The Commander is a new-for-2006 variant of the Jeep Grand Cherokee that was enlarged and reshaped to incorporate a third row seat and a comfortable second-row. And in terms of interior comfort, it is a dramatic improvement over the Grand Cherokee, with a surprisingly low price premium. It doesn’t handle as well however, and the 3.7-liter V6 shared between the two vehicles is almost dangerously underpowered in the larger Jeep.

The Commander rides comfortably, but like the Grand Cherokee, is prone to excessive float at highway speeds. Despite its height, there is no evident side-to-side rocking even on broken pavement at high speeds. The slow and vague though accurate steering is shared with the Grand Cherokee, but the Commander has much more body roll in cornering. The 3.7-liter V6 is overworked even in the Grand Cherokee, and fares much worse in the heavier, brick-shaped Commander under any circumstance. Additional measures were taken to isolate unwanted noises from the Commander’s interior than the Grand Cherokee’s, but the engine is clearly audible as it strains to accelerate. Fuel economy is poor for a V6 vehicle by the standards of this group.

Inside, the Commander’s seats are much better than the Grand Cherokee’s, and there is much more space. The front seats are high, nicely-angled, supportive, and quite comfortable overall despite a somewhat flat cushion. The flat, hard rear seats are raised a few inches higher than the front seats, and offer excellent room and leg support, and the seatbacks can recline. The third row, raised a few inches even over the second row, is mounted on the floor and equipped with a tiny, hard cushion, but does have sufficient head and leg room even for adults to sit, if not comfortably. The dash design is similar to the Grand Cherokee’s, but the interior is of higher quality. The gauges are clear, and the instruments are generally simple to use. Drivers sit high and comfortably, and the large windows help visibility in all directions. The rearmost roof pillars could be narrower for even better visibility, however. Large, well-shaped door openings and the high roof facilitate entry/exit, and the third-row’s fairly large footwell (made so by the diminutive seat) eases access there. Cargo space is disappointing, barely an improvement over the Grand Cherokee despite notably increases in exterior dimensions (particularly height), and the 6 cubic feet of space behind the third row is unusable even for groceries.

Neither the IIHS nor NHTSA have crash-tested the Commander.

The Commander comes reasonably well-equipped at $29,655, with standard side airbags that protect the torsos of the front-seat occupants, and the heads of the occupants of all three rows, traction and stability control, and a reverse-sensing system. Also included at that price are a 6-disc CD player, a UConnect hands-free cellular phone linkup, satellite radio, and power-adjustable pedals. Such options as heated leather seats and a sunroof are unavailable within the price range for this group, the former being available only as part of a $4,100 in the Base trim, and the latter only being available on the more-expensive Limited version.

Overall, the Commander is a better vehicle than the Grand Cherokee, with much more room for not much more money. The sacrifices in handling and ride comfort aren’t significant, but the V6 model’s lack of power is. With a lower price and more standard power, the Commander could be a class leader here, but as it is now, there are better choices.