If you are choosing between a 2027 Jeep Compass and a Subaru Forester, the Compass gives you a 200 hp turbo four that Stellantis Canada calls best in class for standard power, a Trail Rated Trailhawk for rutted field approaches, and a 907 kg towing rating when properly equipped, while the Forester answers with lower fuel ratings on its AWD and hybrid models. For most Jeep Compass vs Subaru Forester shoppers around Portage la Prairie, the choice turns on whether the week holds gravel, a trailer and the odd drifted lane, or mostly paved kilometres. To see what we have listed now, browse new Jeep Compass inventory at Dunn Ram Trucks.
The Forester in this comparison is the 2026 model, the year Subaru Canada's Forester specifications page carried when we read it on November 5, 2026, so every Forester figure here is labelled 2026. The Compass details are for the 2027 model year. If a larger Jeep is also on your list, you can browse all of our new Jeep inventory in Portage la Prairie.
Key Takeaways
- The verdict: buy the 2027 Compass for 200 hp and 221 lb ft from its turbo four, a Trail Rated Trailhawk and a 907 kg (2,000 lb) towing rating when properly equipped; buy the 2026 Forester for lower fuel ratings on its AWD and Hybrid AWD models.
- Power: Stellantis Canada lists 200 hp for the 2027 Compass.
- Both drive all four wheels: Stellantis Canada lists a full time 4x4 system on the 2027 Compass Sport, and every 2026 Forester row in Natural Resources Canada's ratings is all wheel drive.
- Fuel goes to the Forester: Natural Resources Canada's 2026 ratings give the Forester AWD 8.3 L/100 km combined and the Forester Hybrid AWD 6.9, against 8.9 for the 2026 Compass 4X4.
- Model years: for a 2026 Compass on our lot, its window sticker is the final word on how it was built.
Jeep Compass vs Subaru Forester Side by Side
| What You Compare | 2027 Jeep Compass | 2026 Subaru Forester |
|---|---|---|
| Gas engine | 2.0L turbo four, 200 hp and 221 lb ft, eight speed automatic | 2.5 L four cylinder |
| Hybrid | None; the 2.0L turbo four is the one engine listed | 2.5 L four cylinder hybrid (Forester Hybrid AWD) |
| Driven wheels | Jeep Active Drive full time 4x4 with a disconnecting rear axle, from the Sport up | AWD in every 2026 rating row: Forester, Forester Wilderness and Forester Hybrid |
Compass lines come from Stellantis Canada's 2027 product information. Forester engine and drive lines come from Natural Resources Canada's 2026 Fuel Consumption Ratings.
What Both Share
Both of these drive all four wheels. Stellantis Canada's 2027 product information lists the Jeep Active Drive full time 4x4 system with a disconnecting rear axle on the Compass Sport, the entry trim. Natural Resources Canada's 2026 ratings list three Forester rows, the Forester AWD, the Forester Wilderness AWD and the Forester Hybrid AWD, so every 2026 Forester in that file is all wheel drive. On a slushy Saskatchewan Avenue in January, either one gets all four tires working.
Where the Compass Wins
Best in Class Standard Power
Stellantis Canada calls the 2027 Compass's 200 hp and 221 lb ft best in class standard horsepower and torque, and Jeep Canada's Compass page bases that class on FCA U.S. LLC Compact UV segmentation, leaving out plug in hybrid, mild hybrid, hybrid and electric entrants. The power comes from a 2.0 litre turbocharged four with an eight speed automatic.
For the Forester's horsepower, read Subaru Canada's specifications for the exact model. The Compass's turbo power matters on Highway 1 west of Portage la Prairie, when you pull out around a grain truck on a dark November afternoon with the wipers going.
A Trail Rated Trailhawk
Stellantis Canada credits the Compass with class exclusive 4x4 Trail Rated capability, and Jeep Canada's Compass page, which shows the 2026 model, bases that claim on the Compass being the only 4x4 in its segment.
For 2027, Stellantis Canada's product information lists the Trailhawk with off road suspension, hill descent control, front and rear tow hooks, skid plates and a black hood decal. Jeep Canada's page lists the Jeep Active Drive Low 4x4 System for the 2026 Trailhawk, and 21.8 cm (8.6 inches) of ground clearance on the 2026 Trailhawk against 20.5 cm (8.1 inches) on the other 2026 4x4 models.
That is hardware for a field approach that froze into ruts after the last rain, or a soft cottage road near Lake Manitoba after a spring thaw. Our 2027 Compass North vs Trailhawk comparison and our 2027 Compass Trailhawk vs Limited comparison set the Trailhawk beside its siblings.
Where the Forester Wins
Lower Fuel Ratings on the AWD and Hybrid
Natural Resources Canada's newest ratings for both are 2026. Gas against gas, the 2026 Forester AWD rates 9.1 L/100 km city, 7.2 highway and 8.3 combined, and the 2026 Compass 4X4 rates 10.0 city, 7.5 highway and 8.9 combined. The Forester AWD is ahead in all three columns.
