Jeep Commander Limited

Following on from last month’s test of the latest incarnation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, this month we grabbed a drive in Jeep’s latest baby, the Jeep Commander.

The term baby is hardly applicable to this wagon as it’s the biggest Jeep on the market and the company’s first four-wheel drive wagon offering a seven-seat capacity.

The Commander looks big. Its styling is somewhat reminiscent of the old version of the Cherokee with its square lines, squat stature and macho image.

But while the Commander’s looks are deliberately utilitarian, its interior and, for that matter, its road manners, are all style. The version we drove was the top-spec Limited with the new common-rail diesel engine – the engine variant we reckon would make the best tow vehicle.

Other engines in the range are the 4.7lt petrol V8 and the high-performance 5.7 petrol V8. Both of these engines are certainly fantastic for towing but in the current climate of escalating fuel prices, the diesel makes a heap of sense.

The Limited has the same engine that’s in the Grand Cherokee – a 3lt turbocharged V6 diesel that produces 160kW of power and a hefty 510Nm of torque.

Inside, the Commander Limited is all style. The three rows of seats are trimmed in leather and, in terms of luxury appointments, the driver and passenger seats lack for little.

The seats are arranged ‘theatre style’, meaning that the second row is higher than the front seats and the third row is higher again. The downside of this is that, with the third row in place, rear vision is compromised. However, the two rows of rear seats fold down independently to give a flat and versatile cargo area.

The wing mirrors are excellent and provide a reasonable rear view when the third row is up. Added to that, there’s front and rear park-assist sensors on the Limited which show a series of lights and beeps if you get too close to the car or obstacle behind or in front of you.

Obviously, electrics abound. There’s a one-touch programmable adjustment feature for the front seats, electric windows, mirrors, and electric sunroof, infra-red climate control air-conditioning, seat heaters, and an excellent six-speaker sound system.

In terms of safety, the Commander is up there with the best of passenger cars. Anti-lock brakes, traction control, front and side-curtain airbags, an electronic-stability program, tyre pressure monitors with a warning alarm for low pressure, and rain-sensitive wipers are just some of the safety innovations in this wagon.

The test vehicle was fitted with the Quadra-Drive II transfer case which gives constant four-wheel drive and offers electronic torque biasing to the front or rear. This, mated to the electronic limited-slip differentials, means that torque is automatically provided to the wheel with the most grip.

There is also a low range of 2.72:1 so you can pull your boat up any ramp. Speaking of pulling boats, the Commander offers a maximum recommended towing weight of 3500kg – one of the best in the business.

On the road, the Commander is quiet and well mannered. Its wide stance and long wheelbase make it stable over all surfaces and the rack and pinion steering is direct and light. The vehicle doesn’t wander and tracks flat and true through corners even at high speed. The diesel delivers a combined city/highway fuel consumption figure of 10.5lt per 100 kilometres. On our test, we got slightly more than this on the onboard trip computer but it was still damn good for a vehicle that weighs in at 2242kg.

Whichever way you cut it, the Jeep Commander is a vehicle that is as tough as it looks and has a heart of gold. The interior is comfortable and stylish, yet engineered to tour and tow with the best of them. Well worth a look.

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