Just months after its much publicized release, the 7 passenger Jeep Commander is a major disappointment for DaimlerChrysler to the point where it has become an albatross around the automakers neck. Stung with bloated inventories in excess of 100 days an industry killer the Commander is now commanding discounts of over $5000 per vehicle. What went wrong? Plenty, especially if you read what the pundits and prognosticators have to say about the new Jeep.
No vehicle introduction should be problematic however, as for the Jeep Commander this model has fallen well short of sales goals. There are many reasons why the Commander may be failing to live up to expectations including:
High Fuel Prices Gasoline pushing past $2.50 per gallon cannot help any SUV. With the Commanders three thirsty engine choices, the price at the pump can be painful. Yet, the even bigger Chevrolet Tahoe is selling well despite high fuel prices.
Dated Styling Jeep mentions the Commanders heritage exterior design as one of the chief draws for the vehicle. Take one look at the Commander, and the styling cues of the 1984 Jeep Cherokee quickly come to mind. While some vehicles successfully...