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After a comprehensive week-long group test in rural Wales, United Kingdom, 4x4
magazine has voted the Jeep® Commander the winner of its coveted 4x4 Of The Year
Award 2007.
“As the brand’s first seven-seater the Jeep Commander has struck a chord with
the Australian public since arriving,” said Gerry Jenkins, managing director,
Chrysler Group Australia.
“This latest 4x4 award attests to the Commander’s benchmark Jeep offroad
capability in the most rugged countryside. Commander is also equally at home on
the smoothest city street, it is an exceptional vehicle in every way,” he said.
Unique among UK publications, 4x4 magazine is the only one to gather all the
award candidates together at one location simultaneously. This year, it divided
the 53 contenders into seven categories and in the Family SUV section the Jeep
Commander faced competition from eight would-be rivals.
In a series of tests – each designed to put every vehicle through real world
off-road situations – the Jeep Commander earned 39 points out of a possible 50
to triumph in the Family SUV category and beat products from other famous 4x4
brands such as Land Rover, Nissan, Toyota and Mitsubishi.
“This annual group test isn’t about just driving this massive fleet of
vehicles through the muddiest, toughest, most extreme terrain our testers can
find,” commented John Carroll, editor of 4x4 magazine. “Our 4x4 Of The Year is
also about measuring their competence in a true off-road environment, while
assessing their comfort, refinement, style and value.”
Awarding the Jeep Commander the winner’s rosette for the Family SUV category,
the magazine stated: “Retro looks hide a modern and comfortable seven-seater
interior with... superbly shaped seats... smooth-revving 3.0-litre turbodiesel... more
than adequate off-road agility, thanks to Jeep’s clever Quadra-Drive II system...
and the V8 Hemi is a glorified – but luxurious – boy racer.”
The seven category winners’ scores ranged from 26 to 36 points, but none
could come close to matching the Jeep Commander’s victorious tally of 39 points.
In selecting the Jeep Commander as the magazine’s overall champion and 2006
winner of the 4x4OTY award, editor John Carroll wrote: “The new premium Jeep
surprised us. The Commander reverts to the true core off-roader value of
functionality over form. Look past the brash grille and see the stepped-up
roofline allowing ‘theatre’ seating and the way the roof rails fold over to give
a grab-handle effect on either side of the tailgate. The squared-up shape
maximises interior space and practicality. Underneath, is the Quadra-Drive II
system, so the Jeep has the genuine capability to back up its genuine off-roader
looks”.
4x4 OTY 2007 – Group winners
1 Jeep Commander 39 points
2
Range Rover 36 points
3 Hummer H3 35 points
4 Audi A6 Allroad 31
points
5 Daihatsu Terios 26 points
6= Nissan Navara 29 points
6=
SsangYong Kyron 29 points
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