I agree DMoore. I was hoping the commander was something that would compete with the Tahoe / Expedition. It is looking to turn out to be another midsize suv that showed up a little late for the game. Jeep, build something with a 6 cylinder diesel that has at least 80 cubit feet of cargo space and better than market average off road ability and you will fill a market hole. The commander will reduce GC sales and that is about all. I am waiting for that diesel gladiator!

WTJ,
Your points are certainly taken. One of the many things that peaked my interest in the LR3 was the fact that the rear seats are (at least reported to be) very comfortable for an adult for an extended period of time. I know that this is a Jeep forum and certainly not the place to push the Land Rover but like I have stated before, I will buy what works, not just a name. If the LR3 proves to be a better vehicle and by most reports it seems to at least be designed and layed out better then that is what I will go with. Offroad ability is not exactly a decision factor for me with either of these vehicles. I'm sure they are both more than capable of handling what I will be throwing at them, however, vehicle design and layout is a decision factor. This vehicle will be a daily driver and I really like the idea of having a vehicle that sits low for ease of entry and exit while at the same time having much better than average clearance when it is needed. I also like and will have to have third row seats that will work for adults when they are needed. I'm only one person but I am sure glad that at least one manufacturer has put out a vehicle that will fit all of my needs. Jeep still seems to be on somehwat of a roll though. If these new vehicles work out then maybe they will quickly address some of these problems. The sad thing is that most of them are really quite minor. I would almost rather Jeep or Land Rover put out a vehicle that I totally hate to make my decisions much easier!

I just got back from the Camp Jeep On The Road this past weekend in Milwaukee (Elkhart Lake, WI). They were the first to have a Commander there for people to sit in. I, of course, spent a few hours giving it a good look-over. The inside is nice, but a bit cheaper feel than my '99 GC Limited. Sitting in the driver's seat was very similar to my old '96 XJ Country; I could see the end of the hood, unlike my GC, and the windsheild has a steep rake with a short dash board similar to the old Cherokee. The door handles are plastic and of the same design as the Liberty (half-circles), and are mounted at about thigh high giving a nice area to rest your arm. "Oh-Sh!t" handles are mounted on the A pillar, as in the new GC, which to me is too far forward for practical use. Lots of room in the front two seats. The "stadium seating" is noticable in all three rows as I was sitting pretty low in the front and very high in the back. As for the back seat, the roof allowed for enough headroom (I'm 6'0") although I'd definitely hit my head bouncing around on a trail. I was, however, licking my knees and it is obvious that the seats are meant for children. The back seat does have it's own AC system. The middle seat has enough room for two adults, even with the front seats pushed all the way back. When laid flat, the rear seats eat up a lot of space as they don't come out. As for the exterior, it looks as it did in the pictures we've all seen - no major changes. I've got to say that seeing it in person cemented my desire to go buy one in a few years once they've worked out the "first-model-year bugs" (yeah, I'm one of those people). It does need some help with ground clearance as noted in previous posts, but it has a SERIOUS undercarrage skit plate system. Lots more protection than my GC or old XJ with the entire transfer case going back to the rear axle (which is solid).

On another note, they had an owner's playground trail for me to take my GC on which was much more difficult than I had expected. Dragged bottom many times on rocks, cresting over hills and logs strewn across the road. Even scraped my front grill guard on a steep incline and dragged by hitch about a foot through the dirt. Lots of fun! I highly recommend checking it out if it is coming near you.

As I said in my last post, I really like the Commander even more after seeing that video. I am not sure I am so fond of the "bolt-on" fenders but the rest looks great.

There are those who won't like the styling but I think Jeep will have a hit on it's hands. I think it may eat into Grand Cherokee sales a bit but that is ok since they share the same architectures.

I came accross this artical on the Gladiator, looks like we are going to get a Manual Diesel After all.

http://trucktrend.com/roadtests/suv/163_0504_jeep_glad/

This is the first time I have seen this artical on that website.

