The Compass’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Compass Trailhawk’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.
The Compass Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited offers an optional Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Outlander Sport only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.
The Compass has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Outlander Sport SE/GT offers a blind spot warning system.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Compass has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Outlander Sport SE/GT has a rear cross-path warning system.
The Compass Trailhawk/Limited offers optional SiriusXM Guardian, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.
Both the Compass and the Outlander Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Jeep Compass is safer than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:
|
Compass |
Outlander Sport |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
196 |
208 |
Neck Compression |
38 lbs. |
90 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
326/489 lbs. |
334/511 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
172 |
251 |
Neck Injury Risk |
36% |
43% |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
299/387 lbs. |
394/494 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Jeep Compass is safer than the Outlander Sport:
|
Compass |
Outlander Sport |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Restraints |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Head Neck Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Peak Head Forces |
0 G’s |
0 G’s |
Steering Column Movement Rearward |
0 cm |
1 cm |
Chest Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Max Chest Compression |
24 cm |
28 cm |
Hip & Thigh Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Femur Force R/L |
1.6/.8 kN |
3.43/.93 kN |
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L |
0%/0% |
1%/0% |
Lower Leg Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Tibia index R/L |
.45/.44 |
.68/.36 |
Tibia forces R/L |
1.4/.4 kN |
1.9/1.9 kN |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Jeep Compass is safer than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:
|
Compass |
Outlander Sport |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
102 |
163 |
Abdominal Force |
134 lbs. |
163 lbs. |
Hip Force |
335 lbs. |
518 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
101 |
349 |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
12 inches |
17 inches |
HIC |
355 |
365 |
Spine Acceleration |
39 G’s |
41 G’s |
Hip Force |
663 lbs. |
807 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Compass the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 203 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Outlander Sport was not even a “Top Safety Pick” for 2016.
The Jeep Compass has a better fatality history. The Compass was involved in fatal accidents at a rate 6.8% lower per vehicle registered than the Outlander Sport, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.