It probably has to do with the lineage of the platform (originally Fiat vs Chrysler), when it was designed, and what suppliers the company worked with. FCA probably doesn't manufacture these parts themselves. It's possible that the entire dashboard was farmed-out to a supplier and arrives at the factory pre-assembled.
The Cherokee is built on the Compact US Wide (CUSW) Platform, which is derived from the Fiat Compact platform. My guess is that the Cherokee's vents open in the same direction as other vehicles also built on the CUSW platform. A quick google search shows that the Cherokee dash looks similar to the Dodge Dart, which was also built on CUSW and introduced at about the same time, so you might want to compare those.
The current Compass is built on an older platform which was designed as a joint venture between Fiat and Opel, then a subsidiary of GM. Compare with Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X, which are related models.
I think parts sharing between models is probably much more common than it used to be. I am currently restoring a 1966 Chrysler Windsor. I'm amazed and sometimes frustrated at the parts differences, sometimes interchangeable, sometimes not. Many parts are surprisingly different, for no apparent reason, between a '66 Windsor/Newport and a New Yorker, or between a Windsor manufactured in Canada vs a Newport manufactured in the US, or between a 65 and 66 Chrysler, even though they look almost identical.
It probably has to do with the lineage of the platform (originally Fiat vs Chrysler), when it was designed, and what suppliers the company worked with. FCA probably doesn't manufacture these parts themselves. It's possible that the entire dashboard was farmed-out to a supplier and arrives at the factory pre-assembled.
ReplyDeleteThe Cherokee is built on the Compact US Wide (CUSW) Platform, which is derived from the Fiat Compact platform. My guess is that the Cherokee's vents open in the same direction as other vehicles also built on the CUSW platform. A quick google search shows that the Cherokee dash looks similar to the Dodge Dart, which was also built on CUSW and introduced at about the same time, so you might want to compare those.
The current Compass is built on an older platform which was designed as a joint venture between Fiat and Opel, then a subsidiary of GM. Compare with Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X, which are related models.
I think parts sharing between models is probably much more common than it used to be. I am currently restoring a 1966 Chrysler Windsor. I'm amazed and sometimes frustrated at the parts differences, sometimes interchangeable, sometimes not. Many parts are surprisingly different, for no apparent reason, between a '66 Windsor/Newport and a New Yorker, or between a Windsor manufactured in Canada vs a Newport manufactured in the US, or between a 65 and 66 Chrysler, even though they look almost identical.
wow, you went deep on the Compass Cherokee issue... thanks!
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