New 3 row Jeep?

OK, well, I just had a night out with my guy who I don't get to see much anymore & I did have a couple drinks (of course I wasn't driving) ... so I thought I could be wrong, LOL -- but, I saw a new boxey Jeep with a 3rd row of seats? http://www.jeep.com/commander/home_flash.html I know some Jeep-lovers that are going to be thrilled! Although, it's missing a middle headrest for the middle row center seat but at least I can see there's a shoulder belt for it....

I love the looks of it, but every time I covet a vehicle like this the realist in me reminds me of the gas mileage of monsters like this.

Actually, I don't think the milage is too terrible. Of course this is coming from someone who's car only gets 13mpg on a good day! When we go to buy a new car in the next year or so, this is at the top of our list. I loved my Jeep, but it was just way too small for us once Cody was born. I'm pretty happy with my Durango for the four of us, and the 3rd row is so nice to have when you have extra people, or if I have my friend's kids.
A few months ago I also saw an H2 with a 3rd row. I don't know if it's an option on the new ones, or if it was one of those aftermarket things, but I also plan on looking into those.

I couldnt find the MPG, how much is it?

I saw one on the road the other day and thought it was cute, saw it had a 3rd rown, but never put it together until now lol!

Im going to have the hardest time finding a new car when its time to shop. I get 30/40mpg(sometimes even more) with my car, then I look at others that only get 20/30 give or take and Im luke io! I really liked the prius for gas milage as well as a LOT of other reasons, but I got to sit in one the other day and while it had slightly more room width and length wise than my corolla, its roof was very short and I kept hitting my head!(never happened in my corolla!).

An article about it:

http://trucks.about.com/od/2006suvs/a/commander.htm

Fuel Economy info (bad, IMO):

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/22417.shtml

dang! that is half what mine gets!(of course its car vs suv).
Im glad Ive got this site now though, will help me compare gas milage for the cars on my list. It isnt the #1 priority for me to keep milage that good, but I want it somewhere close.

Well, like I said, the mileage seems good to me...lol The most I've ever gotten was in my Maxima and that was only 22, and right now I'm only getting around 13. If I drive down to my mom's 3 hours away and all highway, I might get 15 mpg. Our other choice is a Tahoe, and I think they average around 16 or 17. I'm sure the Jeep gets so low of milage b/c it has full time 4WD. Just having 4WD running gear really drags your milage down, but full time 4WD is even worse.
I do like the safety options, but I don't know if what they have available is what most cars now have standard. I've never had a new car, and my Durango is actually the first thing I've ever had with both driver and passenger airbags, so I was pretty excited about that. I would be over the moon with side curtain airbags! LOL
I guess it would really depend on how big it is. That article said it was only 2 inches longer than the grand cherokee, so with the 3rd row, I wonder if there is any cargo space. That's my biggest complaint with my Durango. Once you have the 3rd row up, there's only 18" of cargo space. And you also can't get 3 across in the second row. Jeeps are known for being roomy, so if it wouldn't be any bigger than my Durango, I wouldn't even consider it.

I just realized the gas mileage given is for the 2WD Commander, so I'd imagine the 4WD version's numbers would be lower.

I've driven the commander

I saw/drove/played with the Commander (Jeep with three rows) and Camp Jeep last summer just before it was released. They had a game where you had to unload all the luggage, close the car, and reload it then the best time got a prize. There were bags, a stroller, packnplay and skis! If they just would have had correct car seat installation I would have won! Anyway, sorry for the rabbit trail.
There are two seats in the back, but there is essentially NO cargo room behind the third seat. I'm thinking about the same or less than the Mazda 5. Really- not much. It would be great for occational riders, but if you had two kids in the back you wouldn't be able to go on vacation unless you had some other storage for the stuff. It was pretty nice, the seats folded into the floor well and it had nice options. The reps did say that althought it's off-road capable as all jeeps are that off-roading a lot really beats up the comfort/luxury features. I immagine that doesn't matter to most people. They did have a mild off-road course that I drove it on and it was pretty nice. Definately a lot cushier than our Wrangler. I know our jeep dealer will let you take a vehicle home for a 24 hr test drive if you seen interrested. You might want to try that.
HTH
Joy
DD 8-21-03 in WZ

Yeah, it looked like less room than the Highlander for the 3rd row/cargo, but I couldn't be sure....

Also, you're right: last year we did some research on the effect of SUVs on economics & environment -- only about 5% of people that drive them actually use the offroad capability more than a couple/few times during the life of the vehicle, LOL

fwiw, we don't go "off-road" in the commonly accepted sense, but when it snows a 4x4 is the ONLY way to get in and out of our driveway. Situations like that are rarely counted in those surveys, IMO.

True -- I'm not sure if they consider it off road Perhaps they do only for "4 Low" instead of the regular 4X4

no clue, but I do get very frustrated when they assume that just because people don't go mudbogging in their Jeeps or whatever that they don't need the 4x4 capability.

