Jeep in command

Like others interested in making a profit out of manufacturing vehicles, iconic American brand Jeep tried its luck at the large, premium SUV segment that was keeping BMW and Mercedes prosperous.

The Jeep Commander was the result of a desire to tap into this niche and with the company's legendary off-road track record, the opportunity was ripe.

The premium SUV pie has gone on to include even more players but it's only a select few - including the Jeep Commander - that can successfully merge luxury, refinement and genuine ruggedness.

This seven-seat SUV, which made history as the first Jeep model ever to offer three rows of seats, makes sense to those with extended families who love the outdoors.

Every family member, including brave grandma, can tag along into the belly of any dry river bed for an adventure of note.

Expect a whole lot of luxury and practicality, ranging from the usual climate control and other interior features to the capability of splitting the ample seat backrests to create a loading bay of sorts.

Jeep looked to the tried and tested to ensure that the Commander performed well off the beaten track.

Parts sharing with the accomplished Grand Cherokee assured that this vehicle didn't disappoint in the execution of its celebrated talents.

Launched in South Africa against the backdrop of Jeep's 65th anniversary celebrations, the upright and angry-looking Jeep Commander is now a bit obscure thanks to a flurry of new rival vehicles, but it's still a desirable car.

Initially it was launched with a 240kW and 500Nm 5.7-litre "Hemi" V8 and a smaller Powertech V8 with 170kW and 410Nm mated to an auto gearbox.

This hulk of a car packs the kind of punch needed to match its size and functionality.

Although robust and muscular and quite technically fascinating, especially the Hemi, I find it hard to openly recommend the V8 models.

Ultimately, its weight and size have a profound bearing on its fuel economy, which is best described as ravenous.

And the rewards are very few, with no road-burning qualities to speak of.

These engines are better suited to smaller variants, such as the Grand Cherokee or the 300C sedan.

However, this Jeep only flourished when the company later introduced a 3.0-litre V6 CRD version.

With this engine, the Commander certainly commanded attention as the motor's chunky torque was delivered much earlier in the rev range compared to its petrol siblings.

The diesel Commander thus made easy meat of lugging this 2.9 ton hulk and seven occupants over road and crevice.

In fact, there was more than a visible improvement in outright road performance, with the diesel Commander managing to out-sprint its petrol equivalents convincingly.

If you are on the lookout for a pre-owned Jeep, congratulations, you have zoned in on one capable car.

But do yourself a favour and look away from the petrol variants; the diesel iteration will add a bit more joy to the experience. They retail between R399000 and R200000 for earlier models.