Why you should buy this car: You're the type of person who thinks "Jeep" is a cartoon character named Eugene from the 1930's Popeye comic strip. You're someone who doesn't give a rat's ass what other people think about them and wants an inexpensive and useful vehicle to go from one place to the next — sometimes even in snow.

Why you shouldn't buy this car: Haven't you been listening — it's not a Jeep! Oh, and the Dodge Caliber's got a water bottle cooler in the glove box. And your iPod may not fit, either.

Suitability Parameters:
· Speed Merchants: No
· Fashion Victims: Yes
· Treehuggers: Yes
· Mack Daddies: No
· Tuner Crowd: No
· Hairdressers: Yes
· Penny Pinchers: Yes
· Euro Snobs: No
· Working Stiffs: No
· Technogeeks: No
· Poseurs: No
· Soccer Moms: No
· Nascar Dads: No
· Golfing Grandparents: Yes

Vitals:
· Manufacturer: Jeep
· Model tested: Compass
· Model year: 2007
· Price as Tested: $21,185
· Engine type: 2.4-liter DOHC 16-valve Dual VVT four-cylinder
· Horsepower: 172 hp @ 6000 rpm
· Torque: 165 ft.-lbs. @ 4400 rpm
· Redline: n/a
· Wheels and Tires: P215/60R17 all season
· Drive type: four-wheel drive
· 0 - 60: 10.15 secs.
· 1/4 mile: 17.5 seconds
· Top speed: we had it up to 92, it may go higher than that — but police go faster.
· Fuel economy city/highway: 25 / 29
· NHTSA crash test rating front/side/rollover: NT/NT/NT

[By Ray Wert]

Related:
Jalopnik Reviews: 2007 Jeep Compass, Part 1, Part 2 [internal]