Autoblog.com described the Jeep Commander as "one of the most unappealing vehicles, as far as appearance, we've seen in this site's 10 months of existence".
Many of the people that saw the model I was driving remarked that it was ugly on the outside but beautiful on the inside.
These comments lead me to one conclusion: the Commander has been wronged. Jeep has been bold enough to do what few American vehicle manufacturers have done: go back to their roots, rediscover what made their product worthy, and to improve on that.
Not an ugly duckling
The Commander's chunky shape is a revival of the classic military jeep. It says: This vehicle means business. A cabin that is luxury personified compliments the combat-worthy appearance of the chassis and body.
The biggest difference with the 2007 model of the CRD Limited is Jeep's decision to replace its 5.7-litre Hemi V8 engine with a three-litre CRD (common-rail diesel) diesel engine that pumps out 510Nm of torque from 1600-2000rpm and 160kw at 4000rpm. The pulling power of this unit is tangible, it doesn't provide the kind of acceleration that knocks you into the back of the seat but makes you well aware that the vehicle is prepared to haul just about any load that you can hook on or carry.
The diesel option adds about R20 000 to the price of the Commander but brings improved fuel efficiency without sacrificing torque and power. I could not match Jeep's claimed fuel consumption of 9-10.5 litres/100km but, to be fair, they say this is possible with a light foot and over a long distance trip where the average speed is 100-120km/h. The closest I could get without putting in any effort was 13 litres/100km but that's far better than the thirsty Hemi V8 which at times racked up 19 litres over the same distance when driven by editor Les Stephenson just over a year ago.
Pack it in
If you plan on packing this vehicle with a full load of passengers - it seats seven, including the driver, very comfortably - along with all the holiday gear you'll need to include a trailer and possibly even a roof rack in your outlay as baggage space is minimal with the third row of seats folded out.
The vehicle cabin is the equivalent of a large, well-equipped lounge. The leather seats are wide and legroom is plentiful in the front and second row of seats. Driver and front passenger seats have power adjustment and the driver's side has two memory positions so you don't waste time fiddling with seat switches after another person has had a go the vehicle.
The folding third-row seats, which can be locked in in any position by pulling on the strap attached to each, are only really suitable for younger children and the newly teened.
The seats drastically reduce visibility through the rear window though I wasn't really cared as they also provide the perfect viewing point for the (optional) DVD player that kept the kids absolutely silent on any trip. The player's liquid-crystal screen folds out from a panel in the roof and the player is between the front seats (facing the second row) and is easily operated with the supplied remote that stows away with the screen.
The unit also can be hooked to any device with RCA video and audio outputs, making it possible to plug in a video camera or even a PlayStation 2 or other gaming console if you have the cables and power supply. My kids are now set on establishing a permanent home in the Commander.
Mucking about
When it comes to off-road performance the Commander is the real deal. This is no faux-by-faux, as some of the tough-looking SUVs have turned out to be. Pull up the handbrake, shift the gear lever on the auto box to neutral and lull lightly pull on the silver T nestled next to the shift stick and the Commander locks the hubs and engages all-wheel drive.
I took the vehicle across some open ground on grass, gravel and mud tracks. Even with the standard road tyres - 245/65R17s on five-spoked alloy rims - the vehicle performed beautifully until I drove it into a broad puddle that masked a deep pit of soft clay. The Jeep's front wheels quickly became bogged down (So that's why off-road tyres have big, knobby treads!) but 10 minutes of shoveling and a track of duck boards crafted from a wooden packing crate had the vehicle out of the muck and on firm ground again.
Mink and macho
The Limited brings all kinds of luxuries (some of them extra-cost options): several sunroofs, climate control for each passengers, heatable external mirrors, myriad air bags, a six-disc CD/MP3 player, heatable leather seats and wood inlay on the centre console and doors.
These features add about R100 000 to the price of the Limited over the Laredo models. And the expenditure is well worth it.
The Commander is also impressively macho and quite intimidating. I don't advocate aggressive driving but this vehicle just manages to make drivers leery as you approach. It's so impressive that when I ended up driving next to a Hummer that exactly matched the chrome and metallic-black colour scheme of the Commander I couldn't help but feel sorry for the H3's owner.
There was just no way I was going to swop cars to lift his mood.
This Jeep may be slightly smaller but I'll wager its stature will help it make a nice meal of any Schwarzenegger-mobile.
The fine print
Prices for the all-auto Commander range include a three-year or 100 000km warranty and a three-year or 100 000km maintenance plan. Here's how they read:
Commander Laredo 3.0L CRD - R439 900
Commander Laredo 4.7L V8 - R399 900
Commander Limited 5.7L V8 - R499 900
Commander Limited 3.0L CRD - R519 900