I have always been a fan of the Compass since it was launched back in 2017. Being a student and a big car enthusiast, it was really hard to convince my parents to choose this car over the Creta (There was a 5 lakh rupees price difference!).
Recently, my best friend got the newly launched Sport Plus 1.4 Petrol variant of the Compass(Harrier effect, maybe?). And I must say, I wish my family had waited for this.
He surprisingly agreed to take the Compass for a road trip to Rishikesh which we've been planning for days and I got to drive this beauty for quite a while to write this review.
Under the hood, this two-wheel-drive car packs the same Fiat-sourced 1.4 litre turbo petrol engine producing 160 bhp of power and 250 Nm of torque which we've already seen in the top spec variants.
The car is loaded! We get 16 inch Alloy wheels, roof rails, dual zone automatic climate control, a 5 inch touchscreen infotainment system with 4 speakers and all the standard safety features along with the signature electronic parking brake. One more thing, there's a hidden easter egg near the bonnet of the car and it's just better that you notice it yourself.
Some people might find the infotainment unit smaller compared to the 7 inch one seen in higher variants, but not us! It doesn't have a stock rear parking camera, but you can install that as an accessory. The speakers work really well. Also, conventional headlamps are provided with this variant and there's no sunroof on offer.
Now let's talk about driving this beauty.
This car, is a beast! The turbo kicks in after 2300 rpm and you get that kick in the pants feeling. This car crushed all the bad roads which we encountered in the hills. Although the suspension is a bit on the stiffer side, body roll is negligible and the Compass feels so much alive when you're cruising through those corners and the brakes work very well.
Arguably this variant, the Sports Plus, will give you the most bang for your buck. It packs all the necessary features, and even more!
This is a proper driver's car with much practicality on offer. Priced at 15.60 lakhs ex-showroom, I would definitely recommend this Compass to all the interested buyers in this segment.
Definitely a 5 star rating from my side!