Chrysler's steady product improvement strategy continues with the help of Italian parent company Fiat. We caught this test mule of the upcoming replacement to the long-in-the-tooth Jeep Compass and Patriot. Although the sheetmetal of this test mule is that of a chopped and hacked Alfa Romeo Giulietta, it's not indicative of what the production Jeep model will look like.
The Compass/Patriot replacement -- as well as the replacement for the larger Liberty -- will ride on a version of Chrysler's new CUSW platform, itself a variation of the Fiat corporate C-Evo platform that underpins the Giulietta.
At this point, no one knows what the name of the new Jeep will be, but Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has confirmed the Compass name would not carry on. A single model will replace both the Compass and Patriot.
In terms of engines, four-cylinders are expected to power the smaller Jeep, with the larger Liberty replacement getting the new 3.2-liter variant of the Pentastar V-6. The Dart's 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo and Tigershark 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated engines will likely be among the offerings. In terms of transmissions, expect the ZF-licensed nine-speed automatic (already announced for the Liberty replacement) to be offered in the smaller model as well.