Is the Compass a Joint Venture Vehicle?
4 Answers
The older generation Compass was a purely imported vehicle, while the new generation Compass is an SUV model jointly produced in China by GAC Group and Fiat Chrysler Group. Compass Exterior: The front fascia design follows current trends, featuring a silver seven-slot grille, black inner trim with chrome fog light surrounds, and smoked taillights. The dynamic five-spoke 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels complement the vehicle's strong, muscular lines, presenting a rugged yet stylish appearance. Compass Interior: The cabin adopts a simple design with clean straight lines, emphasizing practicality. It features uniquely designed dual-tone seats and soft-touch material upholstery, which are now standard on the 2.4L Comfort trim for the first time.
When I was researching cars to buy before, I did look into the Compass. This model is indeed a joint venture vehicle. The Compass is a product of the American Jeep brand, but in the Chinese market, it's manufactured through the GAC Fiat Chrysler joint venture, so it fully qualifies as a joint venture car. This reminds me of an interesting detail - the Compass actually has quite a high localization rate, with many components sourced domestically, though core parts like the engine and transmission are still imported. This joint venture model is quite smart, maintaining brand identity while reducing costs. My neighbor bought a four-wheel-drive Compass last year, and the final price was about 50,000-60,000 yuan cheaper than the fully imported version. However, I've heard that the joint venture arrangement has changed recently, and the new Compass might become an import model again. It's best to check the latest situation before purchasing.
From the perspective of automotive sales channels, there's no dispute that the Compass is a joint-venture vehicle. My cousin who works at a Jeep 4S store mentioned that all Compass models currently on the market were produced during the GAC FCA joint-venture period. He often talks about production line details with me, such as how the domestic Compass uses Fuyao glass and most interior components come from suppliers in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Recently, while helping a friend look for used cars, I noticed that used joint-venture Compass models from around 2020 offer particularly good value, holding their value better than imported Cherokees from the same year. However, it's worth noting that since Jeep adjusted its strategy this year, the Compass has returned to being an imported model, with all new vehicles in showrooms now accompanied by import customs documents.
Speaking of the Jeep Compass identity, I compared the differences between joint-venture and imported vehicles when changing cars. The 2021 Compass I'm driving now is jointly produced, with the GAC FCA logo on the rear. The most noticeable difference is the price of parts. Last time I replaced the headlight assembly, the 4S shop quoted only 2,800 RMB. If it were an imported vehicle, the cost would at least double. Once, a mechanic mentioned that joint-venture cars have better electronic module compatibility, as their diagnostic computers can directly flash Chinese programs. However, after the current model switched to being imported, I noticed the option list includes more off-road packages, though the price also increased by 30,000 to 40,000 RMB.