As much as I love my '01 XJ Limited, it's a little tight at times, and I like the looks of the Commander. No serious off-roader here, but I've had my Cherokee deep in the NW woods and on mountain passes in the winter with no worries. I imagine I can expect the same in a Commander, with more room and some new toys. It's looking more and more like my next ride, then I can hand it over to my wife when they make the Gladiator!

If Jeep would have just given it (and the Grand Cherokee) an air
suspension option all of this complaining about lack of ground
clearance would be moot.

I also attended Camp Jeep on the Road-Milwaukee for the
primary purpose to scrutinize the new Commander Limited
Hemi. In short, I was less than impressed.

The exterior design looks better in-person than in-photograph,
much like the Grand Cherokee. Basically, it looked like the old
Cherokee, just a bit larger. For comparison, it appeared smaller
than the Ford Explorer even though both of their exterior
dimensions are almost identical. (The Explorer actually has
higher ground clearance, by the way.) The shiny "plastichrome"
rear-hatch grab handles still look out-of-place and tacky as do
the bolt-on fender flares.

The interior felt about as roomy as my girlfriend's Ford Escape.
The third-row-seats are awfully cramped and with them up,
there is no cargo room, whatsoever. Cargo room with all seats
folded is not particularly large, either. The rearward visibility
from the driver's seat is nonexistent even with the second-row
seats up because of their raised elevation. Many other people,
non-Jeep owners/enthusiasts included, shared the same
sentiments as mine.

This Jeep is not my taste. It looks like something from the '80s,
has off-road limitations because of low ground clearance (eight-
inches), is cramped inside, lacks cargo room, , is not efficient, is
expensive....

I gotta disagree; with gas pricing at record highs and C.R.D. being the most efficient diesel on the market it would makes sense for them to push for the diesel option in a few models. I would say Diesel in the GC & Wrangler is already in the works over at DC and planned for release sometime in the next year.

The biggest advantage of air suspensions is that you can keep the center of gravity low while driving which keeps people from rolling their SUV, and also improves gas mileage due to the lower profile. Then with a simple turn of a switch you can have a much better ground clearance than can be pulled off in a factory vehicle. As Land Rover and VW are already using these systems, we now it can be done without sacrificing ride quality. Jeep needs to at least offer it as an option on it's longer wheelbase (ie. Grand Cherokee and Commander) vehicles. I am not sure if Wrangler owners would want the system as most prefer something simpler that they can more easily modify.

Good news, Jeep is doing away with air-bags and seat belts. They Also have plans to do away with advertising so that the American Public no longer knows what Jeep has to offer:-P

Diesels are going to have to be offered in all of Jeep's vehicles accept for the cars.

DC / Jeep representatives:
Put a 6 cylinder diesel in the commander asap and watch sales beat the competition, don't and get ready to rebate!

Nice to see the detailed info on the Jeep sight. That is one beautiful Jeep. One thing that troubles me a bit is the picture of the over head cut-out. It appears that the 3rd row seat is quite a bit cramped. It may just be the picture but that women in the back doesn't appear to be able to sit straight behind that second row seat. She seems to have to sit at an angle due to the second row seat being so close. Again, it may just be the picture but it is quite possible that these 3rd row seats will not be really usable for adults. The reports say that the LR3 rear seats are very usable and comfortable for adults although I haven't seen them in person yet. The new info gives a little more understandable and in depth information on the traction control systems which also proves my point in the post I made earlier. You will see that Jeep is ussing a slight variation of GM's traction control system, Land Rover's traction control system, and also adds their own with the limited slips at each differential. The LR3 has a very ingenious Terrain Response System but it is still not going to operate at the level that Jeep's will. One other thing that is quite important that Jeep left out that Land Rover has had for quite some time is a variable throttle control sytem. THe LR3's works automatically. The LR3 gives the ability to really crawl and move slowely over difficult terrain while the quick throttle of the Grand Cherokee is way too agressive to do this. That problem with the Jeep was mentioned in one of the tests. IF I am not mistaken, I think I did read somewhere that the Jeep also offered a variation in the throttle response when in low range or something. I'm not sure about this though. Just so everyone knows, I am not trying to put the Land Rover over Jeep. I am a die hard Jeep fan and my purchases have proved that. I am just trying to bring up points that Jeep needs to pay attention to. Jeep has really come a long way with their bigger SUV's (the Wrangler really doesn't need much work. It's great as it is.) but there are still a couple of things they have to get worked out and offer. These are all somewhat minor things and stuff that Jeep could fix and offer with very little work and design involved. Like I said earlier...they have already beat everyone with their traction control which is the tough one. Surely they can throw these other things in to unquestionably put them on top in every catagory. Anyway...so far so good and forget the nay sayers. The Commander is going to be a big hit and I think RubiconTrail.Net is right. With the Commander not being that much bigger and the rear seats having the ability to be completely stowed away with out any cargo room interference, it could really hurt the Grand Cherokee sales.

