The
 |
| Commander's interior is significantly different from its smaller sibling, the Grand Cherokee. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
optional 6-disc CD changer and audio system is pretty fierce. It produced an excellent clear crisp sound. The model I tested also featured a roof-mounted DVD entertainment system that was easy to use. The DVD is inserted into the dash console up front but rear passengers can control it with a romote control. The cordless headsets could be stored in the doors, and that in mind, there is quite a bit of storage space to be found overall.
I love the fact that the Commander's roof is nice and high, allowing for a feeling of spaciousness. When picking up a vertically challenged friend to go shopping with one day, we came out of the mall parcel laden and proceeded to lift the rear hatch. Easy enough to open for sure, however, I made the mistake of leaving her to close it, and when looking back I saw her jumping like trained circus dog in an attempt to reach the "towering" the liftgate handle (for the sake of keeping said friendship I am to note that she did eventually grab hold of the gate and did indeed close it). Still, it would be wise if Jeep could add a loop to the gate for shorter souls.
Moving
 |
| Neat touch: headrests tuck under and out of the way by themselves whenyou fold the second row forward. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian AutoPress) |
right along, let us talk about more important things, like driving it. The Commander is smooth like butter, a joy to drive. Like a linebacker who has mastered ballet, it is big yet nimble; it cornered quite well for the beast that it is, leaving me feeling confident at the helm. The suspension wasn't soft and jelly-like, but supple, giving it the ability to make a pothole ridden stretch of highway, which normal makes me feel like corn in a popper, comfortable. Meanwhile, the cabin of the upscale Jeep was quiet, with road, engine and wind noise kept to a minimum. Even the many circular vents blew heat out silently, yet efficiently.
The Commander I drove was the base model, equipped with the
 |
| The 3.7-litre V6 is more than capable of moving the big, heavy Commander. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
Liberty's 3.7-litre V6. Mated to a five-speed automatic with manual mode, it had plenty of get-go. Let's be real, mind you, as it was not built to race the Ferraris or even Cayennes of the world, but when I wanted to accelerate on the highway or off the line, the big Jeep responded instantly. For more power, a 4.7-litre 'Magnum' V8 is available, or at the top end a 5.7-litre HEMI V8. Fuel consumption isn't as bad as you might think for such a large SUV; if you take it easy the Jeep can return up to 10.9 L/100 km on the highway.
According
 |
| Plenty of space for your friends and your stuff... but the tailgate'son the tall side. The very tall side. (Photo: Justin Couture, CanadianAuto Press) |
to Jeep, the Commander is Chrysler Group's first vehicle to come equipped with electronic roll mitigation. The system deploys airbags if it detects an immanent rollover and/or experiences a side-impact crash. This works hand-in-hand with its standard stability control system, designed to keep it shiny side up.
Safety systems are definitely top priorities in the SUV segment this year, and the Commander is leaving little to be desired, first with standard multi-stage side-impact and side-curtain airbags, plus and three-point seatbelts for all seats, and pretensioners up front.
A low-speed crash avoidance feature that I truly like is what Jeep calls ParkSense, standard equipment by the way. When reversing, the Commander has a bit of blind spot behind the third row of seats. The audible beeps were comforting, not only so that I didn't have to worry about scratching the Commander's gleaming red paint, but also in the knowledge that it would warn should a child be in the way. While this feature can be easily turned off, I wouldn't advise it as the view out the rear window isn't particularly great. Other features that made me feel a little more secure were the tire pressure monitoring system, its four-wheel traction control and Uconnect hands-free Bluetooth interactivity.
