The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released a new video showing a 2019 Jeep Wrangler tipping over during their driver side small overlap front crash test – the first time this has ever happened.
As you can see from multiple angles, the Wrangler slams into a stationary barrier and the front end crumples. While this is to be expected, the Jeep then flips over on its side.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t a one-time occurrence. As the insurance industry-funded safety body noted, the model was evaluated in three different in three separate driver-side small overlap crash tests, one by Fiat Chrysler as part of the Institute’s verification test program and two at the Institute’s Vehicle Research Center. In both of tests conducted by the organization, the Wrangler rolled onto its passenger side after striking the barrier.
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Despite tipping over, the Wrangler was given a marginal rating which isn’t the IIHS’ lowest classification. As they explained, the SUV did good otherwise as the “driver’s space was maintained well” and the “dummy’s movement was well-controlled.”
However, the organization noted the partial rollover presents the risk of additional injury. They also said “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.”
The IIHS went on to say partial rollovers are especially dangerous as they can result in people being ejected from the vehicle. That’s a big concern in convertibles like the Wrangler.
While it seems odd that we’re just hearing about this now, the IIHS explained the redesigned Wrangler was initially rated as good following a review of documentation and a crash test video submitted by FCA. In that clip, the Wrangler didn’t flip over.
However, the IIHS conducted an audit and the vehicle tipped over in that test. FCA questioned if this was due to the way the Wrangler was connected to the propulsion system, so a second test was conducted using a method approved by the automaker. Despite the change, it didn’t have any impact on the result as that Wrangler also flipped on its side.
While the cause of the discrepancy is up for debate, the organization did note the Wrangler received good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof and head restraint evaluations.