2006 Midsize SUV : JEEP Commander

That deficiency has been addressed in the new 2006 Jeep Commander, which offers seating for either five or seven occupants. The Commander is the first Jeep product to use three rows of seats. The Commander is built on the Grand Cherokee’s basic platform and shares the same wheelbase. Designers looked to 1940s Wills utility vehicles and later Jeep Wagoner’s for guidance, and inspiration also came from the company’s Cherokee SUV, which was replaced by the Liberty in 2002.

Commanders get the same four-wheel-drive systems, suspension and power-trains — including an independent front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering — as the Grand Cherokee. Buyers can choose a 3.7-liter V-6, a 4.7-liter V-8 or a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with the Multi Displacement System. Three full-time four-wheel-drive systems are offered: Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II. Two transfer cases are offered. The SUV holds up to five or seven occupants on two or three rows of seats. Each row is slightly higher than the one ahead of it, and this distinctive stadium-style seating enhances forward visibility for rear occupants.

An Electronic Stability Program is standard. Available features include a tire-pressure monitor, rear parking assistance, a DVD-based navigation system, Smart Beam headlights, rain-sensing wipers and Command-View skylights. A stepped roof provides ample headroom for rear occupants. Innovative twin Command-View skylights over the second row of seats come with the optional front sunroof. Side curtain-type airbags are optional. The Electronic Stability Program, antilock brakes and all-speed traction control are standard.