 1,640 litres behind the second row and 583 litres with all three rows up. The spacious interior accommodated adults comfortably in all rows, with ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room. The Grand Highlander was a comfortable and practical choice for families.

The 2023 Jeep Compass featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Uconnect 5 technology, supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and OTA updates. Higher trims offered a 10.25-inch digital instrumentation panel, embedded navigation, and a nine-speaker Alpine sound system. The Limited test vehicle included Alexa Built-in technology and a parking assist system, though the surround-view camera was more useful.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering dual-device Bluetooth connectivity and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. An intelligent assistant and cloud-based navigation were available via a subscription. The Limited and Platinum trims featured an 11-speaker JBL stereo, providing a balanced audio experience. Streaming audio integration and Sirius XM satellite radio were also available.

The 2023 Jeep Compass added a drowsy driver detection system and rear-seat reminder for 2023. Standard ADAS included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control were available on higher trims. The Compass had not been fully crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS at the time of review.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander featured Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, including automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring. Traffic jam assist and a head-up display were exclusive to the Platinum grade. Adaptive cruise control with four following-distance settings was standard. The Grand Highlander had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS.