mmarshall

http://www.jeep.com/commander/index.html



In a Nutshell: The best and most impressive Jeep ever built.



Recently a close friend of mine ( an older woman ) from my church was accidentally run off the road in her Jeep Cherokee into a wall, and the vehicle overturned, pinning her inside....the rescue crews really had to work to get her out. She suffered some injuries....the worst being a fractured arm that has required time and therapy to heal, but she is convinced that the Cherokee's structure and engineering saved her life. Fortunately, the other driver admitted guilt and has fully co-operated, and while neither she nor myself believe in frivolous or excessive lawuits, she does have a right to at least some justice and compensation, which will eventually be settled by the courts, lawyers, and insurance companies.
So...she cannot drive right now, but once this is all taken care of and she gets her monetary settlement, a big item on the list will be a new vehicle ( the Cherokee was totalled ).
As she is convinced that the Cherokee's structure ( and God, of course ) saved her life, naturally she is gravitating towards a new Jeep...and wants something hefty, high-riding, solid, and something she will feel safe in...never mind the fact that high-center-of-gravity vehicles tend to be tipsy. So she asked me to look at new Jeeps for her while she is still recovering. ( She, of course, gets a copy of this review, plus a live briefing from me, but I'm also posting it for others at CL who may have an interest in it ) .

The Cherokee, after a production run of some 20 years, is gone; replaced by the Liberty, a vehicle I've driven and am not terribly impressed with. The Wrangler, of course, is too crude, harsh, uncomfortable, and too much of a mountain goat for her needs. The Grand Cherokee is a nice all-around vehicle but notoriously unreliable ( one of the most unreliable vehicles in Consumer Reports' database ). The new Patriot is boxy and square-shaped ( like she wants ) but is not really a Jeep underneath........... though it is trail-rated, it comes from a car-based design. The new Compass is even more of a car and not a Jeep....it not only is not trail-rated, but is essentially a rebadged version of the Dodge Caliber......a new compact car replacing the Neon.
So, that leaves only one Jeep left.........the flagship Jeep Commander.......and WOW what a machine. This vehicle, in my opinion, with a couple of small exceptions in the trim and hardware, is marvelous. This is easily....by a BIG margin.......the smoothest, most comfortable, best-handling, most pleasant to drive Jeep product EVER built....more on this later.

The Commander was introduced, along with the much smaller and less-capable Patriot and Compass, for the 2006 model year. It is based on a somewhat stretched version of the Grand Cherokee's platform and chassis but follows the Cherokee's square, shoe-box styling that was so popular with owners and is quite space efficient to boot., and retains Jeep
s signature 7-slot grille. It comes with either a 3.7L V6, a 4.7L V8, or the regular non-supercharged 5.7 L Hemi. ( Jeep is mum about whether an SRT supercharged Hemi version, like the Grand Cherokee, is in the works....but I wouldn't bet on it, given the purpose of the Commander's design and marketing ).
Anyway, it comes in two basic price versions....the base Commander and Limited. The Limited really has a glitzy, first-class interior that, dollar-for-dollar, trumps the far more expensive Cadillac Escalade when value for the money is taken into account, though of course it can't quite tow what the Escalade does. There aren't really trim versions as such....they come in
" S ", " T ", and " U " trim and equipment packages....see the web site above for details.
Thinking of my friend's concerns with income and the rising price of gas ( and, of course, that this vehicle is not chump change to begin with ) I chose a base V6 model ( somewhat hard to find, as most in stock are V8's ), although after driving it and looking at the very small difference between the V6 , V8 and Hemi mileage ratings, the V8's may be worth the extra money....they are almost the same price to run as the V6, except for the fact that the V6 and 4.7 V8 can run on regular fuel while the Hemi requires premium. ( I think.....the specs are not clear on this ) And....when my friend gets her settlement, ( a justified one ) she might be able to pick out any Commander she wants.
After a while, checking out new cars gets to be a routine, and cars usually behave the way I more or less expect, but every once in a while, when I review a vehicle, I get an unexpected surprise, and I sure did today. This vehicle was far more impressive on the road than I expected, so let's look at this remarkable machine in detail:




Model Tested: 2006 Jeep Commander

Base Price: $29,440
Major Options: Customer Preferred Package ( U ) $4100
Rear Air Conditioning $610
Freight $695

List Price $35,070

Exterior Color: Inferno Red Crystal Pearl
Interior: Slate Gray Leather
Drivetrain: 3.7L V6, 210 HP @ 5200 RPM, 235 ft.-lbs. Torque @ 4000 RPM, 5-Speed automatic transmission with Electronic Range Select and manual shift control and Tow / Haul feature, QuadraDrive I full-time AWD system and open front, center, and rear differentials .





