Giant Jeep Commander coming to the UK

What you see before you is the new Jeep Commander, the largest off-roader in the company's range and due to arrive at a Chrysler Jeep dealer near you in March 2006. Despite appearances, the Commander is only 47mm longer than the Jeep Grand Cherokee yet it squeezes in three rows of seats, being the first ever Jeep to offer up to seven seats.

The seats are arranged theatre style, with each subsequent row higher than the one in front. To accommodate this the roof features a raised section. I don't personally like the square-cut bulky looks of the Commander, but there is no doubting its heritage, with the seven-slot chromed grille and circular light elements at the front and the trapezoidal wheel openings and wheelarch extensions. Despite housing the latest safety equipment and technology the Commander looks like it has been on the market for years.

Sharing the Grand Cherokee's platform means that the Commander should be just as good off road. It can be equipped with the same range of engines and transmissions, including the Hemi V8 petrol engine, which probably won't see many sales in the UK with fuel prices as they are. Front suspension is independent, ensuring that the Commander won't wallow about too much on the road.

Inside the Commander, the driving position suits the car's name; with a sense of driving something big enhanced by the high, flat, upright dashboard and generously proportioned seats. A nod to the car's utilitarian function is found in exposed Allen head bolts around the eight (yes eight) air vents at the front, which seem slightly at odds with the leather and wood finishes, but there you go.