I just wonder how Missy Elliot got a commander early - its featured in her new video... Bling Bling!

The Commander in no way copies the Discovery. If anything, it copies Jeep's past via the XJ styling. The rear moon roofs are set up different than the Discovery/LR3's anyway. Jeep edges out the LR3 and Range Rover in the Traction Control area, however, Land Rover has a much more balanced vehicle and offers an air supsension that is much needed on the Commander and Grand Cherokee. Neither of those vehicles really have adequate clearance when it comes to serious offroading and both need a small 2" to 3" lift. Problem is that not everyone, including myself, would always want to deal with a vehicle that sits at that height. The Range Rover and LR3 both offer a very convenient ride height and additional clearance when it is needed. If Jeep could get a decent air suspension on the Commander and Grand Cherokee that offered an addition 3" to 4" of clearnace then Land Rover would have very little to offer over the Jeep. They have beat everyone in the Traction Control area which in my opinion was the most difficult endeavor and have left out a somewhat simple air suspension system that would add much more appeal and ability to the vehicle. Motor Trends test pretty much proved that. The Jeep did better than the LR3 in traction but in some situations it was bottoming out when the added clearance of the LR3 allowed it to move unobstructed. Jeep really needs to consider adding this to their bigger SUV's.

That is the "Trail Rated" point. To market that they are building solid 4X4's.

I like the look of the Commander, would really really like to see a manual, but I imagine that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

As for the bolt on Fenders, its a touch tacky. But I tend to lose those stupid snap on fenders on my XJ whenever I take it off-road it would be a welcome change to see them bolted on instead.

I like the idea of more sky lights as well, I could do without all the extras thought.

Im thinking they should release a Diesel Manual version. I have to agree with Jason that with a little lift and big tires this is going to be one "Commanding" looking Jeep

One more point that might be worth mentioning. I happened to catch and article that was posted on one of the Land Rover forums. Seems that Ford gave Land Rover one shot to hit the mid price SUV market. The short of it was that Ford told Land Rover to design and build an SUV that would take the lead in the mid/higher priced SUV market. If Land Rover didn't come through then their main plant was going to be shut down and they were going to be scaled way back. My guess is that Ford would be selling Land Rover shortly afterword. The result of that is quite obvious. Actually, in my opinion, Land Rover, at least for the short term, has sort of cut their own throat. They now have a 45K to 50K vehicle that is outperforming their 85K to 90K Range Rover in virtually every catagory. I know this new technology can quickly be applied to the Range Rover and already has been applied to the Sport model, but still...it seems sort of odd and quite funny. I guess this all boils down to who really wants the market and what are they willing to do to get it. Of course getting to keep your job is always motivation.

I love the looks but with the info that's coming from people who have seen it in person, it appears that dimensions and interior functionability are going to leave the Commander quite lacking. Jeep should have taken the step and give it much more size than the Grand Cherokee. Two vehicles that close together in size doesn't make alot of sense. I know that alot more size would hamper it's offroadabilty more but with ground clearance not even equaling an Explorer, Jeep obviously wasn't that concerned with offroadability anyway. I think what people were wanting out of the Commander (at least I was) was at least a Tahoe size vehicle that could actually make it offroad. I will have to see it for myself personally but the more info that we get it looks like an LR3 for me this fall.

