Download Print Press Kit: 2007 Jeep® Commander, What's New for '07 2007 Jeep® Commander: Design Auburn Hills, Mich. August 31, 2006 - DESIGN Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President – Design, Chrysler Group: “Jeep Commander’s design influences are taken from a well-established heritage. The Jeep Commander is an SUV with classic Jeep styling, a flexible three-row seating package and a dramatic departure from the Jeep Grand Cherokee.” Six-plus decades of Jeep history gave Commander’s design team an unrivaled automotive heritage from which to draw. Key sources of inspiration were the Willys Station Wagons (1946 to 1962), the Jeep Wagoneer (1963 to 1991) and, most of all, the Jeep Cherokee (1984 to 2001). Introduced in 2006, the Jeep Commander is immediately recognizable as an authentic Jeep due to its classic Jeep design elements: seven-slot grille, trapezoidal wheel openings, round headlamps and flat surfaces, plus a steep windshield, backlight and rear end. The result is a rugged, constructed appearance that says “Jeep.” Commander is the first Jeep vehicle with three rows of seats. Firm and broad-shouldered, the seats are positioned theater-style: The second row is higher than the first; the third row is higher than the second. Additional headroom is created by literally raising the roof. It is 3.15 inches higher, beginning over the second row and producing a stepped effect. The second-row seats split 40-20-40; the third row, 50-50. The middle and rear rows fold forward to create a flat load floor for maximum utility. Behind the third row is a storage bin, located in the load floor. Underneath it are provisions for storing the jack and tools. The bin’s top panel is removable and reversible. The carpeted side is level with the third row of seats, and the opposite side is molded-in plastic. It’s for storing the gear that active lifestyles demand. Located in the roof above the second row are CommandView™ Skylights. These dual skylights of tinted glass are packaged with the power sun roof that is positioned above the front passengers. Standard on Commander Limited, the package expands the vehicle’s sense of interior roominess. The CommandView Skylights also have roller shades that can be used to block out light when desired. An optional rear-seat DVD player is located between the skylights. An attractive roof rack rail has three integrated tie-downs on each side. On Commander Limited and Overland, assist handles extend from the roof rail down the back of the D-pillars, adding to the rugged, utilitarian appearance of the vehicle. The assist handles are black with chrome inserts on Limited, and black with platinum inserts on the Overland. On top of the rear bumper is a diamond-plate-texture step pad. The pad’s nonskid surface is helpful when stepping on the rear bumper to gain access to the roof of the vehicle. Reinforcing the constructed look on the Limited and Overland models are decorative bolts that appear to attach the classic Jeep trapezoidal wheel flares to the body. The two-tone color scheme on Commander’s instrument panel and interior trim exemplify the vehicle’s attention to interior detail. The upper instrument panel is new. Character is provided by 16 Allen head bolts. A “JEEP” medallion dominates the center of the steering wheel and the new shift knob. The four gauges in the instrument cluster are simple and purposeful. The result is Commander’s Jeep heritage exterior design, complemented by a modern interior of well-conceived amenities and features.