ORC REVIEW

The 2007 Jeep Commander literature is big on the luxe factor

These days, it’s not enough to be just an SUV. Like fine wines, a product aimed at a higher echelon of taste must corner the market using some sort of quaint or obscure fact to stay competitive. For the Jeep Commander, its claim to fame is the world’s first three-row, seven-passenger Jeep vehicle.

Cashing in on the concept consumers like vehicle marketing material about the model’s heritage, a tone of regality is used to describe the Commander’s background. Made up of the same formula that fueled the 1985 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, by Jeep’s account this makes the vehicle “the first modern SUV.” So the 2007 Commander is being toted as not only modern history but a vehicle that delivers on an epic scale when it comes to capability and versatility.

If you love a boxy look, you're the right demographic for a Commander.

Capability for the midsize Commander has a lot to do with what can be found in its underbelly. This includes five-link rear suspension, independent front suspension, four-wheel antilock brake system (ABS), a skid plate group, and nifty four-wheel drivetrain systems (the Quandra-Drive II NV245 being the most powerful). Liken this to trail conditions, and you’ll have an off-road vehicle that is going to be able to transfer power and navigate around tightly situated obstacles.

In terms of engine power, you’ll find the same powertrain components used for the 2006 model as well as what’s under the Grand Cherokee’s hood. The base Commander has 210-horsepower 3.7-liter single overhead cam V6 with 235 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. The midlevel engine has 235-horsepower 4.7-liter single overhead cam V8 with 305 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm.

However, the new 235-horsepower 4.7-liter FFV V8 with 305 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm is designed to run on unleaded gas and be an ecological-friendly, ethanol-based E85 holding the same stats as the midlevel. This engine is standard on Limited or Sport versions.

The Commander does have a HEMI V8 engine with 300-horsepower 5.7-liter – the kind of power you’ll need when carrying all seven passengers. Capable of 375 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, there’s plenty of get-up-and-go when fully loaded. This engine does have a Multi-Displacement System (MDS) that deactivates four cylinders to improve fuel economy. But if you are going with a Commander, you can still expect SUV gas ratios: 17-mpg city driving and 21-mpg highway driving. For the HEMI V8, it’s an even tougher number to swallow at the pumps: 15/19-mpg driving.

Inside, Outside & Pocketbook Feel

Premium, premium, and more premiums describe the inside.

Three words precisely describe the inside: premium, premium, and more premiums. This includes chrome-accented knobs, wood and leather trim, and optional DVD, six-disc CD/MP3 player and GPS navigational systems. Expect a solid, quite ride in the Commander. This is due to the many “substantial sound-dampening elements integrated” into the vehicle. Occupants sit high, which is great for viewing but not so great for the petite or child. The Commander does try to offer everything and more, especially in an off-road ride. The Quandra-Drive II four-wheel drive system combined with limited slip differentials does help transfer power precisely and exactly when needed from sand to mud terrains. It might be pretty, but it’s a Jeep, after all. Price range starts at $28,610 and can get into the high 40’s when loaded with upgrades – but it’s a Jeep, after all.

It's claim to fame is the world's first three-row, seven-passenger Jeep vehicle.

For versatility, Jeep leads us back to focusing on the seven-seat thing. The Chrysler Group of DaimlerChrysler is putting their former heavyweight in the Jeep lineup – the Grand Cherokee – in the, err, backseat when it comes to passenger capability. Despite the versatility of having 15 different seating/cargo configurations, when all seven seats are being used the only place for stuff is on the roof rack. When fully modified for maximum cargo space, you get 68.9 cubic feet – same as last year’s model and just close to a foot more compared to the Grand Cherokee model.

When the 2006 model first launched, the Commander was given more standard safety equipment on it than any other Jeep or any other product from Jeep. Highlights for the 2007 include airbags with a side occupant protection system; Electronic Brake System that include an anti-lock braking system and all-speed traction control; and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Parksense along with the Parkview rear backup camera are necessities, as the driver can't see behind the Commander when backing up or pulling out of a tight space.

With a longer and taller profile than other Jeep products, the Commander is a beefy SUV with high-end design taste. The Commander has that “luxe” appeal. If you love the boxy look and vehicle status of a Land Rover, you’re the right demographic for a Jeep Commander. Expect status, capability, and the seven-seat thing, all rolled into one. And its size isn’t an obscure or quant fact to most families – it’s downright impressive to a market that has been waiting for this.

But whether you are of the luxe variety, an avid off-road driver or just like a lot of room, the look of the Jeep has always been admired and unmistakable. It was a well-thought out decision to throw at the consumer a SUV lineup consisting of seven different styles: Compass, Patriot, Liberty, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Wrangler Unlimited, and finally, the Commander. This certainly ensures the chances car dollars will end up at Jeep one way or another.

The world can be your oyster, states the 2007 Jeep Commander literature, and in a Commander you can apparently crack that oyster open. The bottom line is if either you and/or your spouse are into eating oysters or drinking wine and getting a lot people to these places comfortably and soundlessly, you’re going to feel like Jeep made an SUV that can keep up with the roads and the Joneses.