A sense of spaciousness is the reason customers will be attracted to the Commander. From the driver's seat, the Commander retains the cozy look and feel of a Grand Cherokee. The difference begins behind the driver, where the raised roof permits use of stadium seating, in which each row is higher than the one in front of it.Second- and third-row passengers have enhanced forward visibility. 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 third-row seats will accommodate an adult, but seem more likely to be designed for children in the eight- to 10-year-old range. To access the rear, the second-row seat flops forward, allowing a careful adult a reasonably easy path to one of the split-bench seats, which are divided 50-50. We hopped in and out a few times ourselves. My average size and weight allowed me to make my 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 not ideal for taller adults and longer trips. The third row does have available rear heating and air conditioning controls, and nearby power points. Both the second- and third-row seats fold perfectly flat to create a 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, with few designed-in tradeoffs. The load floor height is relatively high, however, at 36.2 inches, meaning it requires extra effort to load cargo.
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