Compare the2023 Honda HR-VVS 2023 Jeep Compass

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda HR-V have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Jeep Compass doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Honda HR-V has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Compass doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The HR-V EX-L has a standard Low Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Compass doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the HR-V and the Compass have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda HR-V is much safer than the Compass:

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the HR-V its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Compass was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2019 but no longer qualifies.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the HR-V’s reliability 40 points higher than the Compass.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. With 16 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Honda higher than Jeep.

The HR-V has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Compass doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the HR-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Compass:

The HR-V stops much shorter than the Compass:

The HR-V’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Compass Trailhawk’s standard 65 series tires.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the HR-V is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Compass.

The HR-V EX-L AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Compass Trailhawk pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The HR-V EX-L AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Compass Trailhawk (28.5 seconds @ .56 average G’s vs. 29.6 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

The Honda HR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 450 pounds less than the Jeep Compass.

The HR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Compass doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The HR-V has .2 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Compass.

On a hot day the HR-V’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Compass can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The HR-V has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Compass doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The HR-V’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Compass Sport doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

The HR-V is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Compass doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The HR-V will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the HR-V will retain 50.77% to 52.43% of its original price after five years, while the Compass only retains 48.2% to 49.34%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda HR-V will be $4946 to $6456 less than for the Jeep Compass.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda HR-V, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Jeep Compass isn't recommended.

The Honda HR-V outsold the Jeep Compass by 34% during 2022.