Zwartkop, Pretoria – Jeep’s first vehicle offering three-row seating for up to seven occupants, the popular Commander, is now available with Common Rail Diesel (CRD) power for the first time locally in Limited and Sport variants.
DaimlerChrysler’s Guy Franken said “Since the launch in May 2006, Commander has proven to be very popular with the buyers of seven seat SUV’s. In our most recent sales month, December 2006, Commander sold more than 80 units. With the addition of the diesel powerplant to the range, sales of the large Jeep are set to grow further”.
Utilising the familiar 3,0l V6 diesel from the Grand Cherokee range, Commander now features the much anticipated “next-generation” power unit from DaimlerChrysler, producing class-leading levels of power and torque – providing immense towing ability – with efficient fuel economy. Based on the latest DaimlerChrysler technology, Bosch high-pressure fuel injection (1 600+ bar), a variable geometry turbocharger and four valves per cylinder, the new V6 engine meets Euro 4 emissions standards.
Maximum power is an impressive 160 kW and peak torque is a massive 510 Nm available from 1 600 to 4 000 r/min. The Commander diesel now offers performance similar to its HEMI V8 powered sibling, yet returns fuel consumption expected of vehicles far smaller in size.
A unique blend of space and distinctive design
The nimble yet rugged 4×4 is engineered to perform as only Jeep vehicles can, offering greater capability, flexibility and advanced safety and security technologies that appeal to customers.
Overall, Commander looks strong and confident because of its classic Jeep styling – upright and rugged. Commander engages the emotions because it is steeped in the heritage of Jeep design – integrating the past and present.
The familiar Jeep feel continues inside the vehicle, where attention to detail is clearly evident. From the gear shift knob, to the four round gauges in the instrument cluster, to the steering wheel, Commander is refined and uniquely Jeep in appearance.
The seats are supportive and comfortable and, for the first time in a Jeep, there are now three rows of them. With each row slightly higher than the one in front of it, this distinctive “theatre-style” arrangement improves forward visibility for every passenger and delivers an optimal all-round view.
The second- and third-row seats fold forward to create a flat load floor. Jeep Commander is 37 mm longer than the Grand Cherokee, even though it accommodates its three rows of seats.
Commander’s stepped roof provides second and third-row occupants with plenty of head room. Complementing the front-mounted sun roof is CommandView™ the new and innovative skylights (complete with shades) over the second row of seats. CommandView™ is available as standard on the Limited version.
For maximum comfort, Commander has, in addition to the normal heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system, added this feature to the third row seats. Fully independent of the front system, it feeds warmed or cooled air to a single floor-level outlet and two circular rotating outlets on each side of the rear trim.
As well as seating seven in style, Commander accommodates amazing space for passengers and cargo. With seven occupants on board, there is room for 212l of luggage, with five occupants, folding the third-row seats expands the cargo space to 1 029l and with second and third row seats folded, a loading area of 1 940l becomes available.
Engineered to go anywhere, do anything
Class-leading off-road capability and on-road refinement were mandatory for the Jeep Commander. So the Jeep engineering team provided Commander with the same 4×4 systems, suspension and powertrains as the award-winning Grand Cherokee, including an independent front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering.
Automatic transmissions offer premium refinement
The 3,0l CRD engine is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission that offers smooth shifts and optimal fuel economy with the diesel engine.
The transmission features Electronic Range Select driver interactive shift control. The transmission also provides fully automatic shifting in the “Drive” position or the driver can manually select each gear sequentially by moving the shift lever left or right from the “Drive” position. This gives the driver precise control to match gear selection to the driving conditions.
Sophisticated suspension provides confident ride and handling
Commander features short- and long-arm front suspension that provides the driver with a greater sense of precision and control, and more precise steering, without compromising Commander’s stalwart off-road performance. The tight turning diameter of 11,2 m provides for nimble handling.
Class-leading four-wheel-drive capabilities
Quadra-Drive II® is one of the most advanced four-wheel-drive transfer case systems available, providing Commander with best-in-class tractive capability. Electronic Limited Slip Differentials – front and rear – offer customers the ultimate in off-road capability. Quadra-Drive II provides electronic engagement of torque biasing for the front axle, as well as the rear. As a result, torque transfer is faster, and almost 100 % of the torque can be distributed to any of the four wheels, a capability that is unique to Jeep.
Unprecedented safety and security, designed in from the beginning
Like all Chrysler Group vehicles, Commander is designed to improve not only handling and accident avoidance, but also to provide excellent crash protection. Crash protection features available on Commander include advanced multi-stage front air bags, supplemental side-curtain air bags for all three rows, seat belts equipped with sophisticated pretensioners and retractors, and BeltAlert, a buckle-up reminder system for the driver.
Active safety features on Commander include:
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Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)
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Brake Assist System
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Advanced Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
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Tyre pressure monitor display
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ParkSense® Rear Back-up System
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Rain-sensitive wipers
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Premium alarm and immobiliser
All safety and security systems contribute to Commander’s exceptional vehicle dynamics. Systems like advanced multi-stage front and side-curtain air bags, tyre pressure monitoring and ParkSense Rear Back-up System offer the latest innovations in occupant protection, safety and security on the road.
Concert-hall quality sound system
The standard audio equipment for Jeep Commander Limited is an AM/FM stereo radio with a six-disc CD player and a renowned Boston Acoustics six-speaker sound system featuring a 276 watt amplifier and six speakers – two mid-to-high frequency units in the instrument panel, two woofers in the front doors and two full-range speakers in the rear doors.
The amplifier features Digital Signal Processing for a clean sound with minimal distortion. Boston Acoustics sound performance is characterised by a smooth tonal balance with natural frequency response.
Jeep Commander Sport features an AM/FM stereo radio with single disc CD player and eight speakers.
Rear-seat Entertainment System
The rear-seat DVD entertainment system, available as standard on Limited models, consists of a centre-console-mounted DVD player, overhead LCD monitor, wireless remote control and two wireless headsets.
The system is located in the second row for rear-seat passenger enjoyment. In addition to video DVDs, the system can also play DVD and CD media. Plug-in jacks on the housing also allow video from a video camera, connect video games for display on the screen and play music through the rear headphones directly from an MP3 player.
Competitive pricing
Commander 3,0l CRD Limited is competitively priced at R519 900 and the Commander 3,0l CRD Sport is priced at R439 900.
The Jeep range of vehicles is covered by a comprehensive three-year/100 000 km mechanical warranty and a full maintenance plan also extended to three-year/100 000 km.
