NO MAN’S LAND

There was a time in the not too distant past when gas-guzzling SUVs were reserved for the occasional snowstorm or off-road excursion and sedans served as the vehicle of choice for family-friendly daily driving. Our tastes have changed, though. Compact SUVs have displaced both as our go-to do-it-all transportation tool.

Those compact SUVs have evolved with us. Take a look at what was offered in the early 2000s. Vehicles such as the Jeep Cherokee, Nissan Xterra, and Subaru Forester all proudly sported city-friendly dimensions and some real off-road capability. But their modern equivalents have grown by a half-foot or more, ballooning not only in size but also in price.

Although a new generation of subcompact crossovers could seemingly backfill that size and price gap, most are still smaller than yesteryear’s compacts—and in some cases, the on-road comfort and off-road credentials of these new subcompacts are lacking, as well.

So what’s a crossover buyer to do when looking for that “just right” fit?

Thankfully, Jeep, Nissan, and Subaru have entered into this no man’s land of budget-friendly crossovers that straddle the unclaimed dimensionality between subcompact and compact crossovers with the Jeep Compass, Nissan Rogue Sport, and Subaru Crosstrek. Bonus: All three are new to the market this year.

BILLY GOAT The Trailhawk is the most off-road-capable member of the Jeep Compass family.

The new Jeep Compass Trailhawk is the most off-road-capable trim level of the second-generation Compass lineup. Built on Fiat Chrysler Automobile’s Small-Wide 4x4 architecture, the Compass straddles the gap between the subcompact Renegade and compactish Cherokee.

It shares not only its platform with its stablemates but also its drivetrain—it’s powered by a 2.4-liter I-4 that produces 180 hp and 175 lb-ft