Can Jeep Save Chrysler from the Chopping Block?

By James Derek Sapienza - December 26, 2018

Chrysler may make a three-row Grand Commander.

FCA’s troubled brand may place its bets on a alternate version of the upcoming 2021 Jeep Grand Commander.

Jeep may be riding an all-time high and enjoying its time as king of the SUV segment, but there is one glaring omission in its portfolio: A three-row people-mover. The last one to wear the seven-slat grille was the 2006-2010 Commander. And while the Grand Cherokee will have room for seven in 2021, Jeep already has a three-row offering in China. But as much as it’s needed in the U.S. it isn’t likely to come here as a Jeep. If it comes at all, it will likely be a Chrysler.

According to Motor1, the Jeep Grand Commander may be on it’s way to the U.S., and it will likely be used to prop up FCA’s moribund marquee brand. The Grand Commander is a 192-inch three-row SUV that makes 231 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque from its turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four. Launched earlier this year, it’s based on a stretched and retuned Grand Cherokee with a focus on street comfort, not off-roading prowess. In short, it’s the perfect SUV for a brand like Chrysler.

In these SUV/crossover-crazy times, Chrysler hasn’t fielded one since the 2007-2009 Aspen. Apparently, it sees the Grand Commander as key to surviving in the 2020s.

Chrysler’s Big Comeback?

As it stands now, Chrysler only offers two models: The aging 300 and the Pacifica minivan. In 2020, it’s expected to launch the compact electric Portal. If recent rumors prove to be true, we can expect a crossover-ized version of the 300 not long after that. Oddly enough, that could be dubbed the Town & Country or even Suburban. While the latter sounds strange, FCA can lay claim to the name – it offered Suburban models from DeSoto and Plymouth from 1949 to 1978.

So the Americanized Grand Commander could be instrumental in Chrysler’s transformation from on-the-ropes into a minivan/crossover/SUV specialist. It will likely be built at its Belvedere, Illinois plant alongside the Grand Cherokee. FCA is reportedly considering its Windsor, Ontario, and Toluca, Mexico plants for production as well.

And speaking of name repurposing, the name “Journey” may be under consideration. So we could have a Chinese Jeep built in the U.S. and sold as a Chrysler with a Dodge nameplate. Got all that? Good.

In case you were wondering, the move to bring the Grand Commander to the U.S. does not affect the next-generation Grand Wagoneer launch slated for 2021. So at the end of the day, Jeep will still be FCA’s SUV specialist – luxury, off-roading, and otherwise.