Travelogue: Conquering one of the most dangerous passes in Jeep Compass SUV

In 2021, Jeep launched the facelifted version of the Jeep Compass. It received some major upgrades to the interior, new features and a slightly updated exterior. It is the most affordable Jeep in the line-up but that does not mean it misses out on premium touches or off-road capabilities. We decided to take the Jeep Compass to Zojila Pass which is considered to be one of the most dangerous passes. The Compass S 4x4 AT made a lot of sense as it is a comfortable, compact SUV and has four-wheel drive capabilities.

The journey started from Delhi, and the destination for the day was Punjab. The 400 km journey was quite comfortable, the highways are smooth and one can just use cruise control to follow the speed limits. A shoutout goes to the amazing Alpine speaker system and front-ventilated seats, they are a boon in scorching Delhi summers. It is quite hard to go back once you have experienced ventilated seats. Moreover, on highways, while maintaining steady speeds, the engine also starts delivering decent fuel efficiency.

On the second day, we left for Jispa which meant covering 400 km again. We were expecting the roads to Manali to not be great because of the past experience However, the situation has been improved by a lot. This time the roads are smooth and several new tunnels have helped reduce the travel time.

The Compass can handle bad roads easily.

We stayed the night at Jispa where the temperature was close to zero degrees and it was raining. The next morning, the engine roared to life without any issues. However, there was a hiccup, Baralacha La Pass was closed because of a snowstorm. So, we stayed for another day and decided to visit Tayul Gompa Monastery, which meant we had to climb a steep incline where there were no proper roads. It was quite narrow and soon enough the tyres started losing traction so to be on the safer side, the 4x4 Lock of the Compass was engaged and what else helped was the 360-degree camera that showed what was around the vehicle. While coming back, we got to try the hill descent control, it ensured that the speed of the Compass was in check.

The next day, we headed for Baralacha La Pass, it was snowing up at the top and the scenery was just breathtaking. Soon we reached the Ghata Loops where the compact size of the Compass helped. There were a lot of trucks coming from the other side and the roads were quite narrow. Fortunately, there was a Toyota Fortuner and a Ford Endeavour in front of us. This meant that if they can cross, then the Compass will cross without any issue. We reached Leh at 8:30 PM which meant that we had to drive the Compass in the dark on mountain roads. However, the LED projector setup that Jeep is using is great, it offers great spread and throw.

First view of Thiksey Monastery. The monetary offers breathtaking views of Leh.

After spending a couple of days in Leh, we took the Leh-Srinagar and went for Drass. The roads are smooth and the handling of the Compass is great considering it's a SUV. It just inspires so much confidence in the corners and the steering feel is also great. After spending a night in Drass, the target was to reach Punjab via Srinagar.

This meant that we will have to cross Zojila Pass. The roads there were slushy and snowy. Several motorcycles were continuously slipping and soon enough, the instrument cluster showed a ‘Snow detected’ message. So, the vehicle was shifted to Snow mode which engages the 4-wheel drive lock automatically. The long and winding road offers great views but as a driver, you need to stay alert as there are blind turns, water crossings and slippery slush where the traction of the tyres breaks easily. The respect for the army and the people living there increased after seeing how difficult and cold are the conditions.

At Baralachala Pass, there was a thick layer of snow throughout the mountains.

Soon enough we reached, Sonamarg where there was a huge traffic jam because of tunnel works. We left Drass at 6:30 in the morning and reached Punjab at 4:30 AM, the next day. So, we were in the SUV for 22 hours. Needless to say, it is an experience that someone will never forget but the Jeep Compass ensured that it is a good one. What's next? Well, maybe Umling La!