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2006 Jeep Commander Road Test

Jeep Goes Old School with New Commander

Whats old is now made new again, but with a twist in the 2006 Commander. This is the first seven passenger Jeep, ever. For all of you who miss the rugged classic styling of the Jeep Cherokee that graced the planet from 1984 to 2001, then you will love the look of the new Commander.

Boxy is the name of the game, starting with a traditional seven-slot grille, which is flanked by circular headlight lenses in rectangular casings; the timeless lines carrying through to the upright windshield. You wont find any wimpy curves here, its all about solid and strong angles, paying homage to Jeeps military and off-roading roots.

While this Commander may have a bit of a retro look to

The Commander is the worlds first seven-seat Jeep. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

it, there is a lot that is modern beyond the sheetmetal. Actually, it shares more than a few traits with the recently redesigned Grand Cherokee.  Its two inches longer, however, which allows for a third row. The Commander and the Grand Cherokee share the same suspension, powertrain and 4x4 systems.  Both incorporate rack and pinion steering and an independent front suspension. Built with the same underpinnings, the Commander is just as handy off road as its brother.

A brick wall has more curves than the classic Commander. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

The new SUV has earned the coveted Trail Rated designation, meaning it has been designed to certain standards when it comes to five categories: ground clearance, traction, maneuverability, articulation and water fording.  So you can have a good time getting off the beaten track with six of your closest friends.

Now hopefully some of your six closest friends are short, because the seating in the back row is a little tight.  That being said one of the best things about the seating is that it is stadium style, meaning that each row is slightly

Safety for third row occupants isnt ignored. Commander has three-point seatbelts, full head restraints and side-curtain airbags. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

higher than the one in front, so every one gets a great view whether it is of the road ahead or of the DVD screen. The two back rows of seats fold up and down easily as well. A simple tug on the lever allowed the seat to disappear into the floor, making the transition quick and painless. Whats more, the cathedral-like roof allows for plenty of headroom for all.

The interior of the Commander is pretty sensible. The dash is peppered with multiple vents and plenty of textured grain. The gauges were easy to read and backlit in white. The center screen and navigation system were a cinch to operate.

Commanders interior is significantly different from its smaller sibling, the Grand Cherokee. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

The buttons are sturdy and the diamond-plate trim is a change from the traditional wood accents. On the new steering wheel youll find the round Jeep logo smack dab in the center, offset on both sides by the cruise and stereo controls.

The optional 6-disc CD changer and audio system is pretty fierce. It produced an excellent clear crisp sound. The model I tested also featured a roof-mounted DVD entertainment system that was easy to use. The DVD is inserted into the dash console up front but rear passengers can control it with a romote control. The cordless headsets could be stored in the doors, and that in mind, there is quite a bit of storage space to be found overall.

I love the fact that the

Neat touch: headrests tuck under and out of the way by themselves when you fold the second row forward. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Commanders roof is nice and high, allowing for a feeling of spaciousness. When picking up a vertically challenged friend to go shopping with one day, we came out of the mall parcel laden and proceeded to lift the rear hatch. Easy enough to open for sure,  however, I made the mistake of leaving her to close it, and when looking back I saw her jumping like trained circus dog in an attempt to reach the "towering" the liftgate handle (for the sake of keeping said friendship I am to note that she did eventually grab hold of the gate and did indeed close it). STill, it would be wise if Jeep could add a loop to the gate for shorter souls.
Moving right along, let us talk about more important things, like driving it. The Commander is smooth like butter, a joy to drive. Like a linebacker who has mastered ballet,

The 3.7-liter V6 is more than capable of moving the big, heavy Commander. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

it is big yet nimble; it cornered quite well for the beast that it is, leaving me feeling confident at the helm. The suspension wasnt soft and jelly-like, but supple, giving it the ability to make a pothole ridden stretch of highway, which normal makes me feel like corn in a popper, comfortable.  Meanwhile, the cabin of the upscale Jeep was quiet, with road, engine and wind noise kept to a minimum. Even the many circular vents blew heat out silently, yet efficiently.

The Commander I drove was the base model, equipped with the Libertys 3.7-liter V6. Mated to a five-speed automatic with manual mode, it had plenty of get-go. Lets be real, mind you, as it was not built to race the Ferraris or even Cayennes of the world, but when I wanted to accelerate on the highway or off the line, the big Jeep responded instantly. For more power, a 4.7-liter Magnum V8 is available, or at the top end a 5.7-liter HEMI V8. Fuel consumption isnt

Plenty of space for your friends and your stuff... but the tailgates on the tall side. The very tall side. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

as bad as you might think for such a large SUV; if you take it easy the Jeep can return up to 22 mpg on the highway.

According to Jeep, the Commander is Chrysler Groups first vehicle to come equipped with electronic roll mitigation. The system deploys airbags if it detects an immanent rollover and/or experiences a side-impact crash. This works hand-in-hand with its standard stability control system, designed to keep it shiny side up. Safety systems are definitely top priorities in the SUV segment this year, and the Commander is leaving little to be desired, first with standard multi-stage side-impact and side-curtain airbags, plus and three-point seatbelts for all seats, and pretensioners up front.

A low-speed crash avoidance feature that I truly like is what Jeep calls ParkSense, standard equipment by the way. When reversing, the Commander has a bit of blind spot behind the third row of seats. The audible beeps were comforting, not only so that I didnt have to worry about scratching the Commanders

Heavy-duty work or just plain old fun, the Commander is ideal. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

gleaming red paint, but also in the knowledge that it would warn should a child be in the way. While this feature can be easily turned off, I wouldnt advise it as the view out the rear window isnt particularly great. Other features that made me feel a little more secure were the tire pressure monitoring system, its four-wheel traction control and Uconnect hands-free Bluetooth interactivity.

All in all, while I didnt get to go off-roading this Jeep was a joy to drive about town. It handles really well for its size and is a smooth, solid, steady ride. If you happen to be a 4x4 buff (four-wheel drive is optional, by the way), the Commander can be fitted with an off-road package that includes heavy-duty axles, an upgraded suspension, skid plates and Quadra-Trac II 4WD.

Off-road package or not, the Commander is also a particularly good value, starting at just $29,440 with 4WD, or if off-roading is totally not in the picture $27,440 for rear-wheel drive. Therefore, if you want a rugged looking SUV with decent performance and have more than three friends, then this may be the ride for you.

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