For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota C-HR have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Jeep Compass doesn't offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The C-HR's driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Compass doesn't offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the C-HR and the Compass have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota C-HR is safer than the Jeep Compass:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota C-HR is safer than the Jeep Compass:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the C-HR, with its four-star roll-over rating, is 5.9% to 6.3% less likely to roll over than the Compass, which received a three-star rating.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight's “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the C-HR the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 145 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Compass last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it's being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the C-HR's reliability 19 points higher than the Compass.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 24th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports' January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Jeep is ranked 19th.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota C-HR is faster than the Jeep Compass:

The C-HR has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Compass doesn't offer a CVT.

The C-HR stops much shorter than the Compass:

For better traction, the C-HR has larger tires than the Compass (225/50R18 vs. 215/65R16).

The C-HR's tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Compass Sport's standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the C-HR has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Compass Sport.

The C-HR Limited handles at .82 G's, while the Compass Trailhawk pulls only .73 G's of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The C-HR XLE executes Motor Trend's “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Compass Trailhawk (28.3 seconds @ .59 average G's vs. 29.6 seconds @ .53 average G's).

For better maneuverability, the C-HR's turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Compass Trailhawk's (34.2 feet vs. 35.3 feet). The C-HR's turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Compass' (34.2 feet vs. 36.3 feet).

The front step up height for the C-HR is 3.4 inches lower than the Compass (16” vs. 19.4”). The C-HR's rear step up height is 4.2 inches lower than the Compass' (16.5” vs. 20.7”).

The C-HR's front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Compass' rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the C-HR the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Compass can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The C-HR has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Compass doesn't offer a locking fuel door.

Consumer Reports rated the C-HR's headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Compass' headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don't exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The C-HR's available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Compass' headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

The C-HR has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Compass has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited.

The Compass Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited's cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The C-HR Limited's standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The C-HR has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won't have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Compass and isn't available on the Compass Sport.

The C-HR's standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Compass Sport doesn't offer automatic air conditioning.

The C-HR will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the C-HR will retain 56.66% to 57.4% of its original price after five years, while the Compass only retains 43.7% to 48.73%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota C-HR will be $4655 to $6472 less than for the Jeep Compass.