Commander will pack seven

The American breed, renowned for its off-road prowess, has introduced the Commander above the Grand Cherokee in the range, offering seven seats for the first time.

It is the first time the car has been seen in the metal in Australia in the lead-up to its late-May on-sale date.

Chrysler Group Australia managing director Gerry Jenkins said the brand's customers had been asking for a seven-seater Jeep for a long time and he believed the Commander was the solution.

"We are excited to be able to give the Australian public a sneak peak of this exciting new four-wheel drive ahead of its launch late May," he said.

"The Commander broadens the Jeep brand's appeal.

"It has been deliberately designed with the similar rugged looks of the original Cherokee that so many people love."

The seven-seater Commander has three rows of seats with extra space for occupant room provided by an additional 50mm in length than the Grand Cherokee.

The Commander shares the same four-wheel drive system and drivetrain as the Grand

Cherokee, with two V8s and a turbodiesel V6 on offer.

The range-topper will be the petrol 5.7-litre Hemi V8, with cylinder deactivation for fuel efficiency, joined by the 4.7-litre V8 petrol.

The three-litre V6 common-rail turbodiesel, shared with the Grand Cherokee and the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, should arrive after the petrol models.

There are no specific prices yet but expect to pay around $2000 above the equivalent Grand Cherokee models, which puts starting price of the Commander at just under $60,000 and topping out at around $74,000.

The range will be boosted by the quick 313kW Grand Cherokee SRT-8 later this year.