A Jeep Wrangler didn't exactly pass this crash test by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). During what is called a "small overlap crash test," a 2022 model tipped onto its side. The test involves sending a vehicle into a crash test barrier at 40 miles per hour. But in this test, only the outermost part of the bumper makes contact with the barrier.
It's a rare type of crash but can prove extremely dangerous with impact forces on a small area.
CNN Business reports the Wrangler's performance earned it a "marginal" rating, the second-lowest rating out of four. It's also not the first time a Wrangler tipped over during this test that the IIHS has run since 2012. After a similar result in 2019, Jeep engineers claimed they resolved the issue by modifying a suspension component. However, in the most recent case, the vehicle spun to one side and tipped onto the passenger side.
Before the 2019 IIHS test, Jeep's parent company at the time, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, tested the vehicle and it did not tip over.
Automakers often conduct crash tests themselves, but the IIHS will then perform its own tests on some vehicles to check the automakers' results. According to an IIHS spokesperson, this is the only vehicle model to ever tip over during the trial.
Both FCA and Jeep's current parent company, Stellantis, said they were unaware of any real-world instances where a Jeep tipped over in such a manner. Stellantis added it is reviewing the latest result and said, "We consider third-party testing and factor it into our product development process. But we engineer our vehicles for real-world performance."
On a positive note, the Wrangler received the top rating in four other IIHS crash tests.
