[3] The Commodore series was Hudson's largest model range in its debut year, consisting of sedans, coupes, and convertibles.

Elements of the interior and exterior were styled by Betty Thatcher, "the first woman designer to be employed by a car manufacturer".

This included concealed running boards, modestly enlarged front grilles, and external trim arrangements.

[5] The firm promoted its economy over luxury during the shortened model year that ended in January 1942, as U.S. war production accelerated.

[6] There were minor cosmetic changes from the pre-war versions with one exception, the car's grille now had a concave center section.

Hudson automobiles were more fully equipped than competitive makes, and all Hudson models received door armrests, twin air-horns, ashtrays, windshield wipers, stop lights, locking glove box, sealed beam headlights, and deep pile carpeting.

Commodore and Commodore Customs added foam rubber seat cushions (Hudson was the first automaker to introduce foam seat cushions), door-step courtesy lights, rear center armrest (sedans), and gold etched lettering on the dashboard panel.

The priority was building cars following the war rather than introducing annual design changes for 1947 since Hudson was in the process of developing a completely new model.

In addition to the safety of being surrounded by the car's chassis, the step-down also allowed Hudson to achieve weight savings through the unibody construction, making for a well-performing automobile.

In response to the increasing number of deaths on highways in the United States after World War II, an innovative concept car was designed and built for safety rather than for style or speed.

[12] Among its many features are a centrally-positioned, raised 36 in (91 cm) turret-shaped driver compartment providing panoramic visibility, as well as safety equipment that would later become standard on production vehicles such as rubber bumpers, seat belts, and side marker lights.

[18] The most noticeable change to the 1950 model year was the restyled grille featuring a design that superimposed Hudson's signature triangle logo on four horizontal bars.

The exterior received another trim change, but by the end of 1953, the Step-Down styling was beginning to look outdated.

[7] Instead of redesigning the aging "set-down" models, company President A. E. Barit pushed ahead with the firm's plan for the Jet compact.

[19] A 1948 Hudson Commodore Eight four-door sedan served a donor with another car's roof added for the station wagon's rear section.