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.
See also:
Fluid Level Check
The fluid level should be to the bottom edge of the fill hole (A) when the vehicle
is in a level position.
...
Automatic Locking Retractor Mode (ALR) — If Equipped
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically prelocked.
The belt will still retract to remove any slack in
the shoulder belt. The Automatic Locking Mode is available
on all passenger-seating ...
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking. ...