The Jeep Compass was launched in 2007 as a small crossover sports utility vehicle. Jeep previewed the Compass at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. The Compass and the Patriot, both manufactured by Jeep, replaced the Liberty as their entry-level vehicle. Both the Compass and Patriot have been built on the Mitsubishi GS body, while the former is a crossover vehicle in the same body make as the Toyota Matrix, the latter is a four door Jeep wagon. A 172 horsepower 2.4-Liter gas engine powers the Compass, while its counterpart designed for the Australian and European markets, is powered by a 2.0 Liter diesel engine manufactured by Volkswagen with an all-wheel drive system that is electrically controlled. The Jeep Compass comes in two models, the Sport and Limited. It is equipped with airbags in the front and side, anti-lock braking system, heated leather seats and sensors to warn the driver if the vehicle is about to roll over.

No major changes were made to the 2008 Jeep Compass. It has the same 172 horsepower 2.4-Liter gas engine, which has a manual five gear transmission. The Compass has an aluminum look on the outside, but the hardware and mirrors are black, rather than the same color as the vehicle's body. The Sport model has 17-inch tires and the Limited 18-inch tires. The seats are made of cloth that is stain repellant and it comes with air conditioning. A one touch system that powers the vehicle's windows, mirrors and locks is optional. It is equipped with a tilt steering wheel, passenger front and backseats that are foldable, stereo system that plays radio and CDs and an electronic system that monitors tire pressure. The vehicle is also equipped with a system that dims the lights of vehicles behind the Compass.