Most of us don’t remember but the Commander was one of the nameplates Jeep used in the mid-2000s. It came in 2005, as an extended version of Jeep Liberty, now better known as Jeep Cherokee. It was a stretched version, with three rows of seats but it never managed to establish a better position on the market. So, it’s no wonder its production was ended just five years ago. Meanwhile, a new model called Grand Commander was launched for the Chinese market. Now, we are hearing rumors the nameplate could come back to North America, in the form of the 2022 Jeep Commander.
At this point, the officials are still quiet on this matter, which sounds logical considering that the management is currently busy with the next-generation Grand Cherokee and the comeback of Grand Wagoneer. However, this doesn’t mean we can’t speculate about the possible comeback, which has been rumored for the first time a few years ago.
2022 Jeep Commander Design
When it comes to base design characteristics, it’s hard to be precise at this moment. Still, most unofficial reports suggest that the 2022 Jeep Commander could easily be a rebadged version of the Chinese Grand Commander. It would be slotted between Cherokee and Grand Cherokee, with a wheelbase that goes slightly under 111 inches. That’s somewhere between compact and mid-size SUV in terms of dimensions, but definitely enough space for three rows of seats. Given the size, as well as the expected level of luxury, we presume that VW Tiguan would be a natural competitor. Also, there are many other models of similar size around.
Mechanically, the Chinese model used proved design solutions. It rides on a good-old Compact Wide platform and shares many parts with Cherokee. In terms of the styling, you can see a typical Jeep design language. Of course, a couple of exclusive details as well. We presume that the North American version could come with a couple of tweaks, but most of the things would probably remain the same.
Interior
Despite its been designed primarily for the Chinese market, the overall quality is at a pretty high level. Not only that the dashboard looks attractive, but it also utilizes quality materials. So, we don’t expect too many modifications to be made in order to adapt this interior to need of American drivers. Still, we would probably expect to see a little bit longer list of standard equipment and more advanced tech goodies.
When it comes to interior space, the Chinese version comes standard with three rows of seats. On the other side, the US model would probably come with two, while the third row would be optional.
2022 Jeep Commander Engine
The Chinese version comes standard with a 2.0-liter turbo-four. It is good for about 230 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Most likely, the North American version would feature a more powerful version of this engine, the same one found in Cherokee, with a total output of 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. A V6 option doesn’t sound particularly likely.
On the other side, the thing that definitely sounds likely is electrification. We believe that the PHEV version sold in China could be offered in North America as well. This model also uses a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine but gets help from an electric motor and a 13-kWh battery pack.
2022 Jeep Commander Release Date and Price
At this point, the 2022 Jeep Commander is nothing more than a rumor. So, take the reports that suggest its arrival in North America next year with a big reserve. If it ever arrives, we presume that the base price would go under 30.000 dollars.
Like the original commander better. We had 2 different ones, they were my favorite Jeep! New ones looks like our grand Cherokee. Disappointed