There’s nothing more frustrating than spending a ton of money on a new vehicle and then finding out you hate it after owning it for a few months. That’s why J.D. Power’s APEAL Study is so beneficial. It helps you see what other owners of a vehicle, like the Jeep Compass, think of it. What do drivers like about the Compass, and why?

How is the APEAL study data calculated?

For the 2023 year study, J.D. Power surveyed owners of various types of vehicles that were registered between November 2022 and February 2023. The publication gathered data for three months after that to determine what features owners liked and disliked about their purchases after owning the vehicle for 90 days. 

The APEAL study looks for 10 distinct areas for the owners to rate, ranging from their most liked feature of the vehicle to their least liked item. The areas J.D. Power collects data on include:

• Driving comfort
• Driving feel
• Infotainment system
• Vehicle’s powertrain
• Exterior styling
• Design of the interior
• Feeling of safety
• Fuel economy
• Setting up and starting
• Getting in and out of the vehicle

Once the surveys are returned, J.D. Power associates add up the scores for each particular model, like the 2023 Jeep Compass, and list them on the study, starting with the most loved feature and ending with the least liked one. 

Which three areas do Jeep Compass owners like, and which ones did they hate? 

The APEAL study reports that the 2023 Jeep Compass owners weren’t impressed with its fuel economy, driving comfort, and infotainment system. When it comes to fuel economy, the Compass offers 27 mpg combined, which is below average in its class, according to Edmunds. 

As for comfort when driving, this Jeep model doesn’t offer much in the way of comfortable seats. Edmunds claims they’re soft enough but there’s no support, which is necessary for daily driving. The head restraints are also uncomfortable, tilting too far forward. 

The infotainment system has an available 10.1-inch screen (standard on higher trims) and is responsive. However, there are a lot of layers to its interface, which can get frustrating and distracting. 

As for what owners loved about their Compass SUVs, the three areas that made the top three on the study were exterior styling, driving feel, and the feeling of being safe in it. We’ll explore the reasons why they’re highly rated below.

What makes the top three features the highest-rated?

The study doesn’t give us the details as to why owners like or dislike something about a vehicle. We have to speculate why those features are so appealing. In this case, for the Jeep Compass, we see that owners loved its exterior styling. The crossover got a refresh for this year, extending its length to 173.40 inches, which Jeep says accentuates the exterior lines. 

A new seven-slot grille adorns the front of the vehicle modernizing it with rounded edges and smooth surfaces. Jeep even offers stylish rims with either aluminum or gloss-black spokes.

When it comes to how well the 2023 Jeep Compass drives, owners made it their second-best feature. While we may not know exactly what they like the most about its driving ability, we do know that experts, like J.D. Power, were pretty impressed with the engine and transmission change for the 2023 model.

It now has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 200 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission is paired with it instead of the previous year’s nine-speed combined with the 2.4 displacement engine. With more power under its belt, we’re not surprised that owners are loving the way it drives.

As for safety, the Compass comes with a ton of standard features. This includes hill-start assist, forward collision warning, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, rear-seat reminder, and automatic emergency braking. On the higher trims, you will also get a surround-view camera system, active parking assistance, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition. 

Owners are really liking their 2023 Jeep Compass. The most loved features are the way it drives, the way it looks on the outside, and its standard safety features.