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2006 Jeep Commander: Monumental Elements!
Coming out with the name Commander, you have to live up to it. For example, while watching the NBA playoffs, you see examples of commanders on the court. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and Gilbert Arenas to name a few. Lavar Arrington in the NFL and Barry Bonds on a baseball field are further examples of this attitude. Like them or not, they command respect in what they do. With the addition of the 2006 Commander to the Jeep fleet, the off-road brand is trying to resurrect an image it created in the field of battle over 65 years ago.
Though the Commander is all-new, its looks are a throwback to Jeep's early heritage. With most automakers trying to add the curves of Serena Williams to their vehicles, Jeep decided to go in another direction with the more imposing flat look of Venus Williams. Both of them are attractive and capable, but in their own ways.
 To be honest, at my first view of the Automotive Rhythm's long-term Commander, I was unimpressed by its seemingly box-like exterior styling. It looked tough, but I wasn't trying to climb Hamburger Hill and secure enemy territory. I wanted a sleek transporter that turned heads while I cruised down the block to the AR Party in New York. What softened my view of the Commander are its all-around driving characteristics, which are very good. The independent suspension with rack and pinion steering is precise, the Quadra-Drive II full-time four-wheel drive system is smooth, and with a 330-horsepower, 5.7-liter Hemi V8 under the hood, I felt like the country boy in the commercials-- "Now that's a Hemi!"
We actually had a Jeep moment in NY this past winter when the city was hit by 20+" of snow overnight! Remember, we are based in DC and had to get on the road for meetings back home. So with no choice, we went out like soldiers. While we had to dig, push, and pull a colleague's Acura MDX out onto the road, the Jeep Commander busted out of the snow embankment like it was nothing. For real, if we had our video camera, we could have filmed a commercial for Commander's capability in adverse weather conditions.
Commander looks like a full-size SUV, though it is based on the platform of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. A full-size body on a mid-size frame is why legroom and overall space in the 2nd and 3rd row seats, laid out in "theater" style, are limited. This was an issue for AR on road trips and long drives, as the rear rows are suited only for those of diminutive stature. Also with the 3rd row seats up, it is virtually impossible to see out of the back window, even with no one in the seats. These are the pros and cons on theater style seating in a vehicle -- good for rear passengers forward outlook but bad for drivers rear vision.
 Jeep did a great job on the front passenger cabin of the Commander though. Heated dark khaki leather seats are comfortable with enough middle arm room so not to feel cramped. Driver instruments are easy to read and operate and dual-zone temperature controls come in handy. Everything is power operated of course (doors, windows, sunroof, etc), with a six in-dash CD changer, AM/FM stereo, Sirius Satellite Radio, Navigation system, and DVD player with flip-down screen for rear passengers.
Our Jeep Commander is a Limited Edition, which includes standard chrome grille and front fascia, roof rails, premium fender flares, fog lamps, rain-sensitive windshield wipers, SmartBeam Intelligent Headlamp System (high beams activate themselves in low-light situations) and more.
Many auto manufacturers are offering their own aftermarket accessories more and more these days. Jeep has had such a partnership with Mopar accessories for a while now and the General Manager at Darcars Jeep of Marlow Heights, Maryland assisted in installing the products. At Automotive Rhythms, we like to showcase the best of what a vehicle has to offer and the Commander offers a Mopar chrome accent package that includes tubular side-step rails ($425), chrome gas cap cover ($79), and door entry guards ($159). These and other accessories are available at www.Mopar.com. AR also added some 20" Rennen RC10 cast chrome wheels with a set of BFGoodrich 265/50/R20 G-Force all-season tires gripping the road. Recently, I rolled the Commander into the Hot Import Nights Washington, DC area car show and off the top, dude working the show loved the AR Commander's look and reveled that we had the best tires available on the truck and how he had them on his vehicle.
After all the parts were on, the Commander looked real sweet! Rims and the tires make a big difference to any whip and the Commander was no different. Driving the Jeep Commander is still its best attribute, and while it won't have bystanders breaking their necks to look at it, it does command a certain respect when next to the competition. You know you have a tough, off-road capable, fun-to-drive truck.
 On the downside, my love for Hemi engine performance, even with Multi-Displacement System (MDS), tempers when the Commander has me pulling into a Shell gas station every other day to feed the beast. Jeep Commander only averages about 14 mpg city/highway. It's like the plant in the movie Little Shop of Horrors, with the insatiable appetite -- "Feed Me, Feed Me!"
Look out for our Jeep Commander AR Edition in the streets. If you did not catch it as one our featured vehicles at the Urban Restyln' Salon during the Washington DC Autoshow, or behind the ropes outside the AR Urban Restyln' Party during the New York Autoshow, or at Washington Wizards playoff games, keep looking. We will be out and about all summer looking real tough, profiling with what your Jeep can look like.
Base price for a 4x2 Commander is $27,540, though our 4x4 Commander Limited starts at $38,405, both with a $695 destination charge. We are only 5500 miles into our long-term review so stay tuned for upcoming feedback from other AR editors on our 2006 Jeep Commander. One thing we do know is snow doesn't faze it!
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Are You a Commander? |
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Hot Import Nights in VA |
Before Automotive Rhythms |
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Commanding Interior |
AR's Urban Restyln Lounge in NY |
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