PLUSSES:

SMOOTH ride......especially by Jeep standards.

Well-modulated power steering.

Sharp handling considering the comfort level and high center of gravity

Well-designed and well-modulated brakes.

Good accessability under the hood with V6.

Well-designed, durable, folding 2nd-row and 3rd-seats.

Stacked seating lets those in back see out.

Square body means good interior space eficiency.

Simple, well-designed, easy-to-use seat folding mechanisms.

Durable seat supports.

Well-applied paint for an American -designed vehicle.

Real brushed metal trim, not just plastic, on the base model's inside door panels around the power-window switches ( Limited models get wood-tone trim on the doors )

Simple, easy-to-use manual climate-controls...the automatic ones were just as simple, which is unusual.

Easy Entry / Exit.

Power-adjustable pedals.

Good towing capacity.

Standard third-row seats for large families.

Anvil-like body rigidity.

Sky-light windows for rear-seat passengers....included in the package option.

Nice wood-trim on the console and classy crystal-chrome Jeep steering wheel even in base model.

Well-insulated from road and tire noise..

Roomy seating areas.

Full-time AWD means drive-and-forget; no transfer-case lever, low range, different-surface requiremnents, etc......

Heavy, luxurious feeling on the road; ideal for long trips.

Likely to retain good resale value after several years.

Handsome-looking wheels.

Exterior trim a good combination of macho and soccer-mom features.

Ingenious double-use flip-over panel over spare tire compartment in back.

0% financing ( or rebates ) on 2006 models still in stock.









I found relatively few things to complain about, but a couple areas need improvement:


MINUSES:

Typical El Cheapo 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty like most domestic-nameplate vehicles.

There is no reason for the Inferno Red and Dark Khaki paint colors to be extra cost.....this is nonsense.

Exterior mirrors typical Chrysler-Jeep flimsiness and cheapness....poor-quality plastic.

Some interior and exterior hardware, though handsome, could be more solid in feel.

Stereo OK but a long way from Mark Levinson Units.

Large, wide, windshield A-pillars out ahead of the driver, VW Beetle-style, block a little vision....but this may help the strong body rigidity.

Has to prove its reliability after its brother Grand Cherokee's poor showing.




The first visual impression of this vehicle as you walk up to it is, like the Scion xB, a big, square shoe-box, but unlike the xB, a HANDSOME one. The classic Jeep design with the 7-slot signature grille brings back memories of the beloved Cherokee, and the box design, of course, means a lot of space inside and plenty of headroom, even with a sunroof. The body, besides having a boxy appearance, also looks chunky, with flared fender-sides and smart-looking chrome imitation rivet-heads all around the fenders. This is a BIG vehicle on the outside, especially by Jeep standards, and easily dwarfs the Grand Cherokee in appearance, though the two originate from basically the same platform. Standard roof racks tower above and a " Trail-Rated " badge proudly adorns the front fenders....though the Quadratrac I AWD system standard on the base model doesn't have a low range or locking differentials for hard-core off-road use....the Quadratrac II and QuardaDrive II systems do, and special off-road and towing packages are available . No matter. Most SUV's.....and especially this one.......are likely to be used for suburban driving most of the time nowadays anyway. Leave the hard-core Rubicon Trail stuff to baby brother Wrangler where it belongs.
Paint is well-applied, especially by American domestic-vehicle nameplate standards. There is much less orange peel than in many other Chrysler-Dodge and Jeep products, the shine stands out, and the paint itself is even with no blobs or run marks ( yes, you still see that today with some makes ).
Entry inside and out is easy, and the seats are comfortable and seem to be quite well-made. The steel hardware for the supports and folding mechanisms appears to be quite solid and well-made. The flip-down levers and handles to fold the seats are a piece of cake. Second and third-row seats flip down for added storage space, although the third seat is a little small for large adults...like most third-row seats, it is best left for children or small adults. However, also unlike many 3rd-row seats, they are SOLID, with anvil-like supports and hinges.
An ingenious, double-use panel behind the 3rd row seat flips over and doubles as either a carpeted piece of trim or a cubby-compartment...your choice.
The upholsery and door panels on the base model look a little plain....this in contrast to the jazzy-looking dash and console........but are well-upholstered, with durable-feeling materials. What appears to be a real piece of brushed aluminum ( not just coated plastic ) surrounds the power-window swtiches and door locks. ( Limited models get wood-trim). There is a fair amount of plasticized chrome on the shifter and dash.....and around the gauges, which are generally clear and well-done. Climate controls are simple and easy to use....and a special switch on the front dash turns on a fan in the extreme rear so passengers in back don't get claustrophobia.

