Jeep Commander Review

With three rows of seating and room for up to seven passengers, the Jeep Commander is the most spacious SUV Jeep has ever produced.

Less thrilling, however, are the Jeep Commander's lackluster interior materials, cramped third row, so-so cargo capacity and poor fuel mileage with the larger engines.

The three-row Jeep Commander is available in two trims: Sport and Limited. The Sport comes standard with power accessories, a power driver seat, air-conditioning and a CD stereo. Buyers can also snag options like a navigation system and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system.

The base Jeep Commander Sport gets its pep from a standard 3.7-liter V6 capable of 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque, a barely adequate engine in the 4,800-pound Commander. (The Limited is a bit nicer.) The SUV offers 7.5 cubic feet with all three rows in use, 36.4 with the third row stowed and 68.9 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. In reviews, we've praised the Jeep Commander for its off-road capabilities and powerful available V8. Used Jeep Commander Models

The Jeep Commander debuted in the 2006 model year. For '08, the Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist electronic driving aids arrived for Commanders with Quadra-Drive II. The Jeep Commander Limited and Overland's interior materials quality were improved for '09. For '10, the Overland trim disappeared, and the 4.7-liter V8 was discontinued, leaving the powerful 5.7-liter V8 as standard on the Limited models, along with a power liftgate.

Most of the Jeep Commander engineering went into off-road performance, and reviewers say it shows. The Jeep Commander is a niche vehicle for people who like to go off-road and need a lot of passenger room. While some high-tech interior features, like Chrysler's uConnect multimedia entertainment system are available, the Commander just isn't as comfortable as competitors. If you're looking for a comfortable SUV with plenty of seating space and towing capabilities, check out the Chevy Tahoe.

If you're dead set on the Jeep Commander, check out this month's best Jeep Deals to see what discounts and incentives are available.