I've never met a Jeep that moved me, excepting the original Wrangler which I admire for its rugged simplicity and honesty of purpose. But now comes one, the Compass, that I liked from first glance.

As Tony Whitney reminds us in his Canadian Driver Detroit Preview article, "young buyers looking for something really cool that they can actually afford are going to love the Jeep Compass."

I may not be young any more but count me in. This is a Jeep I'd be happy to own.

Seen here as a concept from an earlier 2005 show, the Compass is on its way to production and the example we'll see in Detroit will likely be identical to the finished product. It will no doubt be at home on backwood trails but the Compass looks more town wagon than offroader and I predict it will be a huge hit with city folks who want go-anywhere convenience, even if that means nothing more than the ability to plow through snow-covered streets on the way to the mall.