Want to go back, want simple ... try Crosslander. To quote the company: "The Cross Lander 244X is a new kind of sport recreation vehicle (SRV) that fulfills the needs and expectations of serious off-road enthusiasts, a segment that has been virtually overlooked by those manufacturers competing in the luxury sport-utility vehicle (SUV) space." Now, if we could just convince them to go diesel!

Certainly it isn't as progressive as even the 1963 Jeep Wagoneer..( A True Benchmark).."Oh, the days of seeing those '91 Grand Wagoneers luxuriously gliding down the highways of America"...what a cheap imitation of BOTH the Grand Wagoneer and XJ Cherokee....But you know?...I actually feel worse for the Mercedes crowd...Their Beloved G-Wagon...is no longer; now just a clone of the '05 Grand Cherokee...If we could all ...just....go back...

You should do it, its not very difficult... or expensive.

Im getting pretty excited to see the new TK, Im really hoping it has that aggresive stance and stock 30" tires, as well as comparable room inside with my XJ. Oh and most importantly a Manual Diesel option :)

I like the idea of all around air suspension, I have a set of Monroe Max-Air struts in the back of my XJ too.
Whenever I was carring heavy loads or towing my trailer I would get some rubbing from the rear tires. After I put in the struts they can be filled with regular air at any gas station. No more rubbing and they are totally adjustable up to 3". I highly reccomend them, they totally rock. I would love to get another set for the front and an on-board compressor to adjust them on the fly.

Here are two links to threads from people who went to a survey clinic for the 2007 TJ/Wrangler and Gladiator:

http://www.rubiconownersforum.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=20637

http://65.42.106.152/forums/showthread.php?p=5599949#post5599949

ABS is for poeple who freeze up and slam on the brakes when they get in bad situations so I guess for those people its nice to know they have a computer doing the thinking for them. However for a GOOD driver who knows how to handle an emergency situation it hinders them.

From my own experiance I have driven with both and I find I can handle my Jeep on ice much better without the damn brakes pumping on thier own.
hehe, I guess in otherwords Automatics should come standard with ABS and manuals should not :)

The fact is that sometimes its nice to know you have control over your vehical instead of some computer doing everything for you, then again for others who have no concept of how do do anything except put it in "D" and press the gas, point the steering wheel in the direction they want to go.... well its nice to know those technologies exist! :)

Anyway it would be nice to see them build a few vehicals for drivers who still like the feeling of being connected to the road. If you endorce all of the technologies because you get tired when you drive manual or don't know how fast to set the windshield wipers... well I have no arguement with you, please be my guest... infact I encourage you to buy into the technologies so you don't crash into me when you hit a little patch of ice :)

Gettin' a little crazy here. Let's go back to diesels being offered in the Grand and Commander, etc...

Jeep has now made room on it's site for the Commander information:

http://www.jeep.com/commander/home_flash.html?section=&edirect=

It is probably a pilot vehicle (one of several they build prior to official production where they tweak quality and processes). Also, because you never actually see the Commander moving, it may have just been green screened into the video.

For anyone interested checking out the video:
http://wm.atlrec.com/missyelliott/video/lose_control-300.wmv

The Commander (sadly enough, shod with 22+" rims) appears about 2:30 seconds into the video.

I totally agree and whatever the extra cost would be to provide these items, I'm sure everyone wanting this extra capability would be glad to pay it. I know I would. Hopefully some people from Jeep read this site and will take note of this. That one item (the air suspension system which is really not that big of a deal for Jeep to offer) may sway me to the LR3 this fall. I am going to try out both and then make my decision. I really do not want to leave Jeep but I will take which ever vehicle fits my needs the best.

The Commander's success will ride on delivering the values behind the brand.

If in-the-end, Jeep have succeed in only copying RangeRover's Discovery moonroofs included, the model will fall flat in the marketplace.

Commander must deliver on the values of "utility", "ruggedness", "independence" and "affordability" or risk being categorized as either *Johnny come lately* or an *also ran*.