The picture changes against the 2026 Forester Wilderness AWD, which rates 9.9 city, 8.3 highway and 9.2 combined. Against that one, the Compass is ahead on the highway and on combined, and a tenth behind in the city.
The 2026 Forester Hybrid AWD rates 6.8 city, 7.0 highway and 6.9 combined, the lowest figures in this comparison. For another model year, look up that year in Natural Resources Canada's fuel consumption ratings search tool. Our Jeep Compass fuel economy guide covers the Compass ratings in more detail.
A Hybrid Choice
Natural Resources Canada's 2026 ratings list a Forester Hybrid AWD beside the gas models. Stellantis Canada's 2027 product information lists one engine for the Compass, the 2.0L turbo four, and no hybrid. If you want a hybrid in this pair, the Forester is the one that offers it.
Towing on the 2027 Compass
Stellantis Canada's 2027 product information rates the Compass at 907 kg (2,000 lb) and calls that unsurpassed standard maximum towing capacity, and Jeep Canada rates it when properly equipped, in a class of compact utility vehicles without a hybrid or electric drive. A rating belongs to one configuration, so if a small utility trailer of firewood or a fishing boat for Lake Manitoba is part of the plan, weigh the load and ask our team for the rating on the exact Compass. For a Forester, the towing rating sits in Subaru Canada's own specifications for the exact model.
Getting Through a Manitoba Winter
Cold starts. Stellantis Canada's 2027 product information lists heated front seats on the Compass Sport, which you will appreciate on a minus 30 morning before the cabin warms up. For a block heater, check the window sticker of the Compass you are looking at. Our service department installs block heaters, so you can book a block heater installation if yours does not have one, and our Manitoba block heater guide covers the basics.
Gravel and grid roads. On loose gravel and washboard, both of these drive all four wheels, and slowing down does more than either system. Where the gravel ends at a drifted lane or a rutted approach, the 2026 Trailhawk's 21.8 cm of clearance is the extra margin.
Winter tires. Four wheel drive and all wheel drive help you get moving; winter tires help you stop and steer on ice and packed snow, as our post on winter tires with four wheel drive or AWD explains. We are a participating retailer in the MPI Winter Tire Program, and Manitoba Public Insurance sets who qualifies. As of October 1, 2026, the program covers tires marketed solely as winter tires; all weather and all season tires no longer qualify, even with the mountain snowflake mark. Our MPI Winter Tire Program explainer covers the rest.
Who Should Buy Which
Buy the 2027 Jeep Compass if your week mixes Highway 1 into Winnipeg with grid roads around High Bluff or Oakville, and you want 200 hp and 221 lb ft under your right foot. Pick the Trailhawk if a field approach, a drifted acreage lane or a trailer is part of that week.
Buy the 2026 Subaru Forester if most of your kilometres are the daily run to a job in Winnipeg and the fuel number is the one you watch. The Hybrid AWD's 7.0 L/100 km highway rating and 6.9 combined are the lowest in this pair.
FAQs
Is the Jeep Compass more powerful than the Subaru Forester?
Stellantis Canada lists 200 hp and 221 lb ft for the 2027 Compass, and calls the Compass's 200 hp and 221 lb ft best in class standard horsepower and torque among compact utility vehicles without a hybrid or electric drive. For the Forester, read Subaru Canada's specifications for the exact model.
Subaru Forester vs Jeep Compass: which uses less fuel?
The Forester. Natural Resources Canada's 2026 ratings give the Forester AWD 8.3 L/100 km combined and the Forester Hybrid AWD 6.9, against 8.9 for the 2026 Compass 4X4. The 2026 Forester Wilderness AWD rates 9.2 combined, behind the Compass.
Which tows more, the Jeep Compass or the Subaru Forester?
Stellantis Canada rates the 2027 Compass at 907 kg (2,000 lb) when properly equipped and calls that unsurpassed standard maximum towing among compact utility vehicles without a hybrid or electric drive. For a Forester, read the towing rating in Subaru Canada's own specifications for the exact model you are weighing.
Is there a new Jeep Compass for sale near Portage la Prairie or Winnipeg?
Our new Jeep Compass inventory page shows any Compass we have listed at Dunn Ram Trucks in Portage la Prairie. If none is listed when you look, or not the trim you want, ask our team whether a 2027 Compass can be ordered for you. We deliver anywhere in Manitoba with road access; ask our team about the details.
The Bottom Line
The 2027 Jeep Compass brings a 200 hp turbo four, a Trail Rated Trailhawk and a 907 kg towing rating when properly equipped; the 2026 Subaru Forester brings lower fuel ratings on its AWD and a hybrid.
Dunn Ram Trucks in Portage la Prairie serves Jeep buyers across Manitoba. Browse new Jeep Compass inventory, find out what your current vehicle is worth with our instant cash offer tool, and apply for financing online before you visit.
Tyler Dunn, Dunn Ram Trucks, Portage la Prairie
