You wouldn’t choose the Compass for how it drives. It has next to no distinguishing features in that respect.
The EV’s 0-62mph time is an unremarkable 8.5sec, because 210bhp stops being a lot when faced with 2.2 tonnes of weight. But it still feels more potent than the e-Hybrid, as well as smoother, quieter and more assured. If price and charging aren’t issues, the EV has the powertrain to have.
It has steering-wheel paddles as well as a button to toggle one-pedal driving, so no complaints there.
Most UK Compass buyers are likely to go for the e-Hybrid version, however; and they’ll find it fairly refined, adequately powerful for day to day driving, and respectably economical (think a mixed-route 45mpg).
Even so, there’s no doubt that the hybrid provides the inferior performance. While 144bhp for 1667kg doesn’t make for a horrendous power-to-weight ratio, 10.0sec to 62mph is a little slow by modern standards. Moreover, there can be some momentary delay when you ask for power, and there’s certainly some inconsistency in the response and feel of both accelerator and brake pedals, which can seem to have rather too much to do when blending electric motor and combustion, managing regen and shifting gears.
With just 0.9kWh of battery and 28bhp of motor power, this powertrain’s capacity for electric running is very limited in a heavy car. Let the engine rev out and it makes quite an appealing three-cylinder thrum – but it’s the necessity to do that quite so often which undermines the powertrain’s sense of authority a bit. It just doesn’t feel quite potent enough for a car with pretentions of strength, toughness and versatility.