On the road.......WOW, this is where this vehicle REALLY shines. This was, overall, one of the most pleasant vehicles to drive I have seen in quite some time....especially considering it was mildly off-road capable. The Jeep chassis, suspension, steering, tire, and brake engineers have really done their homework on this one...in my opinion it deserves Truck of the Year .
The SMOOTH ride, especially by Jeep standards, was a delight over just about any pavement surface you encountered ( I did not go off-road ). Concrete, asphalt, broken pavement, potholes, bumps, frost heaves.......no matter what was under the tires, the ride remained smooth, quiet, steady, and composed. Road noise and wind noise were both well-suppressed. Unfortunately the quiet, smooth ride could have gone with a slightly better stereo to enjoy the lack of wind noise...but the standard factory stereo, while adequate, was not the best by a long shot.
This vehicle, in addition to a smooth and quiet ride, gives the feeling of riding down the road in a nice heavy, substantial machine that won't leave you ( or it ) looking like one of Aunt Jemima's pancakes in an accident. (That is one of the chief things my friend is looking for ). The only fly inthe ointment as far as the driving experience is concerned is that the big, fat A-pillars out ahead of you, VW Beetle-style, at the base of the windshield block a little of the forward vision to each side...but this is not serious, and those big A-Pillars will no doubt protect you by keeping the roof from caving in if you DO ever manage to flip this thing over, God forbid.
Very impressive.....I've driven some " luxury " cars that could not equal this ride.
Nor, thanks to the homework the enginers have done, does this pleasant ride affect the handling or steering like it does in some vehicles. The power steering is well-weighted, with almost the perfect amount of boost, especially at low speeds for good on-center feel and just the right amount of effort to make handling a pleasant experience. However, this is still a high-center-of-gravity SUV, and even though the handling, when driven sensibly, is as pleasant as the ride.....a real rarity especially in SUV's.......you still cannot throw this big machine around corners. It is not a sports car. If that is what you want then go buy a Miata or a sports sedan....but driven sensible this machine will delight on a long trip like no other SUV in its price class. The Lexus RX330, yes, has a smooth ride, quietness, and great quality, but cannot equal this machine in passenger capacity, towing, or interior room.
The V6 engine has adequate power but has to work pretty hard in a vehicle this size, and I noticed that the EPA mileage ratings are actually pretty similiar for the three possible engines, so in some ways the only way you really save with the V6 is in the purchase price. The V8's don't use hardly any more gas and turn in probably better performance. I would recommend either one of the V8s, even though the Hemi uses premium gas as well, for any kind of serious or hard-core off-roading or even for smooth pavemant in hilly terrrrain with a heavily loaded vehicle.
The more advanced Quadra-Trac and Quadradrive II systems have differentials and a transfer case more sited to this kind of work than the Quadratrac I system in the base model, anyway.
The 5-speed automatic transmission, like Mercedes products as well, has the side-to-side slap-stick automanual feature I've always liked that flips the transmission one gear up or down no matter what mode you are in. Some automanual units, the way they are set up, ( especially if you are in SportShift non-manual mode ) don't let you now which gear you are in BEFORE you hit the lever, so you sometimes get a nasty surprise and a lurch when you downshift of lugging on the upshift. Not so with the Cyrysler-Jeep-Mercedes side-to-side action and digital readouts....you never have to guess which gear you are in either before you hit the lever or after.
Brakes were just like the chassis.....superbly well-done, although the stopping distance was a little long. The pedal had a nice lack of sponginess, smooth action, evenness of proportion, and could be adjusted electricsally along with the gas pedal for different-size legs.