98XJ - Those specs are from the DaimlerChrylser media site, so I assume they are correct.


Here's a Photoshopped image of a lifted Commander that somebody else did:

http://jailyn.com/images/liftedXK.jpg

anyone know if the cargo volume on the xk is right? xkjeeps.com and motortrend both report that with both rows flat there is 68 cubic ft of space. The xj is 66 cubic feet with the second row flat. Thats not much difference?

Its nice looking except the front grill and headlights look strange. These big gas guzzlers will be gone in next few years anyhow as long term trend for gas is UP UP UP. Nobody is gonna want to put in $50-$100 in a tank and get 14MPG. I dont drive my Rubi Unlimited as much do to this factor right now. Put a diesel in these and the wrangler to improve MPG and then ya will have something.

Don't really like the Commander. It seems big and bulky. The trend of having the bigger, badder SUV is pretty pointless, if you ask me.

Nice Jeep...I just really hate the whole "trail rated" thing...Jeep needs to drop that marketing crap and just build solid 4x4's.

I meant to type 31.7" in diameter not 30.6" in diameter.

The stock tires on the Commander will be 29.5" in diameter. I am curious if 30.6" in diameter tires would fit without rubbing.

Also, has anyone had any experience with the new Wrangler SilentArmor tires?

Joe, I am not sure what your post was in regards to... the Commander will not have IRS. The Gladiator will not have IRS either. The Compass will have IRS but it hasn't been mentioned in this article.

Anyway, XKJEEPS.COM has posted some photos of a Deep Beryl Green Commander Limited pilot vehicle.

.....IFS and IRS......sounds fantastic.....

DMoore,

The rear seats are terrible in the Commander. At six-feet tall my knees were situated at chest-level--being wedged in a sardine can would be a good comparison. The LR3 has a lot more cargo room, which is over 90-cubic feet, I believe. It also has higher ground clearance at 9.5-inches, a superb cross-linking (solid-axle mimicking) air suspension, and the new Terrain Response systems management. To you, the LR3 may be worth the extra price over the Commander; to me, it really is.

I took the new Grand Cherokee, which has the same ground clearance as the Commander, on an off-road trail-ride through the woods at the event, and while it completed the rutted, muddy course without mechanical problems, the skid-plates sure got a work-out because of the low clearance issue. I would be somewhat disconcerted to hear all that grinding sound if it were my own personal vehicle.

Just for everyone's reference here is a comparison of the Commander and the Ford Explorer (respectively).

Overall Height: 71.9" 72.1
Ground Clearance: 8.6" 9.4"
Approach Angle: 34° 27.3°
Departure Angle: 27° 24.7°
Breakover Angle: 20° 19.2°


1st Row Head Room: 42.1" 39.8"
2nd Row Head Room: 40.2" 38.8"
3rd Row Head Room: 35.7" 38.9"

1st Row Shoulder Room: 59.0" 59.1"
2nd Row Shoulder Room: 58.5" 58.9"
3rd Row Shoulder Room: 50.4" 52.8"

1st Row Hip Room: 55.6" 55.0"
2nd Row Hip Room: 54.0" 54.2"
3rd Row Hip Room: 57.4" 45.4"

1st Row Leg Room: 41.7" 42.4"
2nd Row Leg Room: 36.1" 35.9"
3rd Row Leg Room: 28.9" 34.8"

Thanks for the links, CJ Jack. The first one needed registration to view but the second one had a couple great looking photochops that are apparently close to the real deal. If so, I can't wait to see the new Wrangler on Jeep lots.

Well, we just returned from a thousand mile trip and the old manual-XJ averaged about 25 mpg. My point is, of course, DC needs to incorporate "new" technology in the form of diesels and manual transmissions as many savvy purchasers are simply not buying sub-20 mpg vehicles given the high fuel prices. Get with it DC and start providing North America with the same options you provide the Europeans!

I will add in the defense of OnlyOneJeep that it is good to have a "bare-bones" model in the jeep line-up. There are people who don't want ABS, traction control, or other extras that jack up the price. I do hope the new TK still offers a very basic model for this group.

