THERE'S only one direction in which to drive a vehicle called the Jeep Compass - magnetic north.

In our case that provided two distinctly different types of motoring, fast motorways and steep narrow tracks, on a weekend trip to the Lake District.

And the Compass, Jeep's contender in the competitive compact SUV area of the market, is a model equally at home in either environment.

The thinking behind the Compass was to offer a vehicle providing Jeep's trademark off-road capability in a smart package with a full suite of advanced connectivity and safety tech.

It's bang on the button in both areas.

The car's styling, for instance, is very low slung for an SUV with a sloping roofline, aerodynamic profile and seven-slot grille, while a tough moulding wraps around the entire length of the vehicle adding a robust but sophisticated appeal.

Paramount in the development of the latest Compass was the issue of driver and passenger safety, and to that end more than 70 active and passive features have been introduced.

They include the likes of a forward collision warning, lane departure alert, blind spot monitoring and rear cross path detection.

There's also a rear backup camera with dynamic grid lines, auto perpendicular and parallel parking, adaptive cruise control, a safety cage and ESC with roll mitigation - all backed up by a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Sticking with that 70 theme, Jeep is offering that same number of exclusive accessories specifically developed to enhance the car's style and performance.

So if the Compass isn't already sufficiently exclusive, owners have plenty of scope to add their own individual touches.

Go for the range-topping Limited spec and there's no shortage of creature comforts included - the likes of a large panoramic sunroof, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, heated steering wheel and nine-speaker Beats sound system all part of the package.

Taking pride of place in the centre of the dash is an 8.4-inch touchscreen from which various in-car functions, as well as the sat nav, can be accessed.

Compass models are up for grabs in a choice of two petrol and three diesel engines, and in the four trim grades of Sport, Longitude, Limited and the super-tough Trailhawk.

Our variant featured the brand's 2.0-litre MultiJet II unit developing 140bhp, which puts it in the middle of the diesel range for power output.

While it also had four-wheel drive, as you would expect from a Jeep vehicle, those who don't intend to venture off-road can save money by opting for one of the 4x2 versions.