Last week, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced that the 2020 Ram 1500 had earned a Top Safety Pick rating in the full-size pickup category. Now another Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) vehicle has been given top-honors in the mid-size SUV segment, with the 2019 Jeep® Cherokee.
“This latest award is solid recognition for the Jeep Cherokee, an SUV that is not only recognized for being the most capable vehicle in its class but also packed with more than 80 advanced safety and security features and benchmark 4×4 systems to help consumers tackle any terrain in all weather conditions,” says Jim Morrison, Head of Jeep Brand – FCA North America. “Jeep Cherokee provides confidence and security to handle any journey.”
The new rating applies to the 2019 Jeep Cherokee models produced after April of this year and that are equipped with the available Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) technology, Forward Collision Warning-Plus, and LED projector headlamps with optional automatic high-beam control features.
Being heavily revised for the 2019 model year, the Cherokee was upgraded with high-strength steel in its A-pillars and hinge-pillars. These new features played a huge roll in the improved performance over the 2018 Jeep Cherokee’s performance in IIHS small-overlap tests, which simulate certain frontal impacts.
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee received a rating of “Good,” which is the highest possible rating in all six of the IIHS’ crash tests. Three of those test simulated frontal impacts, while the other test are based on side-impact, rear impact, and rollover crashes.
The Forward Collision Warning-Plus feature was graded “superior,” the highest possible rating awarded by IIHS in front crash prevention. The optional feature boasts sensor-fusion technology, which blends camera capability with radar detection to determine when an impact is imminent. The system initially warns the driver to take action to avoid a collision. If the driver does not act in a timely manner, the system may activate the vehicle’s brakes if collision risk remains.
The Top Safety Pick rating was also achieved thanks to the Cherokee’s standard LED projector headlamps with optional automatic high-beam control. The available feature switches headlamp modes between high- and low-beam function, depending on traffic conditions without driver intervention.
You can read a more detailed description of the performance of the 2019 Jeep Cherokee, on the IIHS website.
