The four-door 2022 Jeep Wrangler tipped over during a crash simulation conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, showing a repeat of a similar result with an earlier model, the nonprofit said Thursday.
The Wrangler received a “marginal” rating after tipping onto its passenger side in the driver-side small overlap crash test. The same assessment previously tipped over the 2019 model after it was redesigned for 2018. Structural modifications to the vehicle didn’t eliminate the issues, IIHS concluded.
In a statement, Jeep maker Stellantis NV said it is unaware of any similar reports from customers and that the four-door Wrangler meets or exceeds all federal safety standards.
“Real-world performance strongly indicates they afford the level of safety our customers demand and deserve,” the automaker said. “Stellantis is reviewing this latest result. We routinely consider third-party testing and factor it into our product-development process, as appropriate. But we engineer our vehicles for real-world performance.”
Wrangler, which starts at under $30,000, received the highest-possible rating of “good” in the four original IIHS tests that cover the most common types of crashes. A good rating in the driver-side small overlap test is needed to get the Top Safety Pick designation. IIHS added the test in 2012 and says it doesn’t have data on how vehicles with a good rating on the test fare in the real world. The ’22 vehicle also received a marginal rating on the updated side test.
In the frontal crash, the Wrangler’s safety cage surrounding the driver held its structure. Restraints also effectively controlled the movement of the dummy, though it indicated risks of injury to the driver’s left leg and foot. The combination head and torso side airbag didn’t deploy either.
IIHS’s testing also doesn’t employ a passenger side-seated dummy. It noted partial rollovers still can lead to the ejection of an occupant from the vehicle, especially in a Wrangler, whose doors and roof can be removed and which doesn’t have side-curtain airbags.
In 2019, the Wrangler didn’t tip over in a test conducted by the manufacturer, which submitted a video for verification. It did tip in IIHS’s own test conducted as part of an audit program to ensure integrity of the verification program. A subsequent retest showed the same result following a request by the company.
Stellantis has produced more than 1 million Wranglers and estimates they’ve traveled a conservative 105 billion miles on roads, according to the company. The current generation has received more than two dozen awards for attributes ranging from design to capability to residual value
. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Wrangler a four-star evaluation for frontal crash tests. Automatic emergency braking also is available on the vehicle.
“Real-world data and ongoing demand,” Stellantis added, “indicate the four-door Wrangler meets or exceeds the expectations of the buying public.”
bnoble@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @BreanaCNoble