The IIHS tested three large SUVs, finding that they each had significant shortcomings in several categories.
One of the most stubborn myths in the automotive world is that buying a large SUV will keep you safer. While it might be true that larger, heavier vehicles do more damage to others on the road, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s latest findings show that not all large SUVs come with additional safety assurances.
The IIHS tested three large SUVs: The 2023-2024 Jeep Wagoneer, the 2023-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, and the 2023-2024 Ford Expedition. The Wagoneer was the only of the three to earn a Top Safety Pick award, but it missed out on the “plus” designation due to failing to adequately protect rear-seat passengers.
IIHS President David Harkey said, “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. 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.
The Chevy Tahoe did an “adequate” job at protecting the driver in the driver-side crash test, but the passenger-side test saw significant intrusion into the footwell, which created a high injury risk to the right foot and left leg. The Expedition fared worse in both tests, with its steering wheel partially detaching from the instrument panel during the driver-side test and footwell intrusion on the passenger side. Its A-pillar also detached from the rocker panel in both tests.
Because they’re so heavily used as family haulers, the IIHS placed an additional dummy in the second row. All three SUVs showed significant risks to second-row passengers, with high seatbelt forces presenting threats of chest injuries. The Expedition was the only one with second-row seatbelt pretensioners that help prevent excess passenger body movement, but its second-row side-curtain airbags failed to deploy.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Jeep Wagoneer excels as other large SUVs fall short in safety testsLarge SUVs offer a sense of security, but some models are safer than others, says the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Read more »
Jeep Wagoneer 4xe Coming With Ramcharger Range-Extended PowertrainJeep officials have reportedly confirmed plans for 4xe versions of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer
Read more »
EVs Or Hybrids? At Jeep, The Future Is Whatever You Want It To BeJeep debuted the EV Wagoneer S and announced plug-in hybrids for the Gladiator, Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer—all without committing to one plan.
Read more »
Jeep tops Chevy, Ford in safety tests of popular large SUVsThis was the first time IIHS had tested the best-selling large SUVs as a group.
Read more »
2024 Porsche 911 Dakar driven | Autoblog Podcast #835Plus, Mazda CX-70, Jeep Wagoneer EV and Cherokee, and a surprise 'Spend My Money'
Read more »
Big SUVs are not as safe as their size suggests, according to the IIHSThe IIHS tested three big, body-on-frame SUVs and found that they're not as safe as their size suggests, especially for second-row passengers.
Read more »