Jeep Compass

The Jeep Compass (MK49) is a compact crossover SUV introduced for the 2007 model year by Jeep. The Jeep Compass, along with the Patriot both slot below the Jeep Wrangler as Jeep's entry-level sport utility vehicles, and is one of Jeep's first crossover SUVs.

The Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot are to be phased out by 2018 and be replaced by an SUV using either of the names.

History

Concept

Four years prior to the introduction of the production Jeep Compass, a concept vehicle with the same name had its world premiere in Detroit at the 2002 North American International Auto Show. It featured a two-door body, all-wheel drive and a 3.7-liter V6 engine.

The 3.7 L Power-Tech V6 engine from the Jeep Liberty did not make it into the all-new Compass for 2007, though the production model Compass kept the concept car's styling cues and some of its features. The production model compass also had four doors instead of the two doors on the concept car.

Introduction

Jeep debuted the production version of the Compass at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in January. The first Compass was assembled on May 30, 2006, in Belvidere, Illinois, where the Dodge Neon was produced.

Compass

A compass is an instrument used for navigation and orientation that shows direction relative to the geographic "cardinal directions", or "points". Usually, a diagram called a compass rose, shows the directions north, south, east, and west as abbreviated initials marked on the compass. When the compass is used, the rose can be aligned with the corresponding geographic directions, so, for example, the "N" mark on the rose really points to the north. Frequently, in addition to the rose or sometimes instead of it, angle markings in degrees are shown on the compass. North corresponds to zero degrees, and the angles increase clockwise, so east is 90 degrees, south is 180, and west is 270. These numbers allow the compass to show azimuths or bearings, which are commonly stated in this notation.

The magnetic compass was first invented as a device for divination as early as the Chinese Han Dynasty (since about 206 BC), and later adopted for navigation by the Song Dynasty Chinese during the 11th century. The use of a compass is recorded in Western Europe and in Persia around the early 13th century.

Jeep

Jeep is a brand of American automobiles that is a division of FCA US LLC (formerly Chrysler Group, LLC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The former Chrysler Corporation acquired the Jeep brand, along with the remaining assets of its owner American Motors, in 1987. Jeep's current product range consists solely of sport utility vehicles and off-road vehicles, but has also included pickup trucks in the past.

The original Jeep was the prototype Bantam BRC. Willys MB Jeeps went into production in 1941 specifically for the military, arguably making them the oldest four-wheel drive mass-production vehicles now known as SUVs. The Jeep became the primary light 4-wheel-drive vehicle of the United States Army and the Allies during World War II, as well as the postwar period. The term became common worldwide in the wake of the war. Doug Stewart notes:

The first civilian models were produced in 1945. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover. Many Jeep variants serving similar military and civilian roles have since been designed in other nations.

Nissan Rogue

The Nissan Rogue is a compact crossover SUV that debuted in October 2007 for the 2008 model year, produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan. It is the North American version of the Nissan X-Trail in Japan.

The Nissan Rogue made its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 7, 2007. It replaces the Nissan X-Trail in Canada as Nissan's entry-level SUV and the body-on-frame Nissan Xterra in Mexico due to the Smyrna plant freeing capacity for the 2009 Suzuki Equator, but the Xterra continues on sale in the United States and Canada after being withdrawn from the Mexican market after the 2008 model year. An all-new version of the X-Trail, whose platform the Rogue shares, has been launched in Europe, Mexico and elsewhere, but there are no plans to market it in either USA and Canada.

The Rogue is powered by a 170 hp (127 kW; 172 PS), 2.5 L four-cylinder QR25DE engine mated to a standard continuously variable transmission, and comes standard with front-wheel-drive. The Rogue costs less than Nissan's Murano crossover SUV, but at 97.5 cu ft (2.76 m³) vs. 108.8 cu ft (3.08 m³) offers less passenger volume than its V6-powered sibling, and a smaller cargo area of 28.9 cu ft (820 L) vs. 31.6 cu ft (890 L).

Jeep four-wheel-drive systems

Jeep uses a variety of four-wheel drive systems on their various vehicles. These range from basic part-time systems that require the driver to move a control lever to send power to four wheels, to permanent four-wheel systems that monitor and sense traction needs at all four wheels automatically under all conditions.

Command-Trac

Command-Trac

Command-Trac was first introduced using the NP208 transfer case in the full-size Jeeps (SJ series) in 1980. The drive modes are the same as with the Dana 18 and 20 transfer cases: 2Hi, 4HI PT, and 4LO PT. The 4WD modes are not for use on high-traction surfaces such as dry roads. The NP208 was used through at least 1987.

More commonly, Command-Trac is used to refer to the NP/NV-231 or NP-207 transfer cases introduced along with the Jeep Cherokee (XJ) in 1984. The system offers a chain-driven, aluminum, "shift-on-the-fly" transfer case. The "shift-on-the-fly" feature provides manual ease and assist while engaging 4WD. Command-Trac should only be driven in 4WD on low-traction surfaces due to the front and rear axles being locked together (no differential action in the transfer case). Driving in 4WD on dry pavement causes excessive wheel and drivetrain wear. Four-wheel modes are most commonly used for wet/slick surfaces or extreme weather conditions (rain, snow, etc.) (4H), towing (N), and off-road activities (4L).