Slight overlap frontal crash tests performed on a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (four-door) two years ago caused quite a stir after the vehicle rolled onto its side following impact with the low wall – no once but twice, each time with a different method.
The manufacturer had defended itself by saying that it had not recorded any rollover during its own tests, nor heard of any such incident involving the hundreds of thousands of units manufactured to date.
Here we are in 2022. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has again subjected the Jeep Wrangler to a frontal collision test with a slight overlap, and the result is the same, as can be seen in the video published by the American organization:
The modifications made to the structure by Jeep did not solve the problem, although it should be noted that the passenger compartment retains good integrity and that the restraint systems effectively control the movements of the dummy seated in the seat. The 2022 Wrangler thus receives a “marginal” rating for driver protection in this type of collision, a tick below the “acceptable” rating and just above the worst rating that the IIHS can give.
Even a partial rollover can be dangerous, the IIHS explains, because it increases the chance that an occupant will be ejected from the vehicle. This is especially true for the Wrangler, whose doors and roof are removable and the side airbags are absent.
The Wrangler scores well in the moderate overlap frontal crash test, where about 45 percent of the front of the vehicle hits the curb. On the other hand, its protection against side impacts is also considered “marginal”, like many other midsize SUVs.
In case you’re wondering, the Wrangler’s main competitor, the Ford Bronco, earns a good rating from the IIHS for all crash types. However, it has yet to pass the new higher-speed side crash test.