2007 Jeep Commander Review
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The Jeep Commander is the first vehicle from Jeep to offer a seating capacity of seven, thanks to an available third row. Other than that, the Commander is pure Jeep. The 2007 Commander offers great capability over rugged terrain, great ground clearance, and excellent traction. The Commander has a choice of V6 and V8 engines available. For 2007, a new trim joins the lineup, and is called the Commander Overland. Several new features are also available such as: a rearview camera, a power liftgate, a remote starter, and active turn signals. The 2007 Jeep Commander is perfect for families that need four-wheel-drive capability. Cargo capabilities are increased with seats that fold flat. And do not let the slab-sided, angled shape of the Commander fool you, on the road; it's far more agile, quick and quiet than it appears. Two-wheel-drive models are available, though that sacrifices the benefits of Jeep's highly capable four-wheel-drive systems, one of the Commander's most compelling features.
Commander Design
The Jeep Commander is the second-largest civilian-production Jeep in history. 2007, Red Rock Crystal, Light Graystone, Steel Blue Metallic, Jeep Green Metallic and Mineral Gray Metallic are new color options. There's a power liftgate that's standard on the Overland and optional on other trims. The Commander features an upright windshield and rear window. The Commander's stepped roofline makes headroom for the rear-seat passengers, but the stepped effect is camouflaged by a roof rack rail. The Commander Sport features body-colored door handles, while Overland models add front tow hooks, platinum finish for the bodyside panels and front, a wire lattice grille and outside mirrors that match the body color. Its body sides are more vertical than those on most SUVs, consistent with Jeep design heritage. The roof rack rail has three integrated tie-downs on each side.
Inside the 07 Commander
The Commander offers a sense of spaciousness; overhead skylights add an airy feeling for passengers in the second row. The seats in the 2007 Commander are nicely shaped and padded, and the steering wheel, has the substantial feel of leather and exposed stitching. The Commander's raised roof permits use of stadium seating; each row is higher than the one in front of it, giving second- and third-row passengers enhanced forward visibility. To access the rear, the second-row seat flops forward, providing a careful adult with a reasonably easy path to the rearmost bench seat, which is split 50-50. Both the second- and third-row seats fold perfectly flat to create a load floor, and there is an L-shaped storage bin located behind the third-row seats. The Commander Sport has a
diamond-plate console shifter bezel, new for 2007. The Overland adds leather to the center floor console, shifter knob; steering wheel and door grab handles. The lower center stack and center floor console bezels are trimmed in wood.
Driving the Commander
Jeeps are not the most aerodynamic vehicles in the world, but wind and tire noise seemed unremarkable, well within the range of the average SUV and something less than in bigger, square-bodied truck-based 4x4s. The 2007 Commander is a smooth and comfortable highway cruiser. Wind and tire noise are surprisingly quiet, considering the lack of aerodynamics on the Commander. Driving through the city, the Commander is quicker, better balanced, and more aggressive than the average SUV, and far more so than its appearance suggests.
2007 Jeep Power
A choice of V6 and V8 engines is available. The mid-level 4.7-liter V8 seems an excellent choice, with responsive acceleration performance for working through traffic and fuel economy just slightly lower than the 3.7-liter V6.The 5.7-liter V8 Hemi is a good choice for buyers who tow trailers of up to 7,400 pounds. The 3.7-liter V6 uses the same electronic throttle control as the V8s, but is EPA-rated only 16/20 mpg City/Highway (16/19 with 4WD), compared to 15/19 mpg for the 4.7-liter V8.In terms of horsepower, the V6 and V8 engines are not that far apart, but the 4.7-liter V8 offers more torque, important for towing, driving off road and when accelerating.
Safety Features
Safety features on the 2007 Jeep Commander include an electronic stability system, antilock brakes and all-speed traction control are standard, and side-curtain air bags with a roll detection system. Available features include a tire pressure monitoring system, rear parking assistance, a DVD-based navigation system, SmartBeam headlights, and rain-sensing wipers. The Commander is the first Chrysler Group vehicle with electronic roll mitigation, which deploys the optional side curtain airbags in certain rollover and side-impact events.
2007 Lineup
The 2007 Jeep Commander comes in three trim levels: Sport, Limited, and Overland. All are available with 2WD or 4WD. Commander Sport 2WD comes standard with a 3.7-liter SOHC V6, rated at 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. Also standard on Sport are air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo with six speakers, power windows, power heated mirrors, front bucket seats with adjustable lumbar, ParkSense, liftgate glass that flips open by remote control, and all-terrain tires on 17-inch cast aluminum wheels.
Limited 2WD comes standard with the 4.7-liter V8 and HD transmission, plus a wide array of comfort and convenience features, including automatic climate control; leather upholstery with perforated inserts; leather-wrapped steering wheel; Boston Acoustics sound system with six-CD player, MP3 playback, and Sirius Satellite radio; power adjustable, heated front seats; power adjustable pedals; rear-seat heat, ventilation; power sunroof; remote starter; rain-sensitive windshield wipers; SmartBeam automatic headlights; universal garage door opener; and a security system.
The Overland raises the interior plush factor with suede-trimmed leather seats embroidered with the Overland logo; leather-wrapped shift knob and grab handles; Berber floor mats; and woodgrain trim on the center stack, console, steering wheel and front door panels. Overland also adds conveniences, such as a power liftgate, ParkView reversing camera, GPS navigation, UConnect hands-free communications, and a cargo net. Overland 4WD comes with Quadra-Drive II.
Summary
The Jeep Commander most certainly carries a utilitarian styling, yet it is agile to drive and comfortable to travel in. It's reasonably quiet, allowing easy conversation, a pleasant surprise given the squared-off styling and all-terrain tires. With the rear seats progressively stepped up, back-seat riders get a better view of the road. The first Jeep to offer third row seating does its job well, although the third row seat are best suited for children because of the limited space. For more research, read a 2007 Commander review by Road and Travel Magazine.
