2008 Jeep Commander

Editor: New Car Test Drive
Where no Jeep has gone before.

Driving Impressions

The Jeep Commander is remarkably responsive around town for a seven-passenger SUV, a trait we noticed while driving them in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Its rack-and-pinion steering feels more precise than in many truck-based SUVs. Driving in rush-hour traffic reveals the Commander to be quicker, better balanced, and a little more conducive to aggressive driving than the average truck-based SUV, and far more so than its appearance suggests.

Still, the Commander is a tall and heavy and it suffers from copious body lean during heavy braking and in turns. When driving a Commander, you'll want to slow down more for turns than in most vehicles. Many car-based SUVs offer more stable carlike ride and handling than the Commander, and better fuel economy, too.

The Commander's 4.7-liter V8 engine delivers good throttle response around town, and with its 2008 upgrades is better than ever. The five-speed automatic transmission enhances the engine's responsiveness and features two second-gear ratios. Punching the throttle signals the automatic to kick down into the lower second gear to supply greater acceleration. Otherwise, a taller ratio with a smoother upshift is used. The effect is an energetic surge when you call for it, and a sense that you can control the transmission with your right foot.

We found the 4.7-liter V8 to be a fine all-around performer, leaving us to consider the 5.7-liter Hemi as a requirement only for those who plan to tow heavier loads. The Hemi is rated to handle up to 7,400 pounds vs. 6,500 pounds for the 4.7-liter V8.

The 3.7-liter V6 uses the same electronic throttle control as the V8s, but its EPA-ratings are only 14/19 mpg City/Highway, compared to 13/18 mpg for the 4.7-liter V8 and 13/19 (13/17 with 4WD) for the 5.7 V8. Given its fuel economy and power limitations, we would not recommend the V6.

The 4.7 offers the additional advantage of Flex-Fuel Vehicle (FFV) capability, meaning it can run happily on gasoline or up to 85 percent ethanol (E85). Except, that is, in Maine, New York, Vermont, Connecticut and California, where the 4.7 remains a gas-only unit.

On the highway, the Commander is a notably smooth and comfortable cruiser. Jeeps are not the most aerodynamic vehicles in the world, but wind and tire noise seem unremarkable, well within the range of the average SUV and something less than in bigger, square-bodied truck-based 4X4s. It is easy to maintain a conversation using normal tones of voice, and easy to imagine this would be a fine vehicle for cross-country touring.

The advanced Quadra-Drive II system and a 2.72:1 low-range gear gives the Commander excellent capability, something we learned on rocky forest trails in the Pocono Mountains. This system supplies lots of traction, and the Commander has quick steering that makes it maneuverable in tight quarters.

The Goodyear Fortera tires, with their all-terrain tread, proved their worth as traction devices and suspension components, helping to soak up the lumps from rocks and logs, and maintaining a grip clearly enhanced by the Commander's electronic traction control.

Ground clearance is sufficient to negotiate rocky terrain, but the trail was challenging enough to create a few clangs and clunks when we touched the underbody. We found the Commander capable of going anywhere it will fit. The limitation would come if the Commander were used to cross steep, narrow gulches that call for extreme angles of departure because its longer body has more rear overhang than a Grand Cherokee. Nonetheless, for most people, there is probably more rough terrain capability built into the Commander than they will ever need or use.