The Jeep Compass is latest SUV to be launched in India and with a rather aggressive pricing strategy, it has surely caught the fancy of many SUV enthusiasts and 5,000 of those have already booked the car. Yes! The SUV itself is a good product and our first drive review experience was a pleasant one too. In fact, the Jeep Compass is going to give a lot of sleepless nights to all cars in India which fall in the price bracket of Rs. 14 lakh to Rs. 21 lakh. And while we have already done an on-paper comparison of the Compass with the Mahindra XUV500 and the Hyundai Tucson (Also read: Jeep Compass vs XUV500 and Tucson) it is the Tata Hexa which will be a prime rival to the Compass. And this story serves to see which one of these SUVs fare better, on paper of course! Let's get started, then.
(Jeep Compass)
The Tata Hexa is a full-blooded SUV with seating for 7. It is bigger than the Compass in every manner. It looks butch too, with its imposing 'blacked out' front end, muscular bumper and the large wheel-arches housing those big 19-inch wheels. You will surely be noticed on the road, if you are driving around in the Hexa. Sure, it looks more like a MPV, but it has street swag.
(Tata Hexa)
Also read: Jeep Compass Review
Coming to the Compass! It has been designed to look like a scaled down version of the Grand Cherokee and it works and how! The signature seven-slat grille along with the squarish bumper and wheel arches make it look like Keanu Reeves from the Movie John Wick. A Classic, stylish and 'you-better-not-mess-with-me' look! Quite intense, in a good way of course. Only if the wheels were a tad bigger than the current 17-inch ones, it would have looked even better. The best part about the Jeep Compass is that it is as 'Un-American' as it gets and still commands your attention on the road. And therefore, this round goes to the Compass.
(Jeep Compass interiors)
Tata Motors pulled out all stops when the idea and design of the Hexa was conceived. It was to be Tata's best product till date and it sure was (not considering the Nexon here). The cabin of the Hexa looks and feels premium with bits of faux brushed aluminium and piano black finishes. There are quite a few cubbyholes strewn around as well. The company decided to load it up all sorts of creature comforts and safety features. Not surprisingly, the Hexa gets more features than the Jeep Compass. Cruise control, automatic headlamps, 10-speaker JBL audio system, ambient mood lighting are some of the key features on the Hexa along with Tata's ConnectNext apps.
(Tata Hexa Cabin)
Also Read: Tata Hexa Review
The compass in comparison does not get the above features. Although it does have a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment with smartphone integration, two-zone climate control etc. Both the cars get ABS and dual airbags as standard on all variants. The top-spec Hexa gets six airbags along with the complete electronics suite of electronic stability program (ESP), traction control, and roll-over mitigation and so on. In Comparison, the top-spec Compass gets eight airbags and cornering lamps along with adaptive brake lights as well (brake lights start flashing in case of emergency braking).
| Specifications | Jeep Compass | Tata Hexa |
|---|---|---|
| Engine Type (diesel) | 2.0-litre Multijet diesel | 2.2-litre Varicor 400 |
| Displacement | 1,956 cc | 2,179 cc |
| Max Power | 170 bhp at 3,750 rpm | 154 bhp at 4,000 rpm |
| Max Torque | 350 Nm at 1,750-2,500 rpm | 400 Nm at 1,700-2,700 rpm |
| Gearbox | 6-speed manual | 6-speed MT/6-speed AT |
| Claimed Efficiency (ARAI) | 17.1 kmpl | 12 kmpl |
| Starting Price (Ex-Delhi) | Rs. 14.95 lakh | Rs. 10.95 lakh |
A quick look at the table above shows that the Compass makes a few bhp more than the Hexa. The torque for both the cars kicks in around the same rev range. The Hexa being the bigger of the two delivers lesser fuel efficiency at 12 kmpl while the Compass returns a good mileage of 17.1 kmpl. Jeep says that the Compass will get an automatic variant for the diesel by early next year. Going by the looks, the Compass has a slight edge here.
(Jeep Compass)
Also Read: Jeep Compass SUV Launched In India
With a starting price of Rs. 10.95 lakh and going up all the way till 16.13 lakh, the Tata Hexa makes for a compelling buy. It makes even more sense, should have a large family and a pet dog in tow. Having said that, if you have a family of four or less the Jeep Compass is not a bad buy either. The Compass is solid value-for-money, has safety features aplenty and has a more frugal engine. Plus, for a lakh or more, you get to own a Jeep, which is a bonus in itself.
