Primary concerns are that these two new vehicles, as well as the Caliber (a subcompact sedan released in February 2006) are going to squelch the mystique and uniqueness of Jeep ownership. If these concepts do not sell well upon release, incentives will be required to move them; a plus for buyers, but a negative for Jeep as well as Jeep owners who will see resale values depreciate more quickly.

"They're diluting the brand with soccer-mom grocery-getters. Unfortunately, there'll be a market for them," says Chris Rayborn, 34, an officer of the Midwest Jeepthing club based in St. Louis. "They will offend the Jeep purists, and Jeep will lose the loyalty it's had," says Rayborn, whose entire family owns multiple Jeep vehicles.

Product developers and marketers from Jeep are hoping the Compass and Patriot will expand Jeep interest beyond off-road fanatics, attempting to lure consumers interested in small, cost-efficient, and fuel-efficient models.

“The Jeeplets are going to start chipping away at the image," cautions John Wolkonowicz, a senior analyst at Global Automotive Group. "I'm very concerned about the Compass in particular. It's a sad little car."

May is the target production month for the Jeep Compass. The Jeep Patriot, closely resembling the discontinued Jeep Cherokee, will come later in 2006. The Patriot will be equipped with some enhanced capability in the off-road sector, yet to be identified by Jeep.

With the abundance of negativity surrounding this decision, the bottom line may still have hope. The two new models (Compass and Patriot) could attract new Jeep buyers, resulting in new and continued sales. Keeping the successful Jeep theme intact will be the largest challenge. If Jeep pulls it off, they will be poised for success in a fuel-crunched world. If they don’t, the Jeep gene pool may require further cleansing to reach a point of clarity.

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