How Do the 2019 Jeep Compass and Buick Encore Compare on the Roads of Vermont?

When you drive on the roads of Vermont, one thing becomes quickly and abundantly clear. You need a vehicle with the ability to do more. You need something that can handle snowy days just as well as it tackles the sunny ones. You need a vehicle that delivers a high standard of quality and comfort, but that doesn't flinch under pressure.

That sounds to us like you need a Jeep. Built to deliver a higher standard of all-terrain versatility, the Jeep lineup is renowned for its ability to handle a wide array of weather, conditions, and terrain. The Jeep Compass is the perfect example. A compact SUV, it combines the perks of a smaller model with the rugged level of performance drivers expect from the Jeep lineup.

If you want a better picture of what it brings to the table, just look at how it compares to another popular compact model: the Buick Encore. While both the Compass and the Encore are great SUVs for the Stowe, VT area, there are some key ways that the Compass comes out on top.

Interior Space

When you leave home in Montpelier for your morning commute, the last thing you want is a cramped interior. When you're choosing an SUV, you want to make sure the overall package you're getting is one that delivers enough space to make the trip comfortably. When the choice comes down to the Jeep Compass and Buick Encore, the Jeep Compass delivers more than the Encore.

Jeep Compass

Headroom- Front/Rear: 39.2/38.5 inches
Legroom- Front/Rear: 41.2/38.3 inches
Cargo Space: 27.2 cubic feet
Maximum Cargo Space: 59.8 cubic feet

Buick Encore

Headroom- Front/Rear: 39.6/38.8 inches
Legroom- Front/Rear: 40.8/35.8 inches
Cargo Space: 18.8 cubic feet
Maximum Cargo Space: 48.4 cubic feet

Powertrain & Performance

There are areas where the Buick Encore has the advantage, in terms of performance. It has more engine options than the Compass, which is a perk for Manchester, VT drivers who like variety. Its powertrains are also more efficient than anything offered in the Compass.

Where the Compass makes up for it is in terms of performance. It might not reach the same heights of efficiency as the Encore, but its 2.4-liter inline-4 is capable of 180 horsepower and 175 pounds-feet of torque. That's significantly more than you'll get from the Encore's 138 horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-4, or its 153-horsepower variant. When you add in the performance tweaks offered by the Trailhawk trim, the Compass's abilities grow even more impressive.

Advanced Safety Features

If you're interested in an SUV with safety features, the Jeep Compass has a lot to offer to Castleton drivers there too. The 2019 Compass has access to active safety technology like blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assistance, forward-collision warnings, and much more.

The Buick Encore, in comparison, offers many of the same features but restricts them to its higher-level trims. You'll have to invest more to get them than you will if you go home behind the wheel of a new Compass.

Price

If there's one thing our sales team understands, it's that pricing can often be the biggest factor that decides what you drive home in. Even if you love everything else about a new model, you might pass up on it if the price isn't right.

In the case of the Jeep Compass and Buick Encore, the Compass delivers more for significantly less. The starting price of the Buick Encore hovers around $24,000 and caps out just under $32,000. The Jeep Compass starts around $23,000 and only hits the $30,000 mark when you invest in the off-road centric Trailhawk trim. If you're a Killington driver looking to get more for less, the Jeep Compass is the way to go.

Schedule a Test Drive in the 2019 Jeep Compass Today