Safety

For an entry-level vehicle the Compass comes stacked with safety features. Side curtain airbags, traction control, an electronic stability system and antilock brakes all come standard at the $15,985 entry price.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety just released crash-test results for the Compass' sibling, the Dodge Caliber. It received a Good rating, the best possible, in the frontal crash test, but got a Marginal score, the second worst possible, in both side-impact and rear-impact tests. While the two vehicles aren't identical, the results should be similar for the Compass.

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    Seat Belts
    Inspect the belt system periodically, checking for cuts, frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system. Front seat belt assemblies mu ...

    Far End Audio Performance
    • Audio quality is maximized under: • low-to-medium blower setting, • low-to-medium vehicle speed, • low road noise, • smooth road surface, • fully closed windows, • dry weat ...

    Outside Air Intake
    Make sure the air intake, located directly in front of the windshield, is free of obstructions such as leaves. Leaves collected in the air intake may reduce airflow, and if they enter the plenum, ...