How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2018 Jeep Compass?

How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2018 Jeep Compass?
2018 jeep compass; photos by angela conners

this car seat check was written in may 2017 about the 2017 jeep compass. little of substance has changed with this year's model. to see what's new for 2018, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.

in jeep's compact suv story, the 2017 compass is a sort of composite of two characters. it replaces both the old compass and patriot, and slots into a key spot in a bustling segment between the renegade and cherokee. this five-passenger suvie might be the choice of young families not quite ready to give up their go-anywhere-anytime #lifegoals or to face the monthly payment on a grand cherokee. but the compass has a little trouble finding its way when it comes to accommodating car seats.

how many car seats fit in the second row? two

related: more car seat checks

solid

  • latch, grade b: two sets of lower anchors lie about a half-inch deep within the stiff upholstery, requiring some muscle to connect. the three top tether anchors sit all the way in the rear-seat seatbacks; they're clearly marked and easy to use.
  • rear-facing convertible, grade b: installation went smoother with this seat's rigid connectors, and we were able to move the front seat back a bit for a bit more passenger legroom than there was with the infant.
  • forward-facing convertible, grade b: again, installation was simpler with the rigid connectors, and the seat fit well once we raised the head restraint.  
  • booster, grade b: after raising the head restraint, the seat fit well. the buckles are on stable stalks, but they're flush with the seat cushion, making them difficult for kids to grasp and use.

so-so

  • infant, grade c: installation using the infant seat's thin, hooklike connectors was tough due to the buried latch anchors and stiff upholstery; plus, we had to move the front passenger seat forward to where our 5-foot-6-inch tester's knees grazed the glove box.  

skip it

  • none

grading scale

solid indicates an a grade for optimum ease of use and fit. so-so indicates b or c grades for one to two ease-of-use or fit issues. skip it indicates d or f grades.

a: plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn't impact driver or front-passenger legroom. easy to find and connect to latch and tether anchors. no fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. easy access to the third row.  

b: one room, fit or connection issue. some problems accessing third row when available.

c: marginal room plus one fit or connection issue. difficult to access third row when available.

d: insufficient room, plus multiple fit or connection issues.

f: does not fit or is unsafe.

about 's car seat checks

editors jennifer geiger, jennifer newman and matt schmitz are certified child safety seat installation technicians.

for the car seat check, we use a graco snugride classic connect 30 infant-safety seat, a britax marathon convertible seat and graco turbobooster seat. the front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. the three child seats are installed in the second row. the booster seat sits behind the driver's seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.

we also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row's middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. if there's a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. learn more about how we conduct our car seat checks.

parents should also remember that they can use the latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.

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