i think that the Commander will be a hit.

Hello !!

I was a Trail Guide at Camp Jeep this month ,in the Pocono's. When I first saw the Commander in person, I thought it to be a nice "highway" cruiser. Well, at Camp Jeep I signed up for a "test" drive . The ride consisted of some hills, rocks, water, tight turns in the woods, off camber turns over rocks....WELL was I surprised! Yes this Jeep is really trail worthy! Not a rattle, not a shimmy, not a thud. Iwas amazed at the ride...solid over the rocks . After riding in my TJ all day on the trails, the Commander was like a "luxury" jeep. Make no mistake , it's NOT a TJ. It will have trouble on EXTREME trails, because it's so long, BUT after what the test ride tossed at it, I would say if you have some "rough" but not "extreme " trails, you won't have a problem with the Commander. It's solid over the rocks! The only things I didn't like were the two grip bars on the back of the Jeep. They look like a FUNERAL HEARSE bars! Jeep better change them for next year. Something more OFF ROAD and TUFF looking!!!!
Other than that it's seems to be a really solid vehicle .
If I needed a 7 pass. car and did some senic off roading I most likely would but one! Although the last row seats are ONLY for SMALL kids or a dog.VERY SMALL! I'm 6'3" and had to duck a little getting in the driver's side. The roof line steals from the EXTERA . Good idea for more headroom ,for the back seat passenagers.
They had a custom one with some nice wheels on it...SWEET!!
I think it will be a winner for Jeep! Drive oe and see for yourself .

Rich C. in PA

I was driving down my street and noticed one in a DC dealer's lot. I pulled over to check it out and the dealer said he just took the wrapping off it from the truck. The Commander was the base model. He let me jump in and check it out.

Before I continue let me say that I own a 04 TJ Rubicon and 97 GC.

My first impression of it was that it was small and short. I am 6'3" and was taller than the vehicle. That really surprised me because the photography made it look much bigger and taller than it really is.

I got inside and felt really cramped in the front passenger seat. I have more leg room in my TJ than the Commander.

The third row of seats looked to me to be a waste unless you have small kids under 4 feet tall. I can't imagine ever torturing any of my friends by asking them to sit in that last row.

The dash looked nice. Nothing too fancy considering who this is targeted for. The flat dash makes the front cabin seem larger than it is.

My wife was quick to say that it reminded her of a Land Rover. I have to agree. The wrap-around handles on the rear liftgate really ape it too much if my wife, who doesn't care about cars, can make that correlation in 2 seconds.

I'd have to say that DC might have been better off making the whole vehicle just a tad larger so there's a big difference between it and the GC.

I would honestly have to say that if I was forced to replace my GC with something else, I'd stick with the GC even though I completely hate the front headlights. Those are a total abomination and should be redesigned asap! My wife hates those headlights so much that she's considering a Pacifica to replace her GC when it runs out of steam.

I signed up to receive a brochure in the mail as well and haven't seen it yet. The Quad II drive system sounds great, I wonder whether they will offer it with any other engine besides the Hemi. Tempting as it is, the $3 a gallon will influence some buyers. It makes me think, but if I spring for one of these, (as I probably will) odds are I'll go for it anyway. Can't wait for the test drive!

While reducing weight is one of the easiest ways to increase fuel economy it is not necessarily the best method. Small economy cars are most often not practical for families. Not to mention most economy vehicles have terrible resale vehicle and are "economy" because corners are cut when it comes to quality and or safety.

Manufactures should concentrate on alternative fuels, diesel, hybrid, new methods of power generation and storage, etc. This research will benefit both larger vehicles and small vehicles alike.

The Commander is not marketed for a single person. It is a seven-passenger vehicle! Much of it's weight comes from the more rigid body structure, and additional safety features. There is such a misconception that this is a gigantic vehicle like an Excursion or something. It is only a couple of inches longer than the Grand Cherokee.

I like the comment about the jellybean, OnlyOneJeep. Very true!

Has anyone received the Commander brochure or any other information in the mail? I signed up months ago at the jeep.com sight but have not received anything. Also, when will start seeing the units at the dealers, I ready to see it in person!

While I applaud DC for capitalizing upon the success of the XJ and making this appear as the next generation XJ. The introduction of yet another gas guzzling land barge (5000lbs), is a poor decision. Sure, there will be some buyers who truely need a vehicle of these proportions. But, a vast majority of us would have been quite pleased with an update of the old XJ, retaining its proportions, weight (3000lbs), performance, while improving fuel economy with perhaps options such as a diesel and six speed manual transmissions. Interestly, Ford has truely capitalized upon the iconic success of the Mustang and managed to keep it fairly true to the original form while addressing safety and performance issues. Ford even listened to its constituents and retained the old rear axle configuration as it is easier to mod; sales are good. DC could have done the same with the iconic XJ. My prediction is most people will realize that they can't realistically afford to fuel this heavy vehicle and DC will ultimately need to provide discounts unless they get on the ball and incorporate a diesel option.