The 2026 Jeep Wrangler has passed the IIHS small overlap front crash test on the driver’s side without rolling over, solving a structural issue that had affected the American off-road vehicle since 2019 and had significantly impacted its reputation in terms of passive safety.
Jeep Wrangler passes IIHS crash test after years of safety concerns
The improvement comes from targeted changes to the frame rails, a solution Stellantis has also applied to the 2026 Gladiator. The update allowed both models to move from a “Marginal” rating to an “Acceptable” rating in the impact test. According to the IIHS, the updated Wrangler shows much more controlled behavior after the crash, with stable dynamics and no tendency to roll over as seen in earlier versions.
The comparison with the 2022 model highlights the scale of the improvement: during the 40 mph test, the previous Wrangler quickly lifted and rolled onto its side, while the 2026 version maintains a more stable and predictable posture.
Reaching this result took longer than expected. After the first negative test results in 2019, Jeep introduced structural changes, but those modifications did not fully resolve the problem. The 2022 model still showed the same weakness, and the IIHS warned that even a partial rollover represented a serious risk for a vehicle that can be driven without doors or a roof and does not feature traditional side curtain airbags.
Despite the progress achieved with the 2026 model year, not all issues appear to be resolved. The American safety organization noted that in the passenger-side test, there remains a high risk of injury to the front passenger’s right foot and leg, an aspect Jeep will likely need to address in future updates of the model.
