Jeep Wrangler awarded 1 star in Euro NCAP crash tests

The redesigned Jeep Wrangler failed one of several crash tests performed by Euro NCAP, the European version of crashworthiness studies performed by NHTSA and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

In results released last week, the Wrangler received a one-star rating for the frontal crash test but performed well in side-barrier and whiplash tests. Euro NCAP said the latest Wrangler provided only marginal protection for the chest, body area and neck of the driver and passenger.

The organization oversees a series of vehicle crash tests, including into a front offset deformable barrier at 40 mph, into a front full-width rigid barrier at 31 mph, into a side-impact mobile barrier at 31 mph, whiplash tests at 10 mph and 15 mph and pedestrian-impact tests at 25 mph.

The pedestrian-impact test lowered the Jeep’s rating, as did the difficulty of installing child seats. Euro NCAP also noted the lack of lane-keeping assist and automatic braking.

In a statement issued after the test results were released, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said the Jeep Wrangler "meets or exceeds federal safety requirements in every market in which it is sold. Further, the Jeep Wrangler is engineered to deliver superior performance and unique driving experiences under the most demanding conditions. Testing protocols that apply exclusively to urban scenarios may not align with such a vehicle."

It's hard to argue with the claim that the latest Wrangler meets or exceeds safety standards around the world, as well as how the Wrangler performs under demanding conditions. But saying that “urban scenarios may not align” is a stretch. Most, if not all, of these Wranglers will see the majority of their time in urban and suburban areas.

NHTSA and IIHS crash tests have not been released.