Our Best Look Yet, Of The New Jeep® ‘Project 598’ SUV:

Brazil is the second-largest market for the Jeep® brand, so it’s no surprise that Stellantis is paying extra attention to the marketplace for the continuing growth of the iconic American brand. Currently, the brand’s two most popular vehicles in the country (the Compass and the Renegade), are built there as well. The two compact SUVs are about to be joined by another vehicle codenamed ‘Project 598’. 

Project 598 is a seven-passenger Jeep SUV based on a stretched version of the Small Wide 4×4 architecture that currently underpins the Compass and Renegade. The new Jeep SUV will be longer, wider, and taller than the current Compass and its believed to carry the ‘Commander’ nameplate after Jeep Brazil released a 15 second teaser video of the new vehicle showing part of its name ending with the letters ‘E’ and ‘R’.

This has led many (including us) to believe that the new vehicle will wear the Commander name. This comes as Jeep China pulled the ‘Commander’ name from their standard five-passenger model and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model in favor of adopting the Grand Commander (K8) nameplate for the entire lineup, giving plenty of opportunity to the new three-row Jeep to take the name.

The Grand Commander which is bigger than the new vehicle is based on a stretched version of the larger Cherokee (KL) platform.

Our good friends at the Brazilian digital magazine Auto Segredos, happen to catch the new Commander testing on public roads in Brazil. These latest images appear to be of the upcoming Jeep seven-passenger SUV wearing its finalized body, telling us that this may be an early pre-production tester for gaining feedback before starting actual production.

There are subtle hints of the new Compass in its design. The more upright grille design and grille textures look to be design elements from the new three-row Grand Cherokee L (WL75) model. Other design elements of the new vehicle, look to be taking inspiration from other current Jeep vehicles.

The high-mounted tail lamps look similar in design of the larger 5-seater Jeep Cherokee and appear to touch the rear window glass. It also looks like it retains the Compass’ high-beltline as it shows through the camouflage lining up with the door handles of the vehicle.

The headlamps appear to be tinted, so we can’t see any true details of the front end. But we do get to see those bold LED fog lamps up front, which reminds us of the ones our spy photographers caught recently on the upcoming two-row Grand Cherokee (WL74).

Auto Segredos also informed us that much of the new Commander’s interior will be shared with the updated 2022 Jeep Compass. This includes the new bold instrument panel (I/P) design. We can expect that much of the new Compass interior will be a carryover from seats to switchgear.

To see more in-depth photos of the all-new Jeep Commander D-SUV for Brazil, visit Auto Segredos.