I will add however that it would be suicide for jeep to just write-off advancements in technology. Many people want the latest/newest advancements in technology. If jeep wants to stay on top of other brands it needs to match and beat the advancement of these other companies.

I hear that airbags are really some kind of government conspiracy.....NO that's not it....wait!....it has something to do with UFOs....NO that's not right....oh, I remember now...they have helped save thousands of lives since their inception, yeah that's it. :-P

Of all the things to knock Jeep for, installing airbags. Learn a new song, please.

DMoore, you are correct. Jeep needs to DEFINITELY consider an adjustable air suspension. It is one place where Jeep falls short compared to the LR3 and the Touareg.

Perhaps a high-end trim "Overland" version could add this, rock rails, and HIDs. Just an idea...

DC has already paired the crd with manual transmission, but has elected not to market it in North America. It is an expensive certification process and DC clearly does not see a profit in it. DC's focus has shifted (groan) from the rural to the luxury urban market. DC is simply going after sales and has evolved into another GM/Ford with automatic everything vehicles, with perhaps the exception of the Wrangler and upcoming Gladiator. DC realizes it needs to keep at least one vehicle (Wrangler) truely trail worthy and easily modifiable simply because they reap huge marketing benefits from potential customers seeing modded Jeeps. And, these customers buy and vicariously live the "image" while tooling around the malls in their automatic Liberties. It's shrewd marketing as DC realizes most Americans have given up the adventure of driving and are simply too lazy to deal with manual trannies.

Another nitpick about the new Commander (and Grand
Cherokee) is the ridiculously high lift-over height for the cargo
area, which may also be a reason for the low cargo capacity. At
six-feet-tall the load-floor is level with the top of my hip, a full
eight-inches HIGHER than my 1999 TJ.

Ahhhh, I hate waiting for the C.R.D. to be paired with a Manual!!!!!

Per Allpar, "The three-seat desire expressed by many customers was not for permanent seating, but "in a pinch" flexibility - having to drive home two more kids now and then, or being able to pack the in-laws (or more business associates) in for a quick ride."

My question for Jeep is why have a fold flat seat that takes up cargo space? Sure, have a way to fold it down, but if it's essentially a jump seat, have a way to take it out as well.

The styling is growing on me and I like Commander. My other wish is that it was a little bigger to help separate it from the Grand.

Oh, and here is more information on the Commander and the
man who designed it, Don Renkert:

http://www.allpar.com/model/jeep/commander.html

I was anticipating the release of the Commander as a vehicle for the wife. We both like the look for the side and rear but the front is down right UGLY. Also, i thought it would be larger but its about the size of an explorer with LESS ground clearance. The interior is nice and love the moon roofs, maybe it will grow on us. It resembles the land rover imo which is not bad i guess but do something about the front or fire who designed it............

its going to be a while before you see any diesel's from dc. I would expect the next one to be the grand cherokee 3.0 v6 crd in the next 2-3 years. I bought the jeep unlimited instead of waiting for the 4 door wrangler, My number one reason is upgrades, you will not see any for a while on these 2007 wranglers...The best upgrades on the tj and unlimited have been the last 2-3 years, so I will wait until the next wrangler is 7-10 years old before replacing my 2005!!!! Oh ya I got the 7/70!!!!

Getting off the ranting for a bit:

I have to agree that the air-ride adjustment would be a great stock feature to have.

I installed a set of Max-Air struts on my XJ that I can adjust up to 3" with a small on-board compressor.

http://www.monroe.com/products/mp_detail.asp?cat=0&detail=Max+Air

Its great for around town when I need to get in and out of low parkades, also on the highway when I want to adjust for a bit softer ride. When I hit the trails I flip it on and it raises the whole vehical up for better ground clearance. Not to mention when I need to Tow it can be adjusted so the back wheels don't rub.

Its not for everybody, but it really works for the applications I use it for.

I think they need to put MORE technology in the Jeeps!...

