An article out of the Detroit Newspaper yesterday.



But the Compass -- a newbie in the brand lineup known for its rock-crawling capabilities -- is defying expectations. The car-based model snubbed by hard-core Jeep fans for being too soft is drawing consumers from other brands at a faster pace than the Jeep brand overall, one of the best known marquees in the world.

During the first three months of the year, more than 84 percent of Compass buyers traded in a vehicle from another brand, compared to 69.9 percent of those who bought non-Compass Jeeps, according to data from J.D. Power and Associates' Power Information Network. The Compass is pulling in Honda owners at nearly twice the rate of the Jeep brand. And it's attracting a younger, more feminine crowd that might otherwise give Jeep a pass.

"This is the first crossover that Jeep has offered," said Tom Libby, senior director of the Power Information Network. "This is what they hoped for and this is what they got -- they got new customers."



You can read the whole bit here (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070507/AUTO03/705070349/1148/AUTO01) if you are interested. All in all though - some really good news about the new "little Jeep"