When the new Compass debuted yesterday, there was one glaring omission. Jeep refrained from discussing a version for the United States; now we know why. Motor1 contacted the automaker to find out why the North American variant was not mentioned. There isn’t one at this point, and the vehicle’s future in the U.S. seems to be up in the air. Here’s what a Stellantis spokesperson told us:
“As we navigate today’s dynamic environment, Stellantis continues to reassess its product strategy in North America to ensure it is offering customers a range of vehicles with flexible powertrain options to best meet their needs. As a result, the company is temporarily pausing work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at the Brampton Assembly Plant.”
Photo by: Jeep
The third-generation Compass was initially slated to arrive in the U.S. sometime next year, following the start of production at the Stellantis factory in Ontario. In recent years, that Canadian site built the last-gen Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Chrysler 300, along with the short-lived Lancia Thema for Europe. Retooling was needed at the plant to accommodate the new U.S.-market Compass, which would replace the second generation currently assembled in Toluca, Mexico.
Although the future of the third-gen Compass in the U.S. remains uncertain, Stellantis says its previously announced investments at the Brampton plant will advance despite halting operations in February. Three years ago, the automaker committed 3.6 billion CAD (about $2.6 billion today) to modernizing its Windsor and Brampton facilities.
At the time, Jeep’s parent company mentioned the Brampton factory would be “retooled and fully modernized” to support an “all-new, flexible architecture” as part of the company’s electrification strategy. As a refresher, the 2026 Compass sits on the STLA Medium platform, which supports mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric vehicles.
Photo by: Jeep
Photo by: Jeep
Putting the Canadian-built Compass on hold means the U.S. market must wait longer for the updated crossover. In the meantime, European customers can already place orders, with early deliveries scheduled for the fourth quarter of the year. Jeep will build the Euro-spec Compass at the Melfi plant in Italy, where it previously assembled the outgoing model alongside the smaller Renegade and its Fiat 500X cousin.
So, how vital is the Compass to Jeep in the U.S.? If we’re talking strictly about volume, it’s a key player. Deliveries rose by 16 percent to 111,697 units in 2024, making it Jeep’s third-best-selling model after the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler. Shipments in the first quarter of this year jumped by 15 percent to 31,730 units, closing the gap with the top two.
57
Source: Jeep
Read the full article here
