Jeep has started taking reservations for a new 3-row crossover SUV in China. Called the Grand Commander, the vehicle is the production version of the the plug-in hybrid Yuntu concept that Jeep presented last April at the 2017 Shanghai auto show. It's due to enter production later this year.
Right now the Grand Commander has only been confirmed for the Chinese market, where it is likely to stay. The low approach and departure angles belie the Jeep brand’s off-road credentials, which is why we're unlikely to see it elsewise.
Underpinning the SUV is a stretched version of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Compact U.S. Wide (CUSW) platform, which is also found in the Cherokee.
Jeep hasn't revealed any details but the Grand Commander is thought to measure 191 inches in length.
The standard powertrain is thought to be a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 but a plug-in hybrid option, as previewed in the Yuntu concept, could join the lineup at a later date. Production will be handled at a plant in China operated by Jeep and its local partner GAC.
Jeep has a different pair of 3-row SUVs planned for the United States. The automaker is working on a Wagoneer and super-sized Grand Wagoneer for sale here.
They will be based on the body-on-frame platform of the latest Ram pickup trucks, and will enter production at FCA's Warren Truck Assembly plant in Michigan some time after 2020.
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