Brush away some Wagoneer nostalgia and you'll find that Jeep's lineup is the most complete it has ever been now that an all-new Compass has arrived for 2017. Slotting in between the boxy, petite Renegade and the still rather awkward Cherokee, the Compass may have what it takes to become the brand's best-seller globally. 

Jeep is betting the farm (or at least the factory) on the new Compass, which is built in four countries and is set to be sold in every one of its showrooms across the globe. In the United States, the Compass is available with one engine and there are four different trim levels—Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk.

Here's a look at what you should know about the 2017 Jeep Compass. 

There are two 2017 Jeep Compasses (and you definitely don't want one of them)

The all-new 2017 Jeep Compass replaces the 2017 Jeep Compass. Wait, what? You read that right. Until the end of 2016, a Jeep plant in Illinois continued building the old (and we mean really old) Compass, which debuted all the way back in 2006 and was last updated in 2011. That model wasn't especially good a decade ago and didn't age well. The good news is that the new model only shares its name with the old one, rides on a different platform, and is thoroughly modern. But since there will inevitably be an overlap of old 2017 Compass and new 2017 Compass models in Jeep showrooms, it's buyer beware. 

2017 Jeep Compass Limited

2017 Jeep Compass Limited

The all-new Compass replaces two models

Jeep has canned both the old Compass and the Jeep Patriot in favor of the new Compass. Why keep the Compass name and not the Patriot name? Jeep's marketing crew wanted one badge to apply to this compact crossover for every market globally and the Patriot nomenclature conjures up images of Paul Revere that don't really resonate as well in Mumbai as they do in Memphis. The Compass is already on sale in some markets overseas, which also explains why it is being launched here as a 2017 model and not a 2018. In the age of the Internet, Jeep figured it would simply be too confusing to buyers overseas if the American 2017 Compass wasn't the same as the Brazilian 2017 Compass. 

2017 Jeep Compass Limited (Brazil spec)

2017 Jeep Compass Limited (Brazil spec)

It's built in four countries

Jeeps made overseas aren't a new thing (the Renegade comes from Italy), but the 2017 Compass will set a new record by being built in four countries. Compasses sold in North America are sourced from Toluca, Mexico. Those sold in Latin American are built in Brazil, and Chinese market ones are sourced locally. Finally, right-hand-drive models bound for places like Australia and South Africa will be assembled in India. No Compasses are set to be built in the United States. As for the Belvidere, Illinois, plant that built the old Compass and Patriot? It will soon be cranking out Cherokees since Jeep needs more room at its ancestral home in Toledo, Ohio, for its bread-and-butter Wranglers.

2017 Jeep Compass

2017 Jeep Compass

It has a seven-slot grille...that doesn't do anything

Jeep is fiercely protective of its signature seven-slot grille design, a look that links the brand's models to the 1941 original. But the one on the 2017 Compass is just for looks as it's blocked off completely. Instead, fresh air is pulled in much lower through the Compass' front bumper. In part, it's a byproduct of the fact that the Compass' compact 2.4-liter 4-cylinder gas engine doesn't really need all that much air compared to, say, the V-8 that is available in the Grand Cherokee. 

2017 Jeep Compass Limited

2017 Jeep Compass Limited

The Compass is meant for on-road and off-road duty

The Compass lineup goes in two directions. Sport, Latitude, and Limited models all sit low to the ground with bumpers designed to maximize airflow efficiency and not rock-crawling prowess. They boast a simple optional all-wheel drive system and ride on street-oriented tires. If you want more than gravel road capability from your Compass, you'll need to opt for the $29,690 (including a mandatory $1,095 destination charge) Trailhawk. It has its own front and rear fascias that provide better approach and departure angles, a 1-inch lift for a total of 8.5 inches of ground clearance, Falken Wildpeak A/T tires, a unique final drive ratio that allows for a simulated low-range, additional traction control modes, skid plates, and bright red recovery hooks. It's not exactly a Wrangler with a roof, but it is a bit closer to a mountain goat than a boulevardier. 

2017 Jeep Compass Limited

2017 Jeep Compass Limited

One engine, three transmissions (unless you're reading this from another country)

American market Compasses are available in four flavors: 6-speed manual transmission models in front- and all-wheel drive, 6-speed automatic front-wheel drive, and 9-speed automatic all-wheel drive. The stick shift is only available on the Sport (FWD only) and Latitude (FWD or AWD). Jeep says it picked the 6-speed automatic over the 9-speed for front-drive models because it's less expensive, which helps keep sticker prices down, and because all-wheel drive models benefit more from the extra gears in terms of highway fuel efficiency. Those sold elsewhere will have at least one of 17 (yes, 17!) different powertrains

2017 Jeep Compass Limited

2017 Jeep Compass Limited

Jeep now has two design languages

Jeep says its lineup is now divided into two distinct design languages. Tall, upright models are derived from the Wrangler, Jeep's icon that can trace its roots back to the original olive drab military vehicles deployed during World War II. For now, that list only includes the Renegade and Wrangler. The Compass is clearly linked to the larger Grand Cherokee, Jeep's more road-oriented upmarket model with its beak-like headlights, bulbous curves, and two-box shape. Jeep says its quirky Cherokee falls under the Grand Cherokee camp, but we are still convinced that it was delivered by aliens and not by the stork. Someone should do a DNA test.

2017 Jeep Compass Trailhawk

2017 Jeep Compass Trailhawk

It makes a lot of sense in Jeep's crossover and SUV lineup

From bottom to top the Jeep lineup is Renegade, Compass, Cherokee, and Grand Cherokee. To our eyes, the Jeep crossover and SUV lineup now looks and feels complete, which is something the brand promised would eventually happen. The Renegade squares off against little 'utes like the Honda HR-V; the Cherokee rivals the Ford Escape and Subaru Forester; and the Grand Cherokee is kind of in a class of its own but draws comparisons to everything from the Ford Edge to the BMW X5. That leaves the Compass to do battle against everything from the similarly sized Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage to the upcoming Nissan Rogue Sport. If buyers are dead set on a Jeep, there's now one for every size and just about every pocketbook.

2017 Jeep Compass Trailhawk

2017 Jeep Compass Trailhawk

The Compass got a lot more expensive

Remember when we said that there are two 2017 Compasses? One is a lot cheaper than the other—and that's the old one, at $20,935. The new model comes in at $22,090 to start. That's a hefty bump, but where it's more noticeable is at the upper end of the lineup. With the old Compass, it wasn't possible to crest $30,000 even fully loaded. A highly optioned next-gen model runs more like $35,000. But the difference is immediately appreciable since the new Compass is available with high-spec features like automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, 19-inch alloy wheels, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and an enormous panoramic moonroof. Plus, it's a lot better vehicle.

2017 Jeep Compass Limited

2017 Jeep Compass Limited

All models are rated at least 30 mpg highway

The Compass ranks as one of the most fuel-efficient crossover lineups on the market, at least on paper. All versions are rated at more than 30 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg combined, and they use the same  2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 180-horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. The thriftiest? That'll be the base front-drive, stick-shift model at 23 mpg city, 32 highway, 26 combined. At the opposite end of the spectrum (but not a lot thirstier) sits what's expected to be the volume choice: an all-wheel drive model with the 9-speed automatic, at 22/30/25 mpg.