In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- The Jeep Compass
- How do long term loans work for journalist?
The first question comes from a long-time fan, who wants information about the upcoming 2026 Jeep Compass.
Q: (RE: 2026 Jeep Compass)
I remembered that time when you sat down with me and had a cuppa coffee as we talked about the Jeep Compass. That was way back in 2012, and I thought it was so cool that the TFL guys were so approachable. I wanted to know what you thought about the new Electric Jeep Compass that’s coming out soon.
Do you still like Jeep as a brand? With all of the turmoil and price hikes?
Always a pleasure watching your videos and reading your work. You guys are the best!
Ed from Soledad
A: These are interesting times we live in: and I think the 2026 Jeep Compass is emblematic of that.
First: thank you for the kind email. I certainly remember you and how we discussed if the Jeep Compass would be the one to survive. When you think about the Liberty, Commander and Patriot (among others), it somehow managed to keep on trucking. That’s not to say the Compass has been outstanding in a particular way – it isn’t. Still: its packaging, pricing, economy and capability kept it relevant for about 17-years.
Honestly, there’s very little information about the Compass, other than a teaser image and a few lines about the vehicle. Here’s what we know: The 2026 Jeep Compass will begin in Melfi, Italy, in 2025. It’s expected to launch worldwide, including the U.S. in 2026. The STLA Medium platform, which hasn’t underpinned anything in our market yet, will debut here with the next Compass.
I recommend checking out (this) story for more information.
Here’s the good stuff: The 2026 Jeep Compass will have three unique powertrains available. An all-electric version will debut alongside a hybrid and an internal combustion version. There’s been some debate as to the hybrid being PHEV, or non-plug-in hybrid, but there’s nothing specific about either.
The brand’s “Freedom of Choice” PR strategy is strong with this little Jeep. They are wise to allow consumers the ability to get what they want, provided it’s affordable. Stellantis is walking a fine line with consumers. The hierarchy is flying through a revolving door, and many of their recent decisions leave consumers, investors and fans confounded.
Hopefully, this new Compass will lead the way towards a better direction for the embattled automaker.
– N
The last question comes from a classic car owner at a carshow, and he’s curious about our longer term loan vehicles. This was in reference to some of the vehicles we get for long term evaluation…
Q: (Via: 1989 Toyota owner I met at the 2024 JCCS – paraphrased)
How does it work when you guys get a long term loan vehicle?
– Nice Toyota owner I met at the JCCS
A: That’s a great question!
There are a few things to distinguish between what you might call a “long term loan.” In many cases, these vehicles are not loans at all, but rather purchased by the studio. In other cases, a member of the team buys a vehicle, and we evaluate it while they own it. In addition, there are times when we get a leased, or rented vehicle.
In some cases, we play it buy ear; however, in many cases, we have a plan for the duration of the ownership. That could be anything from hardcore torture testing, to long-distance evaluation and track measurements. It can also be for tracking the price of ownership, reliability and usefulness over time.
On the other hand, we also get long term loans directly from the automaker. In many cases, we have to have a plan laid out before they agree. During its stay with us, we try to use these vehicles as they were intended, recording their progress along the way. Once we’re finished, we send them back.
Those types of loans can last from a few months, to over a year. Itr all depends on the context of our agreement.
Finally, there’s the regular loans that come in to the studio every few days. Usually, the loan is for a week, and there may be limitations on the mileage, or restrictions on the vehicle usage (no-track, off-road etc.). Sometimes, with exotic, or higher-end vehicles, the loan can be much shorter.
Hope that helps!
— N
I had this Acura ZDX for a week, and I truly enjoyed it.