Compare the2026 Jeep CompassVS 2026 GMC Terrain

The Compass’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Terrain doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Jeep Compass are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Jeep Compass has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Terrain doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Compass has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Terrain doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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 GMC Terrain has not been tested.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Compass. But it costs extra on the Terrain.

The Compass’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Terrain doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Compass and the Terrain have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Compass’ corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Terrain’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Compass for 2 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 2 visits). GMC only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Terrain.

There are over 43 percent more Jeep dealers than there are GMC dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Compass’ warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Compass has a standard 180-amp alternator. The Terrain’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Compass has a standard 850-amp battery. The Terrain’s 760-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Jeep 1 place higher in reliability than GMC.

The Compass’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 25 more horsepower (200 vs. 175) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 184) than the Terrain FWD’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Compass’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 25 more horsepower (200 vs. 175) and 18 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 203) than the Terrain AWD’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Jeep Compass is faster than the Terrain AWD:

On the EPA test cycle the Compass gets better mileage than the Terrain:

For better stopping power the Compass’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the Terrain:

The Compass Limited’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Terrain Denali’s optional 50 series tires.

The Compass Trailhawk has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Terrain; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Compass has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Compass flat and controlled during cornering. The Terrain’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Compass has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Terrain doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Compass’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Terrain doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Compass handles at .81 G’s, while the Terrain Elevation AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Compass Trailhawk’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Terrain’s (35.3 feet vs. 37.1 feet). The Compass 4x4 Sport/Latitude/Limited’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Terrain’s (36.3 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Compass has a 2.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Terrain (8.1 vs. 5.8 inches), allowing the Compass to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Compass Trailhawk’s minimum ground clearance is 2.2 inches higher than on the Terrain AT4 (8.6 vs. 6.4 inches).

The Compass is 7.6 inches shorter than the Terrain, making the Compass easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Maximum trailer towing in the GMC Terrain is limited to 1500 pounds. The Compass offers up to a 2000 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Damping on the Compass uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Terrain doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Compass’ front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Terrain’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The Compass’ standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Terrain’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Compass has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Terrain doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Compass offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Terrain doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Jeep Compass retains 53.93% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 50.74% resale value of the 2025 GMC Terrain after five years, which can save the Jeep’s owner up to $2333.59758 in depreciation.

The Jeep Compass outsold the GMC Terrain by 30% during 2024.