2009 Jeep Commander

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
• Photos & Videos

Performance - What the Auto Press Says

While the Commander is nearly unstoppable off-road, many SUV buyers will find its ride rough and trucky and its engines unrefined.

• "There are sleeker, less-expensive and more fuel-efficient SUV and crossover wagon choices available to get you around town." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "It drives very trucklike, a downer in today's world of refined crossovers." -- Car and Driver

Acceleration and Power

The base Jeep Commander Sport has the standard 3.7-liter V6 capable of 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. The Limited model is a bit more powerful, and comes with a 4.7-liter V8 that generates 305 horsepower and 334 pound-feet of torque. A 5.7 liter HEMI engine is also available and is a reviewer favorite. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the rear-wheel-drive Jeep Commander with the V6 engine gets 14 miles per gallon in the city and 19 on the highway. The four-wheel-drive V6 gets the same. The Commander's new Flex-Fuel engine should achieve 9 mpg in the city and 12 on highways using E85 fuel and four-wheel drive. With rear-wheel drive, the highway figure changes to 13 mpg.

• "The standard 3.7-liter V6 is adequate on- or off-road with light passenger and cargo loads, but would be underpowered with heavier loads or at higher altitudes." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "The vigorous and smooth Hemi now churns out 52 more horses than the available 4.7-liter V8, and it actually drinks less 87 octane than its smaller sibling. This obviously makes the Hemi the engine of choice if your heart is set on buying a Commander." -- Edmunds
• "You can still get a Jeep Commander with the Hemi V-8, but the responsible choice-as far as seven-passenger, V-8-powered SUVs are concerned in a gasping economy-is the smaller, 4.7-liter V-8. Oh, wait. The Hemi is only $820 more and gets better fuel economy? Never mind. (There is a V-6, but just because you have a rope and are near train tracks doesn't mean you have to tie yourself to them and wait for the 10:15.)" -- Car and Driver\

Handling and Braking

Reviewers agree that the Commander's handling is good for an SUV that's designed for heavy off-roading, but off-road capability means that on road performance lags behind competitors. However, many note that the Commander is comfortable on the highway.

• "Evasive maneuvering, on the other hand, is as frightening as the Commander's proportions would suggest.The high roof, the narrow width, and the floppy tire sidewalls-which, at the end of our testing, showed landmark shoulder-block feathering-combine for relentless understeer at the limit and truly unsettling transient behavior. If it's anything smaller than a Sitting Bull in the road, your safest bet is to stand on the brakes-which aren't as effective as they should be, with braking from 70 mph to 0 taking 205 feet-and auger in." -- Car and Driver
• "Commander absorbs most bumps with little harshness. A solid-feeling structure enhances the impression of car-like comfort, though some testers cited some unwanted float over highway-speed dips and swells." -- Consumer Guide
• "The 2009 Jeep Commander has a comfortable, serene ride. Some drivers might find its undulating body motions excessive when driven over bumps, however. " -- Edmunds
• "Highway tracking is excellent, and it is very stable on the road."--AutoWeek

Off-Roading

One stand-out attraction to the Jeep Commander is in its ability to drive off the road.

• "Taken off-road, the Jeep proves to be a capable machine thanks to its sufficient ground clearance, ample wheel travel and low-range 4WD." -- Edmunds
• "It's probably true that Jeep owners are more likely to venture off-road than owners of any other SUV make. And even if they don't, they want to know that they can." -- AutoMedia.com
• "The Commander easily pulled through sand and mud and over large rocks and downed trees." Motor Trend