At the same time, the Commander offers a sense of spaciousness. Overhead skylights add an airy feeling for passengers in the second row. The skylights are fixed and don't open, but they have pull-out shades to filter light and reduce heat. The Commander's raised roof permits use of stadium seating; each row is higher than the one in front of it, giving second- and third-row passengers enhanced forward visibility.

Up front, occupants enjoy a commanding view of the road. Head and leg room are plentiful. From the driver's seat, the controls are all within easy reach and are logically placed. The materials are fair, but there are more hard plastic surfaces than top-line buyers might like. Commander offers good storage space, with a large center console, a decent-sized glove box with an open cubby above it, plenty of cupholders and other thoughtful cubby holes here and there.

The second-row seats are comfortable but are tight on leg room for taller passengers. The third-row seat seems designed for children in the eight- to 10-year-old range. To access the rear, the second-row seat flops forward, providing a reasonably easy path to the rearmost bench seat, which is split 50/50. Those of average size and weight should be able to make their way into the third row with minimal effort. Still, the Commander is only a few inches bigger than a standard Grand Cherokee, so back-row seating is tight for adults or for longer trips. The third row does have available rear heating and air conditioning controls, and nearby power points. In addition to providing comfort for children, the rear HVAC can be a relief to dogs on hot days.

Both the second- and third-row seats fold to create a perfectly flat load floor, and there is an L-shaped storage bin located behind the third-row seats. The arrangement means that there will always be a practical way to configure the Commander for either more passenger seating, or added cargo and gear. It strikes us as versatile, but many competitors offer more room. With the second- and third-row seats folded, the Commander has 68.5 cubic feet of cargo space, which is certainly a useful amount, but is considerably less than the Ford Explorer?s 85.8 cubic feet and the Chevrolet Traverse?s 117.9 cubic feet. The load floor height is also relatively high, at 36.2 inches, meaning it requires extra effort to lift cargo up and in.

Jeep?s UConnect GPS system comes with a navigation system with real-time traffic information and a hard drive that can hold thousands of songs. The rear-seat DVD package comes with Sirius Backseat TV. Its channels, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, are great for entertaining the kids, but there is a monthly fee. Two sets of headphones are provided, so front passengers can listen to Sirius radio while rear occupants watch the TV. With the car in Park, front passengers can watch TV on the navigation screen.