OK.......the verdict? By now you no doubt have the idea that I like this vehicle......and you are correct. It has one of the most superbly designed and refined SUV chassis I have ever experienced....a delight to drive over almost any surface. The heaviness and quietness of the vehicle gives you a sense of serenity. The power steering is exceeded, in smoothness of feel, only by some BMW's I've driven....to be expected. The center-of gravity is high, yes, and there is some tipsiness...but that is part of life with almost any Jeep. The V6, even with its lower purchase price, is a questionable value, and this is not a cheap vehicle, but discounts and rebates are offered. But you get what you pay for. There has never been a Jeep like this. It puts some luxury cars to shame on the road. However, it does have to prove its reliability........the vehicle whose platform it was taken from, the Grand Cherokee, was in the repair shop more than out, and gave a lot of owners trouble despite its widespread popularity. ( the regular Cherokee, overall, was substantially more reliable than the Grand Cherokee )
The only real improvements and suggestions that I would suggest for the Commander is put on some better-quality exterior mirrors, a slightly better stereo, take off that ridiculous extra charge for a couple of the paint colors, ( Chrysler charges extra for the Inferno Red on all of its models ) and maybe a few better-quality trim parts inside and out.

Och

iTrader: (3)

Can you drive a grand cherokee and see how they compare? Because I think the Grand Cherokee is the worst pile of crap on the road, and AFAIK these two SUVs are built on the same platform.

mmarshall

I've driven the Grand Cherokee. It drives nicely for a mid-sized SUV, one reason for its extreme popularity....second only to the Ford Emplorer. But according to several sources ( Consumer Reports being the best one ) it is quite unreliable and can't really be depended on for trouble-free service. ( You yourself apparantly also feel thay way ) The few people I've known who were Grand Cherokee owners have also had problems....some serious like expensive drive-train components.
And, perhaps most important, while the Grand Cherokee drives nicely, it cannot, at least in my opinion, hold a candle to this new Commander. The Jeep engineers, in my opinion, earned their paychecks with this one......though some of the hardware and trim could be improved.
However, each driver's tastes differ. Your preferences may be different than mine. I happen to like the way the Commander drives. Some people, especially Jeep purists and the hard-core off-road crowd, may think it is too much of a tank and compromised too much to the so-called " soccer-mom " set.
And, impressive on the road or not, this vehicle DOES have to prove its reliability. Its roots come from a vehicle that spent more time in the shop than out. An impressive vehicle, no matter how good it is, cannot satisfy its owner up on a garage lift.

AJL0365

im suprised you have that many postive comments about the commander, mainly because i work at a dodge dealership and they have problems coming in all the time, like water leaks, check engine light, loud engine noises. Seriously i think that the base commanders are crap but once you move up to the V8 models, mostly the hemi v8, its a very quiet and smooth SUV, but you cant see crap with the 3rd row seat up , but base commanders, i think they are crap like base cherokee's, and base liberty's, but once you move up to limited and overland (cherokee), its a pretty hott SUV.

The SRT8 Cherokee is hott by the way, sick fast!!!!

videcormeum

Do you own it? Have a sugar momma (assuming you're a man)? ... 2006 M45 w/ custom wheels and two other vehicles

However you do it - good for you.

M.

mmarshall

I mentioned several times that the Commander, following the trouble-prone Grand Cherokee, is going to have to prove its reliability....that is one of its potential weak points and is potentially one of the few reasons not to buy one right now. It is unlikely to be another Toyota 4 Runner when it comes to freedom from repairs. . But I, personally, am very impressed by its road manners......I found it a real pleasure to drive as long as you don't try to throw it around corners. No 4Runner ever built drove like this.

