Compare the2026 Jeep CompassVS 2026 Chevrolet Equinox

The Compass’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Equinox doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Jeep Compass are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Jeep Compass has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Equinox doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Compass has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Equinox doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Jeep Compass achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Chevrolet Equinox has not been tested.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Compass. But it costs extra on the Equinox.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Compass Trailhawk’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Equinox doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.

The Compass’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Equinox doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Compass and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Compass’ corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Equinox’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Compass for 2 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 2 visits). Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Equinox.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Compass has a standard 180-amp alternator. The Equinox’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Compass has a standard 850-amp battery. The Equinox’s 760-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

The Compass’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 25 more horsepower (200 vs. 175) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 184) than the Equinox FWD’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Compass’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 25 more horsepower (200 vs. 175) and 18 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 203) than the Equinox AWD’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Jeep Compass is faster than the Equinox AWD:

On the EPA test cycle the Compass gets better fuel mileage than the Equinox 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder 8-speed Auto AWD (23 city/31 hwy vs. 24 city/29 hwy).

The Compass stops shorter than the Equinox:

The Compass Limited’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Equinox RS’ optional 50 series tires.

The Compass Trailhawk has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Equinox; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Compass has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Compass flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Compass has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Equinox doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Compass’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Equinox doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Compass Trailhawk’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Equinox’s (35.3 feet vs. 37.1 feet). The Compass 4x4 Sport/Latitude/Limited’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Equinox’s (36.3 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Compass Trailhawk has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Equinox RS (8.6 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Compass to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Compass is 9.8 inches shorter than the Equinox, making the Compass easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Maximum trailer towing in the Chevrolet Equinox is limited to 1500 pounds. The Compass offers up to a 2000 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Damping on the Compass uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Equinox doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Compass’ front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Equinox’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The Compass’ standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Equinox’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Compass has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Equinox doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Compass’ optional rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Equinox doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

The Compass offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Equinox doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Jeep Compass retains 53.93% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 50.37% resale value of the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox after five years, which can save the Jeep’s owner up to $1800.32828 in depreciation.