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

Seven-Passenger SUV Hits The Streets With Its Production Body...

Robert S. Miller April 22, 2021

2022 Jeep® 'Project 598' Tester In Brazil. (Marlos Ney Vidal from AutosSegredos.com.br).

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.

China-Spec 2020 Jeep® Commander PHEV Limited. (Jeep).

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).

EMEA-Region 2021 Jeep® Compass 80th Anniversary Edition. (Jeep).

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.

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bill burke Apr 23, 2021 #1

Just wondering if any of these creative platforms and vehicles will migrate to North America. Jeep needs to get more creative with the Cherokee. All this is good for Jeep. Hope to see some of this creative energy expended on Chrysler and Dodge. Eternally optimistic.

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TripleT Apr 23, 2021 #2

Not the biggest fan of the Economy Car Jeeps, but I suppose we can lay that at Daimlers feet.

It is the International SUV/CUV brand, and no other mainstream brand would garner the margins. So I get it, just not that comfortable with it.

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Tony K Apr 23, 2021 #3

Not the biggest fan of the Economy Car Jeeps, but I suppose we can lay that at Daimlers feet.

It is the International SUV/CUV brand, and no other mainstream brand would garner the margins. So I get it, just not that comfortable with it.

I don't know that you can avoid "economy car" Jeeps and build brand loyalty and awareness. "Cute little Jeeps" might be anathema to the diehard "Jeeps are built, not bought" Wrangler crowd, for example, but simply catering to Jeep purists isn't going to make Jeep as profitable as it can and should be. I don't think Daimler is so much a bogeyman as they were handed (by Bob Eaton) a potential fait accompli situation and made it an actual one. Somebody was going to capitalize on Jeep's heritage at some point. Daimler is doing it with Mercedes - mostly because of their failure to adapt to the needs of their then-new "monster" called DCX.

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TripleT Apr 23, 2021 #4

Lets be clear here it was very much a Daimler thing, before them there was a minimum standards for a Jeep to the point it even killed the JJ. Not only that, it was executed poorly spend to much time between Catia versions trying to adapt Xs poor work to C, suckling at pennies on the interior implementations, and that damn Jatco transmission. So yeah it does lay at the feet of Daimler, even though it was all part of the folly of Eaton.

That said I understand what is happening now and why it is good business, but a fear with Pepe Le Cheapskate at the wheel there is a good chance for a repeat or at least products that should not wear the Jeep logo. These out NA market product make sense but care and caution should proceed.

Bili Apr 23, 2021 #5

Jeep with their Small family of products, FCA Small not Stellantis, is known as sturdy. Brazilian roads are disaster and they are extremely good keeping with them. So much underbody protection.

No wonder that they are success with their Fiat cousin, Toro.

I would like to see Commander in Europe.

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