Jeep Commander (06-09) - Review

All models come with 'theatre seating' so the Commander is able to seat five adults and two children in comfort. Each row is slightly higher than the one in front, so all passengers get a good view forward. It works well, although the third row of seats are practically flat on the floor, which can be uncomfortable for adults, but acceptable for children. There's adequate leg and headroom in the second row of seats and it's very spacious up front - the roof is stepped to ensure that all passengers get enough headroom. Under heavy acceleration the 3.0-litre CRD diesel can be loud and at speed there is noise from around the windscreen, but aside from that it's a quiet car to be in.

The Commander isn't quite as practical as its size would suggest. Although the tailgate opening is wide, it's high off the ground, which makes loading heavy items difficult. With all seven seats in place, there's not much room for luggage either. On the plus side, the seats fold down for extra space, but not totally flat into the floor. There's a useful L-shaped storage bin behind the third row of seats but stowage in the front could be better with fairly shallow door pockets.

There's a great forward view for the driver, thanks to the elevated driving position and large amounts of glass. But when the car's fully loaded, the view out of the rear can be restricted. The steering wheel adjusts for reach and height and the driver's seat is electrically adjustable. The dashboard is relatively modern looking and all the major controls are grouped together well, although the sat-nav can be a bit fiddly to use at first.