It seems the redesigned Jeep Wrangler is no match for the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notorious small frontal overlap crash test—it’s the first car to ever flip over in the test.
The IIHS released a video and press release about its three tests with the all-new Jeep Wrangler, where it flipped over two out of three times:
The result of the testing downgrade’s the Wrangler’s rating in the test from “good” to “moderate,” and here’s how IIHS explained it:
The Wrangler performed well by the normal metrics used to evaluate performance in the driver-side small overlap test. The driver’s space was maintained well, and the dummy’s movement was well-controlled. However, the partial rollover presents an additional injury risk beyond what the standard criteria are intended to measure. A vehicle tipping onto its side is not an acceptable outcome for a frontal crash, and as a result, the Wrangler’s overall rating was downgraded to marginal.
Rollovers — even partial ones like those that occurred in the Wrangler tests — are especially dangerous crashes, in part due to the risk of complete or partial ejection. This is a particular concern in the Wrangler, which has a roof and doors that can be removed. The Wrangler also lacks side curtain airbags designed to deploy in a rollover to keep occupants inside. It is not required by regulation to have side curtain airbags because of its removable roof.
As you can see, the Jeep starts on all four wheels, and then ends up on its passenger side at the end of the test. This is the first time it’s ever happened in the IIHS small overlap test, so just like a toddler with sharpie all over their face ignoring the new art on the walls, FCA doesn’t have anyone else to point to.
What’s even more alarming is that the only test the new Jeep didn’t flip in was FCA’s own, which was already investigated by the IIHS. The rollovers happened in IIHS audit testing, which it doesn’t always do for every new model. And on top of that, the previous generation Wrangler performed much better in the same test.
And the IIHS only did the test twice because FCA requested a different propulsion setup from the first test, which it approved. The Jeep still flipped. Have you talked to your teens about Jeep driving?