New Jeep 7-Seater SUV To Be Called Commander But Could Get A Different Name In India

Its styling seems to be influenced by Jeep’s newer models such as the Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer

• Jeep has been dropping teasers for its new 7-seater SUV offering in Brazil ahead of its imminent global debut. 

• It is scheduled to be launched in India in 2022 as a locally built model.

• New teaser confirms the name Commander for the new SUV but it could be changed in India due to trademark issues.

• Tail lamps and side profile seem similar to that of the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

• Jeep’s 7-seater SUV will be a premium offering, even more than Indian rivals Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour.

• Commander is expected to be offered with petrol and diesel engines as well as 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrains.

Jeep has once again teased its upcoming 7-seater SUV for the Brazilian market and confirmed it will be called the Commander. It is slated to launch in India in 2022 but it will likely get a different moniker here.

As stated on previous occasions, the name Commander is under trademark by Mahindra for one of its old jeeps. Hence, Jeep is expected to give its newest offering a different badge for the Indian market. This is a relatively common practice in the auto industry, wherein a car has different names in different markets due to copyright or trademark issues. Based on an earlier trademark application by Jeep, its upcoming seven-seater could be called the Patriot in India.

While the first teaser gave us a glimpse of the Commander’s grille, the new one shows us the tail lamps and the silhouette of the side profile. The LED elements and shapes of the tail lamps are inspired by the latest Jeep Grand Wagoneer while it seems to have an elongated frame to accommodate the third row of seats. All the details teased until now confirm this premium SUV will have impressive road presence.

Jeep also seems to be including some easter eggs in the teasers for the new Commander. In the new teaser from Jeep Brasil, the carmaker revealed it had dropped a hint regarding the SUV’s name by morse code in the soundtrack of the first teaser (seen above). It further states the soundtrack of the second teaser carries another hint about the upcoming seven-seater offering. Check it out here to find the hidden message.

A locally built product, the new seven-seater Jeep will be positioned between the Compass and the upcoming Grand Cherokee in the brand’s Indian lineup. It is expected to be offered with the choice of 2.0-litre diesel and turbo-petrol engines, with a choice of 4x4 and 4x2 drivetrains. The petrol motor could be borrowed from the Wrangler Unlimited where it produces 268PS/400Nm while the diesel engine could be an uprated version of the 172PS/350Nm unit found in the Compass. Jeep is likely to offer the diesel engine with a 9-speed automatic while the petrol engine could be restricted to the 8-speed automatic transmission.

As a premium offering, the Commander is expected to be well-equipped in terms of comfort, safety, and technology. It will likely offer a few advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including lane assist, blind spot monitoring, and autonomous emergency braking. It could offer creature comforts such as power-adjustable front seats, large displays for the instrument cluster and infotainment, connected car technology, a powered tailgate, and a panoramic sunroof. 

Also read: Jeep’s India-bound 7-Seater SUV Will Have An Unique Design To Take On The Fortuner And Endeavour Better

The Jeep Commander will compete in the premium full-size SUV segment in India, taking on the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, MG Gloster as well as the upcoming Skoda Kodiaq and facelifted Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace. It’s expected to be priced between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh (ex-showroom).