The Compass’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Impreza doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.
In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Jeep Compass achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Subaru Impreza has not been tested.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Compass Trailhawk’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Impreza doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.
The Compass Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited offers an optional Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Impreza only offers a rear monitor.
The Compass has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Impreza’s blind spot costs extra.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Compass has standard Rear Cross Path Detection, helping the driver avoid collisions. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Impreza.
Both the Compass and the Impreza have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Jeep Compass is safer than the Subaru Impreza:
|
|
Compass |
Impreza |
|
|
Front Seat |
|
| STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
| HIC |
102 |
194 |
| Chest Movement |
.8 inches |
.9 inches |
| Abdominal Force |
134 lbs. |
144 lbs. |
|
|
Rear Seat |
|
| STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
| HIC |
101 |
291 |
| Spine Acceleration |
56 G’s |
59 G’s |
|
|
Into Pole |
|
| STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
| Max Damage Depth |
12 inches |
13 inches |
| Spine Acceleration |
39 G’s |
47 G’s |
| Hip Force |
663 lbs. |
721 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