Here's a picture of our driveway after a snowstorm. There is a 6" drop on either side of the paved part that you can't see b/c of the snow, and at the bottom of the hill a 3 ft deep ditch.

Mhm - my parents have 150+ acres (I think they sold 50 so down from 200) & a 1/2 mile long dirt road driveway, LOL ... up here in upstate NY near the Finger Lakes & on the top of the hill it collects a ton of snow! This why they have a Highlander for winter & Prius for summer (both hybrids) & the old F250 with plow My driveway isn't quite so bad - it get some *some* of the time, LOL, but it's a very steep winding hill Even then with the AWD or FWD it's kinda scarey

It doesnt snow here I cant even remember the last time I saw snow!!!!(and the last time there was more than an inch was the 'blizzard' of '93)

Mudbogging is REALLY popular around here though, and there are a lot of trails and obsticle courses for SUVs and trucks to 'play' on. Around here I would say 60% of people who have 4x4s(SUVs and trucks) use them for offroading adventures, so its weird to hear that the % is so low(unless it is SUV only? cause trucks are much more popular here). Of course by the time most people can afford a good 4x4 they are probably past that stage in life lol!

No, actually, it was for all Light Truck vehicles, including SUVs (basically, anything for passengers, smaller than MACKs, LOL) -- there's a huge % of such vehicles used for business which still qualify with this that are never used off road like that & I'm betting they don't consider plowing off road.... I remember a lot of it being about how government employees/representatives/whatever get SUVs as company cars & dealers prefer to use SUVs for employees & loaners because it inspires the public to buy them (they cost more so the dealers like that, ya know?) I'd say, considering, how many people I've seen in NYC & Los Angeles driving spic-n-span-obviously-never-off-roaded SUVs the national average is probably about 20+% but I'm just guestimating based on my own experiences (where I live now we have mud shows, too, but more of the vehicles are cars than trucks, maybe we're just weird?!) I don't think it really matters anyway -- who would want to use a brand new vehicle off road like that??? LOL!

Yeah, we'll likely never go "off-road" with our Jeep, but we get ice several times each winter, and generally one good snow (2" or less, but it leaves the paved driveway a MESS.) We can't get out(our in!) without 4wd then.

Well, I can definately understand wanting 4x4 for winter. I don't need that here in FL, but grew up in SW MO where one slip and you didn't land in a ditch, you went off a cliff or into one.

We take our jeep "off-road" as a family activity. We have been in the Mud a couple of times, but only once with the top off. I still find hidden mud on DDs Wizard! The jeep isn't our daily driver, but I drive it a lot when the weather is nice and the top is off. It's a big pain to get DD out of a RFing seat with the top on if she's sleeping and hard to clip her harness for her too. With the top off it's great- just step on the tire and stick her in the side. She loves it!

I do think that commander is nice, but if I ever want something bigger than my VUE will will probably just go for a Sienna.

The Jeep will eventually become Cam's vehicle for work, and I'll get the 2wd family car, but long term plans are for a Suburban for family trips (we go to NC every summer for a week), at that time I'll get a compact car since I won't have to transport anyone but Joyjoy and myself in it.

Here's the page that shows the stats for all the versions of the Commander.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/2006_Jeep_Commander.shtml

In the other article on Trucks, it said there were only 4WD models available, so I'm not sure about the 2WD. I haven't checked out the Jeep/Chrysler site to check. Even the souped up 5.7L 4WD gets better milage than my Durango though.

I kind of figured that it had little cargo space with the 3rd row. That definatly makes it out for us. Usually when we need to use our 3rd row, it's when we are picking someone up from the airport, or when I've got a couple extra kids with me (with kid stuff) so I've gotten good at using the rack on top. But then that drags your milage down even worse...lol

Here in Northern Idaho a 4WD is a must. Probably 70% of the roads around here are dirt and a car just gets beat to pieces. Right now we live right on a chip sealed road that gets plowed, but we used to live 2 miles back on a hilly dirt road. The snow was bad in the winter, and in the spring when the snow melted, you had to mud bog just to get to town! We live in the valley now, but are looking at property 11 miles up the mountain. It's so far back there isn't even a phone. We drove up there a few weeks ago and were pushing through 2 feet of snow (in the plowed section LOL). We didn't have any problems, but I was getting nervous. There's no way you could make it in a car. If we end up moving up there, we will have to get a truck with a plow. Oh, and here it is the middle of March, and we have a foot of snow on the ground and it's dumping down more every minute. I have to go to town this afternoon b/c it has been so snowy the past few days I haven't wanted to drag the kids out, but we pretty much are down to a jar of pickles and the baking soda in the fridge. This should be a fun ride. LOL I have been VERY happy with the AWD and traction control on my Durango. The only time I have ever slipped was when I was goofing around, and even then, it was hard to get the tires to spin.

I do think it's funny that so many people drive trucks and SUV's that have never been in 4WD. A couple weeks ago I saw a line of 16 Hummers (H1's, H2's and H3's) all driving back to town COVERED in mud. I would have a hard time mudding a $60,000 truck, but I gotta respect the person who does.