YOU get the impression that customers in the compact SUV market want Jeep to succeed, writes David Vivian.

They may not have bought its cars in the recent past, but they'd like to have been able to credibly consider them.

Now, they can once more.

This Compass may not be the most avant garde-looking or the most sophisticated affordable small SUV you can buy, but unlike its predecessor, it's now a tough and tempting way to buy into this macho marque.

Whichever two or four-wheel drive Compass model you choose – 2.0-litre petrol manual, 2.4-litre petrol automatic or either of the 2.2-litre CRD diesels – you should find your car to be decently equipped.

All models come with alloy wheels, front foglights, air-conditioning, front and rear electric windows, cruise control, power-folding mirrors, a trip computer (which appropriately, includes a compass), a 12v power socket, a decent quality MP3 four-speaker CD stereo with controls on the leather-covered steering wheel and Hill Start Assist to stop you drifting backwards on uphill junctions.

Top spec models like this one meanwhile, come with a level of trim that many rivals can only dream about.

So as well as the USB socket, climate control and Bluetooth connectivity you would expect, there'll also be leather upholstery, heated electric front seats, part-electric driver's seat adjustment and a six-disc CD autochanger.

As for options, well perhaps the most desirable of these is the Uconnect sound and navigation system, featuring a 30-gigabyte hard drive which can store thousands of songs and allow operators via a 6.5-inch colour touchscreen to format playlists and view picture files and videos.

The set-up includes an eight- channel 368-watt amplifier with nine speakers and a powerful subwoofer. Speakers that flip down from the tailgate when it's open mean that owners can enjoy their music from outside the car too.

Safety-wise, every Compass has six airbags, stability control, and an ERM Electronic Roll Mitigation system that can brake individual wheels to stop the car rolling over. What's more, active front head restraints are fitted to minimise whiplash injuries in a rear-end shunt.

An engine immobiliser and a Thatcham Category 1 Alarm make life harder for thieves. It may not meet the purist perception of a 'real Jeep', but it's the peoples' idea of one.

A car you purchase picturing yourself at a beach barbeque, tailgate open, its speakers hinged downwards blasting the Blues towards the crashing waves.

If it cost RAV4 or Freelander money, you still might think twice – but it doesn't, competing instead with Far Eastern budget brand rivals that still lack credibility in this sector.

Credibility of course, is something the Jeep name has never lacked. Good to see it then, with products now worthy of that famous badge.