If you didn’t see my previous thread Jasmine my 2018 Compass was totaled a couple weeks ago. She was replaced with a nearly identical 2019 Compass and I’m noticing a few differences that may interest others on this site.
First, my drive train doesn’t make the howling/grumbling noise my 2018 made. You can see my posts in several threads about that during the time she was on the road. Sparkles, my 2019 Compass, runs silent as a morgue. *
Second, while both had the 2.4 w/ 9-spd a/t, the 2019 shifts much snappier with no high-revving before take off. It takes some self-control to keep stuff from flying off the dash when leaving a stop sign or traffic light. I’m a pretty easy driver so that snappy start is nothing I’m demanding, its just doing it naturally.
Third, the tranny seems willing to torque it out on a hill with no frantic gear-hunting like my 2018 did. Undoubtedly FCA has made some model-year performance changes, but it still has that funky lag from 5 to 4 when descending hills. From what I understand about the ZF9HP tranny, we just may be stuck with that.
Surprisingly, while my fuel economy was excellent in my 2018, my 2019 seems even a tad better. Today on an 85 mile trip from Lancaster to Franklin NH, I averaged 40.5MPG by the EVIC—half state highways at 50ish and half interstate at 70MPH. On my previous tank I got 35.1MPG by the EVIC and calculating by hand 369 miles ÷ 10.3 gallons = 35.8MPG. Since new in 850 miles my Compass is averaging 31.5 by the EVIC and that includes some city driving and c100 miles of other people test-driving my vehicle before I bought it and long idling to cool the cabin before test-driving in July heat. That part was out of my control.
The oil consumption seems a bit better on the 2019, but this is still a very young engine and some oil consumption is to be expected in a new engine. In 850 miles I’m only down about ½ pint so it is doing better than my 2018 so far. My 2018 sucked up almost 2 quarts in its first 1000 miles though it did improve after awhile—still I had to add a quart between oil changes on a 1 year/40,000 mile engine and was usually down another quart at the next change so really it was using 2 quarts per 6,000 miles. I can’t really make a definitive comment on my 2019 until she’s got 10,000 miles behind her but I will report back when its down its first quart.
The only negative against the 2019 is the touchscreen controls. Just way too much unnecessary technology.
Overall the 2019 seems to be performing better in ways that matter, but if they offered touchscreen delete as an option, I’d pay more NOT to have it.
*EDIT: After saying that it was a quiet as a morgue I think I did hear that grumbling noise today. I was moving slowly, just cresting a knoll at in-town speed, maybe 25MPH, and I heard a low rumble. Kinda like a/t tires might make at that speed, but not as loud. Maybe they've lowered the speed at which we hear it and under acceleration the engine downs it out? Just gliding down the grade at low speed there was no engine noise to cover it. When I started up at the traffic light a minute later I didn't hear it, but of course there was more engine noise.
First, my drive train doesn’t make the howling/grumbling noise my 2018 made. You can see my posts in several threads about that during the time she was on the road. Sparkles, my 2019 Compass, runs silent as a morgue. *
Second, while both had the 2.4 w/ 9-spd a/t, the 2019 shifts much snappier with no high-revving before take off. It takes some self-control to keep stuff from flying off the dash when leaving a stop sign or traffic light. I’m a pretty easy driver so that snappy start is nothing I’m demanding, its just doing it naturally.
Third, the tranny seems willing to torque it out on a hill with no frantic gear-hunting like my 2018 did. Undoubtedly FCA has made some model-year performance changes, but it still has that funky lag from 5 to 4 when descending hills. From what I understand about the ZF9HP tranny, we just may be stuck with that.
Surprisingly, while my fuel economy was excellent in my 2018, my 2019 seems even a tad better. Today on an 85 mile trip from Lancaster to Franklin NH, I averaged 40.5MPG by the EVIC—half state highways at 50ish and half interstate at 70MPH. On my previous tank I got 35.1MPG by the EVIC and calculating by hand 369 miles ÷ 10.3 gallons = 35.8MPG. Since new in 850 miles my Compass is averaging 31.5 by the EVIC and that includes some city driving and c100 miles of other people test-driving my vehicle before I bought it and long idling to cool the cabin before test-driving in July heat. That part was out of my control.
The oil consumption seems a bit better on the 2019, but this is still a very young engine and some oil consumption is to be expected in a new engine. In 850 miles I’m only down about ½ pint so it is doing better than my 2018 so far. My 2018 sucked up almost 2 quarts in its first 1000 miles though it did improve after awhile—still I had to add a quart between oil changes on a 1 year/40,000 mile engine and was usually down another quart at the next change so really it was using 2 quarts per 6,000 miles. I can’t really make a definitive comment on my 2019 until she’s got 10,000 miles behind her but I will report back when its down its first quart.
The only negative against the 2019 is the touchscreen controls. Just way too much unnecessary technology.
- I can only adjust airflow with the touchscreen? C’mon people! Just give me a knob.
- The voice recognition software was better in the 2018 Bluetooth. If I tell my 2019 to call home it says, “There are no work numbers for home.” Of course not! I’m not calling anyone at work, I said “Call Home.” But once it starts seeking work numbers there’s no way to dissuade it without turning the whole thing OFF and starting over. I can’t just repeat my command. I never had any such problem with my 2018 system.
- The outside temp display is so small I can hardly read it. Not a problem this time of year, but come fall I want to know if the outside temp is +/-32F for obvious reasons, and it’s a total distraction to try reading that tiny display.
Overall the 2019 seems to be performing better in ways that matter, but if they offered touchscreen delete as an option, I’d pay more NOT to have it.
*EDIT: After saying that it was a quiet as a morgue I think I did hear that grumbling noise today. I was moving slowly, just cresting a knoll at in-town speed, maybe 25MPH, and I heard a low rumble. Kinda like a/t tires might make at that speed, but not as loud. Maybe they've lowered the speed at which we hear it and under acceleration the engine downs it out? Just gliding down the grade at low speed there was no engine noise to cover it. When I started up at the traffic light a minute later I didn't hear it, but of course there was more engine noise.