With Chrysler undergoing restructuring during bankruptcy, it's not surprising that the large, fuel-drinking Commander was one of the first vehicles to get the axe. Then came the 2008 recession and the economic downturn that accompanied it. But soon after a couple of factors contributed to its demise.įirst was a large spike in gasoline prices that sent many buyers away from large SUVs toward more fuel efficient offerings. The mid 2000s were boom times for large SUVs in America, and the Commander sold pretty well for the first couple years it was around. Depending on trim, it sat in between three-row crossovers like the Honda Pilot and full-size Luxury SUVs from Lexus or GMC. The boxy shape allowed plenty of space in its three-rows of seating, which featured a stadium layout for maximum visibility. Two-wheel-drive was standard, but the Commander could be equipped with the Quadra-Drive II 4x4 system borrowed from the Grand Cherokee, and it did quite well off-road for its size. On later models it made as much 360 horsepower. It's profile was tall and boxy, and in a lot of ways it basically looked like a scaled up version of the XJ Cherokee, and depending on your perspective had a fair amount of retro charm to it.Īs for power, the base engine was a V6, with two optional V8s, including the 5.7 liter Hemi V8 as the top of the line powerplant. Like the new Grand Cherokee L and Wagoneer, the Commander shared a lot with the Grand Cherokee when it debuted for the 2006 model year. To see what had happened the last time the brand tried to introduce an SUV larger than the Grand Cherokee, you have to go back to the late 2000s and the Jeep Commander. First there was the Grand Cherokee L-a lengthened, three-row version of the Grand Cherokee, and it was soon joined by the Wagoneer, another full-size SUV designed to take Jeep to a new level of luxury.īut this isn't the first time Jeep has attempted to go big. Over the last year the Jeep brand has earned a lot of attention for adding two new models to its lineup, both of which are on the larger size of the SUV spectrum.
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