Agincourt Chrysler Jeep

Jeep Commander starts at $40,865
by Alex Law / Auto123.com

DaimlerChrysler has announced prices for the two models of the 2006 Jeep Commander that are coming to Canadian dealerships right now, and the German-owned firm has decided to charge Canadians more than Americans.

2006 Jeep Commander (Photo: DaimlerChrysler)

Canadians will be asked to pay $40,865 for a base 4X4 Commander, while Americans will be asked to pay US$29,985.

For the 4X4 Limited model, the Canadian MSRP is $51,055 compared with the US$38,900 that the Americans are being charged.

The 4X4 Limited with the optional 5.7-litre Hemi V-8 is $52,450 in Canada, versus US$40,395 in the U.S.

Currency rates flicker from minute-to-minute, of course, but at the general level of US$1 to CDN $1.215, that means the U.S. models of Jeep Commander are thousands of dollars less expensive, in either currency.

There are also two 4X2 models in the U.S. that are less expensive than the 4X4 models, by the way.

Charging Canadians more than Americans for essentially the same vehicle is in keeping with recent trends in the pricing of new vehicles from various car companies, but that probably doesn't make it any more palatable for consumers.

2006 Jeep Commander (Photo: DaimlerChrysler)

For the money, says Mike Accavitti of DaimlerChrysler Canada's marketing department, consumers are promised a vehicle that is "classic in design and engineered to perform only as Jeep vehicles can."

It's also a seven-seat vehicle (though the last row has limited appeal), and "comes equipped with many advanced safety technologies."

Jeep Commander also represents the beginning of a Jeep product offensive scheduled over the next couple of years, Accavitti says, though that won't interest today's buyers much.

The $40,865 version of Commander comes with the 3.7-litre SOHC V-6 that puts out 210 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission. That's not a lot of juice for a vehicle this big, especially is you load it up. But it will probably deliver decent fuel economy if you keep the load to one or two adults.

Accavitti says the five-speed automatic transmission "provides an excellent balance of performance and fuel economy," and that the Quadra-Trac I full-time four-wheel drive system "offers customers the convenience of full-time four-wheel drive with no switches or levers to pull."

On a variety of surface conditions, says Accavitti, the four-by-four system provides for smooth operation.

Brake Traction Control System (BTCS) is standard with Quadra-Trac I, and this utilizes the brake system to provide resistance to any wheel that is slipping, allowing additional torque transfer to the wheels with traction.

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