Jeep has historically been known for its no-nonsense utilitarian vehicles.The brand has been synonymous with solid axles, go-anywhere capability, and traditional off-road "values." When all the other manufacturers started abandoning two-speed transfer cases, solid axles, and body-on-frame construction, Jeep still offered a vehicle that embodied these traditional traits.

So all of a sudden, along comes the Compass, a unit-bodied transverse-engine compact "crossover" that has about as much in common with a "real" Jeep as Fidel Castro does with George W. Bush. The only thing Jeep about it is the name slapped on the hood. What a slap in the face of Jeep traditionalists!

But does the introduction of these soft-roading trucklets mean the end of Jeep as we know it? Well, maybe not necessarily. Just after the introduction of the Compass, Jeep also came out with an all-new, solid axle (on both axles) Dana 44-equipped Wrangler. Aside from the strange choice of an engine out of a Dodge Caravan, this vehicle looks like it brings solid off-road credentials to the table.

Yes, the hard-core Jeepers are decrying the availability of a 2WD Wrangler Unlimited model, but for all intents and purposes, the capability remains intact.

So the key question becomes, does the existence of these new "soft" Jeeps water down the essence of the remaining hard-core models? Does simply sharing the showroom with these concrete jungle posers dilute the brand? Ulimtately, the car business is about sales. If you can't move metal, you're not making the profits to invest back into R&D. So, as strange as it may seem, the success of the Compass may have an impact on the future existence of the Wrangler.

Let us know what you think.