 2008 Wrangler and Liberty Receive Marginal Crash Test Scores |
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) just released its results for mid-size SUVs, and the Liberty and Wrangler didn't do so well.
In the side test, the Jeep Liberty, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Nitro and Kia Sorento, all 2008 models, were the worst performers. The Liberty, Wrangler and Nitro all received the second-lowest rating "marginal," while the Sorento had the lowest rating of "poor."
Joe Nolan, the Insurance Institute's senior vice president, said in the report that the side impact evaluation revealed some "surprising" results.
"SUVs should have an inherent advantage in such [side] crashes because drivers and passengers ride higher up than in cars. People often think they're safer in an SUV, but many cars perform much better in our side test than some of the SUVs in this group."
The IIHS report noted that the Jeep Wrangler was tested without its optional combination head and torso side airbags. Manufacturers may request a second test with the airbag option at their own expense. But Chrysler, which makes the Wrangler, did not request another test, according to the report.
"We assume that Chrysler doesn't expect the Wrangler to perform much better, even with the optional airbags," Nolan said in the report.
Max Gates, a Chrysler spokesman, said in a statement that the IIHS report contains "unsupported speculation" about the company's reasons for not paying to conduct a second side impact test for the Wrangler.
"In fact, our internal testing indicates there is additional protection provided by side air bags," he said.
Check out the entire article over at CNN.com.
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| myhotwheels22981 | Posted: 2008/3/3 7:49 Updated: 2008/3/3 7:49 |
Home away from home   Joined: 2002/3/21 From: Posts: 183 |
 Re: 2008 Wrangler and Liberty Receive Marginal Crash Test...You are going to get injured to a certain extent in ANY side impact collision...they usually occur at an intesection, and the offending driver is usually going at full speed (speed limit or higher) because they missed the stop light or stop sign...
I'll take the Wrangler's full rollcage (even if it is bolted in instead of welded) and REAL framerails over a crush-zone unibody anyday. Plus this type of testing is not very reliable in replicating real-world acciddents. I remember a few years back, IIHS and/or NHSTA were complaining about knee injury and femur breakage in front end accidents from the knee hitting the front panel, and they called for padding to be placed in those areas...So the automakers complied, and knee injuries and femur breakage went down, but Hip injuries skyrocketed because of the transfewr of force from the knee, and the breakage point of the femur to the hip.... So what's the moral of the story? ER Docs and surgeons agreed that while knee and Femur injuries were serious, they healed relatively fast, while hip injuries required years of rehab and possibly hip replacement surgery,with little possibility of a full recovery. |
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| Josephus | Posted: 2008/2/27 15:23 Updated: 2008/2/27 15:23 |
Home away from home Joined: 2005/7/18 From: Pennsylvania Posts: 243 |
Re: 2008 Wrangler and Liberty Receive Marginal Crash Test... This is a total load of crapola.
Here is the link for the official NHTSA ratings: http://www.safercar.gov/Index2.cfm?myClass=SUV&myYear=2007&myMake=Jeep&myModel=Wrangler&GoButton=View+specific+vehicle I think it's a mistake by Chrysler to let this go without submitting another vehicle WITH airbags. They are getting so much bad press on this. Perhaps Jeep should just include the side-airbags in the price of their flagship model? |
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| RUBICON | Posted: 2008/2/26 8:45 Updated: 2008/2/26 8:45 |
Home away from home Joined: 2005/7/13 From: Chandler, AZ Posts: 357 |
Re: 2008 Wrangler and Liberty Receive Marginal Crash Test... Hmmm... so explain this one IIHS: http://www.safercar.gov/Index2.cfm?myClass=SUV&myYear=2008&myMake=Jeep&myModel=Liberty&GoButton=View+specific+vehicle
Why the disparity with the NHTSA's tests? |
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| MarkH | Posted: 2008/2/26 7:02 Updated: 2008/2/26 7:22 |
Home away from home Joined: 2005/7/20 From: The Great White North Posts: 406 |
Re: 2008 Wrangler and Liberty Receive Marginal Crash Test... My recollection of the Wranglers is that --historically-- the front impact ratings were usually excellent (I believe Wrangler and one of the Volvos shared top honors one year...) and the side impact ratings were usually dismal. Seems like a side impact just crushes the sheet metal through to the first frame rail.
 No problema, just don't get in an accident, or scootch over to the middle if you see it coming!  With the bad press (and word of mouth) this report generates, it's bound to reflect poorly on Chrysler as a whole. You'd think they'd want to cough up a measily $25K to run the second test. Better yet, why didn't the IIHS test a model with the side airbags in the first place?  I believe NHTSA has toyed with the idea of making side impact airbags a requirement... but it's not yet mandated... |
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