Jeep Compass and Patriot SUVs will get
interior upgrades two years after launches

Hera is some good news. Chrysler is actually going to break the product “life cycle” and make a much needed refresh. Hopefully these will be the first of many.

Chrysler plans to overhaul the interiors of its Jeep Compass and Patriot compact sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) in fall 2008, according to Ralph Gilles, a Chrysler LLC designer. The two models were widely criticized for their interiors since they were launched less than two years ago.
The small Jeeps, which have not sold well, have been faulted for poor fit and finish and their use of cheap, hard plastic interior trim parts.
The interior redesign comes well ahead of what would be the normal schedule, said Gilles. The Dodge Caliber car, built on the same platform as its Jeep siblings, will get a new interior slightly later than the Jeeps, he added. “Even before these products were launched, we did some soul searching,” says Gilles.
That included talks with both Jeep dealers and employees about what was wrong and what could be done to fix the interiors, he said. As part of the redesign, Chrysler hired a consultant who helped develop grainy, European style textures for the two models.
In addition, Gilles said the vehicles’ doors have been softened in the elbow contact area and other places.
These rapid changes – so close to the dates of the product introductions – would not have been possible had Chrysler not been privately owned by Cerberus Capital Management, according to Gilles. “Think about it, the products are barely a year old,” he explained. “We’re trying to put the customer first.”
(Automotive News)