Maybe.... remote control-
(that way you don't have to drive)

Maybe.... Auto rinse n' shine
(that way you dont' EVER have to wash or shine it after the trip to The Olive Garden)

Maybe.... More Trail- Rated Badging..
(well more is better right?)

Maybe.....A complete Airbag Deployment System (ADS) that FILLS the Complete Cargo area and Passenger Zones with soft, cushy down-like material to protect your makeup in case of a collision with a small pebble....

It's hard to believe that Jeep survived 65 years building such hidious, hard-riding and unsafe motor appliances...

You know what...I think I'll SUE DCX....! I just saw a Topless Jeep racing by...with Mud flying off its' big tires....They just got my Bentley Continental full of something...and my chow's mane was meesed up..(poor muffy)

Damn dirty, filty, Jeeps should be OUTLAWED, I Say!

96XJ, the new Commander web site from Jeep states the cargo capacity to be 69.9 cubic feet.

it's only 3" longer than the grand cherokee...not that big...i like better each time i see it

Looks good to me, too, but too large and expensive for my application. Nice job.

That video page also had a few other pics not seen yet as well. I just can't get over all of the talk about how ugly the Commander is. I think it is the most visually appealing Jeep since the Grand Wagoneer. Also, with all of the trash talk about Jeeps such as the Liberty not looking like a Jeep, no one can say anything about the Commander looking like anything but pure Jeep.

As I said in my last post, I really like the Commander even more after seeing that video. I am not sure I am so fond of the "bolt-on" fenders but the rest looks great.

There are those who won't like the styling but I think Jeep will have a hit on it's hands. I think it may eat into Grand Cherokee sales a bit but that is ok since they share the same architectures.

I came accross this artical on the Gladiator, looks like we are going to get a Manual Diesel After all.

http://trucktrend.com/roadtests/suv/163_0504_jeep_glad/

This is the first time I have seen this artical on that website.

As much as I love my '01 XJ Limited, it's a little tight at times, and I like the looks of the Commander. No serious off-roader here, but I've had my Cherokee deep in the NW woods and on mountain passes in the winter with no worries. I imagine I can expect the same in a Commander, with more room and some new toys. It's looking more and more like my next ride, then I can hand it over to my wife when they make the Gladiator!

That is the "Trail Rated" point. To market that they are building solid 4X4's.

I like the look of the Commander, would really really like to see a manual, but I imagine that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

As for the bolt on Fenders, its a touch tacky. But I tend to lose those stupid snap on fenders on my XJ whenever I take it off-road it would be a welcome change to see them bolted on instead.

I like the idea of more sky lights as well, I could do without all the extras thought.

Im thinking they should release a Diesel Manual version. I have to agree with Jason that with a little lift and big tires this is going to be one "Commanding" looking Jeep

98XJ - Those specs are from the DaimlerChrylser media site, so I assume they are correct.


Here's a Photoshopped image of a lifted Commander that somebody else did:

http://jailyn.com/images/liftedXK.jpg

anyone know if the cargo volume on the xk is right? xkjeeps.com and motortrend both report that with both rows flat there is 68 cubic ft of space. The xj is 66 cubic feet with the second row flat. Thats not much difference?

Nice Jeep...I just really hate the whole "trail rated" thing...Jeep needs to drop that marketing crap and just build solid 4x4's.

I meant to type 31.7" in diameter not 30.6" in diameter.

The stock tires on the Commander will be 29.5" in diameter. I am curious if 30.6" in diameter tires would fit without rubbing.

Also, has anyone had any experience with the new Wrangler SilentArmor tires?

Joe, I am not sure what your post was in regards to... the Commander will not have IRS. The Gladiator will not have IRS either. The Compass will have IRS but it hasn't been mentioned in this article.

Anyway, XKJEEPS.COM has posted some photos of a Deep Beryl Green Commander Limited pilot vehicle.

.....IFS and IRS......sounds fantastic.....

Every time I see the commander I think it will be my next suv!!!! With the new AEV lift (this fall) and 33" tires it would be a sick tow vehicle for my unlimited!!!! In 3 years They will have all the huge incetives and rebates!!!!