The 2024 Jeep® Wagoneer (WS) has been awarded the prestigious TOP SAFETY PICK rating by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This accolade highlights the vehicle’s commitment to safety and the effectiveness of its advanced safety features.
Bill Peffer, Senior Vice President and Head of Jeep® North America, expressed pride in the achievement, stating, “This recognition validates the dedication of our engineers, who integrated state-of-the-art technology in every aspect of the Wagoneer’s design. The combination of a robust body structure and a comprehensive suite of over 120 standard and available advanced safety features helps create a secure environment for drivers and passengers.”
High Marks in Crash Tests –
To earn the TOP SAFETY PICK rating, the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer underwent rigorous crash tests by the IIHS, where it achieved “good” ratings in several critical areas:
- Small Overlap Front
- Moderate Overlap Front (Original Test)
- Side Impact
A “good” rating is the highest possible score and indicates excellent performance in protecting passengers during crashes. Additionally, the Wagoneer’s headlights received “good” or “acceptable” ratings, which are mandatory for all trim levels to qualify for this safety award.
Advanced Pedestrian Safety –
The Jeep Wagoneer’s pedestrian front-crash prevention feature, Full-Speed Collision Warning with Active Braking, also received a “good” rating. This feature is essential for preventing accidents involving pedestrians and performed well in IIHS tests, both in scenarios involving an adult crossing a street at night and a child emerging from behind an obstruction during the day.
The system uses a combination of camera and radar sensors integrated into the front bumper to detect and track pedestrians and cyclists in real time. If a collision seems imminent and the driver has not taken action, the system automatically applies the brakes to avoid or mitigate the impact.
Comprehensive Safety Suite –
The 2024 Jeep Wagoneer comes standard with a range of other safety features designed to provide additional protection and peace of mind:
- Blind-Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Path Detection
- Trailer Sway Control
These features work together to enhance the overall safety of the vehicle, making the Wagoneer a reliable choice for families and individuals seeking a secure driving experience.
The Better Choice –
The Jeep Wagoneer is the only model out of three popular large SUVs tested to qualify for a 2024 TOP SAFETY PICK award. Other bestsellers, the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition, fell short for multiple reasons, including subpar performance in the small overlap front crash test. More than 90% of new models have sailed through this evaluation with good ratings since 2021.
These vehicles are designed to be people haulers, as well as to tow boats and campers. But none of them offers good protection for back seat passengers — a shortcoming that prevents the Wagoneer from earning the higher-tier TOP SAFETY PICK+ award.
“The huge mass of these large SUVs provides some additional protection in crashes with smaller vehicles, though that also means they present more danger to other road users,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “The flip side of their large size is that there is a lot more force to manage when they crash into a fixed obstacle like a tree or bridge abutment or the barrier we use in our front crash tests.”
Those high forces proved to be a challenge for all three vehicles, but the Wagoneer outperformed the others.