CHIS350

rented a commander in vegas....

it's freaking cool. we took it out to red rock canyon

Och

iTrader: (3)

Well I'm going to disagree with you on this one. My parents have had a range of SUVs, actually back in the early 90ies they had a Grand Cherokee for a short while, but they returned it back to the dealer because of continuous problems. Since then they have had Toyota 4runner, Infiniti Qx4, Acura MDX and they just recently got the Grand Cherokee Limited (hemi engine). Personally after their Acura i think the Grand Cherokee is horrible, perhaps just as horrible as the Qx4 was. It's roomier than the Qx4, but the Qx4 had better interior. Anyways, the issues that I have with the jeep are:

1) Disguisting, terrible interior. Crappy plastics all over, the type of plastics that get dirty fast and fade in the sun. The center armrest has this nasty feeling rubberish covering that got dirty within the first week. Big gaps on the interior panels, poor assembly. The panel that covers electrical components, under the steering wheel, is just snapped in, and actually snapped out when i drove over a big bump. After the awesome MDX (which I think is the best SUV on the road) the jeep makes me wanna puke.

2) Overrated piece of crap Hemi engine. That pos sounds like a school bus and is not smooth at all. It sucks gas like theres no tomorrow. My parents arent agressive drivers but they average 10 mpg! When I took it for a spin and was driving agressive I got about 5 mpg. Sure it has a lot of torque from get go, but get to the highway speeds and it runs out of breaths. After 70mph it felt slower than the MDX, significally louder and RPMs were higher with its pathetic 4 speed.

3) Horrible suspension. This is 21st century and that thing still uses solid axle. The ride is way too stiff and bouncy. You're saying its second to only Explorer, but I will disagree even though I never even drove an Explorer, except for an old one back in 96 or so. But Explorer actually has independent front and rear suspension, and so does the Pilot, Highlander and many other SUVs. Maybe the grand Cherokee is the smoothest riding SUV out of all SUVs that are based on truck suspension, but thats irrelevant because suchs platforms are obsolete.

4) Horrible steering. The steering is way overboosted and numb. At 80 mph it is hard to control the car even at slightest highway curves, I had trouble keeping it in lane. Compared to the Acura's sharp "go where point" steering this thing is just pathetic.

5) Exterior built quality. The sheet metal is tiny, paint job is cheap, panels fit and finish is substandard. And whats with all that poodly fitted plastic trim? Did you notice these black snap=in plastic triangles on the rear windows? They are present on most chrysler vehicles, and they fit so poorly, on my parents jeep for instance they stick out about 1/8 of an inch. That detail alone would be a deal breaker for me.

6) Price. For the same amount you can basically get the MDX and many other decent vehicles.

Och

iTrader: (3)

I circled the annoying plastic triangle in the attached image. This same detail is present in most chrysler vehicles now, magnum, 300c, charger, and it really shows the poor assembly quality.

BigVIPness

I absolutly love my commander. I have almost nothing negitive to say about it.

mmarshall

Your opinion noted. I have no problem if people disagree with me ( that's what car threads are for ) but please note that I said several times that the Commander was going to have to prove its reliability. It is also a different vehicle from the Grand Cherokee despite the common platform.
Note, also, IVXX's post above....some people love it.
Note, also, my earlier reply to your last post...when I said that everyone's driving tastes differ and that yours may be different from mine. When I review a vehicle I can't write a whole book about how a hundered different people are going to view it. I have to give my own impressions. And this vehicle, some exterior and interior trim excluded, is in my view quite a pleasure to drive.

You're an intelligent guy...do some reviews of your own.

BigVIPness

Haha wait the ENTIRE TIME och was ragging on the commander was because in the early 90's his parents had a Cherokee? In that case the ES350 sucks cause my uncle had a ES250 that was crappy.

I do agree with the reliabiltiy of the commander. Thats why as my first non-lexus/toyta I leased mine. If in 27 months it starts to **** out, bye bye!

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

they just remind me of those ugly isuzu troopers

mmarshall

Troopers were reliable, though, but tipsy. Consumer Reports flunked the 1995 Trooper and identical Acura SLX in its handling tests.
The Commander felt fairly stable, but I wouldn't push one too hard around a sharp corner. For a medium-to-large SUV, however, its ride-handling combination was excellent...usually one trades off for the other.

Och

iTrader: (3)

No back in the early 90ies they had a Grand Cherokee and now they just got a new one.