Road Test: Jeep Commander

If G.I. Joe were in the market for some new wheels, he'd want them to look like this. Jeep's super-rugged, beefy, boxy seven-passenger vehicle isn't just tough-looking. It's also built like a soldier. My tester, with its massive 5.7-liter V-8, 330-horsepower Hemi engine, had good acceleration and better than expected handling through corners despite its high ride.

Everything about the Commander is made to look substantial and resilient, as if it could come out unscathed after a boulder-laden climb. There's ample torque and full-time grippy four-wheel drive to get through muddy terrain and generous ground clearance. I like the copious use of rivets and bolts to punctuate the Commander's utilitarian and industrial personality on the dashboard and steering wheel. It even sports bolt-on flared fenders. Yet it's also fashionable with dual skylights, muted matte faux-woodgrain trim, two-tone seating and a stylized chrome door handle. Strong enough for Joe, but also playful enough for you and the troops.

Tara Weingarten

Tip: A multidisplacement engine automatically switches between four and eight cylinders for better fuel economy.

© 2006