Jeep’s upcoming three-row SUV to be called ‘Commander’

KUALA LUMPUR: As we know Jeep is prepping up to introduce a new three-row SUV based on the Compass, whose teaser campaigning has already started last month. At that time, the automaker did not announce the SUV’s name although the teaser suggested the comeback of the ‘Commander’ badge by revealing two letters ‘E’ and ‘R’. Well, here comes a new teaser video confirming that the Jeep’s upcoming seven-seater crossover will be called the Commander.

The automaker is not using this moniker for the first time as its lineup had a Grand Cherokee-based three-row SUV by this name in the 2000s. Also, there is a Jeep SUV on sale in China called the Grand Commander.

Alongside the name, the teaser also shows off the SUV’s silhouette. Upfront, it is likely to have the signature seven-slot grille with a pronounced shoulder line while at the rear, we can see the slender tail lights that seem to be linked by a black strip. Also highlighted is a sloping roofline and chrome accents with Jeep badging on the rear.

According to the reports, the Jeep Commander will share its underpinnings with the Compass and Renegade with a few alterations to accommodate third-row. On the mechanical front, it will be offered in two engine options. The first is 1.3-litre turbo petrol, while the second being a re-tuned 2-litre turbo diesel motor; more capable than the ongoing version found in Jeep’s lineup. A nine-speed automatic gearbox will be there for transmitting the power to the wheels.

Regarding the Jeep Commander interior, no details are available as of now. We can expect it to have all modern-day features like the latest-generation infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto connectivity, digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, automatic climate control, ventilated front seats, wireless smartphone charger, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitor, lane departure warning and more.

Expected to launch in the international markets later this year, the upcoming Jeep Commander will rival against the likes of the Ford Everest, Volkswagen Tiguan AllSpace, and Toyota Fortuner.

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