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The 2026 Jeep Wrangler 4-door remained upright during the driver-side small overlap crash test, resolving a longstanding issue with the popular SUV, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) said today. The improved result came after changes were made to the frame rail.*
“Wranglers built after October 2025 earn an acceptable small overlap rating, which combines results from the driver-side and passenger-side tests. While the vehicle provides solid protection overall, in the passenger-side test, it showed a high risk of injury to the front passenger’s right foot and leg,” IIHS said.**
“Stellantis made the same modifications to the frame rail on the 2026 Jeep Gladiator. The pickup also earns an acceptable rating for vehicles built after October 2025,” IIHS said.
IIHS assigns ratings of good, acceptable, marginal or poor in each of its tests. A good small overlap front rating for both the driver and passenger side is required for an IIHS safety award.
Stellantis made the same modifications to the frame rail on the 2026 Jeep Gladiator. The pickup also earns an acceptable rating for vehicles built after October 2025.
In earlier tests, the Wrangler tipped onto its passenger side after striking the barrier, resulting in a marginal rating. The issue was first identified in a test of the 2019 model and happened again with the 2022 model despite an earlier round of modifications.
*AutoInformed on
**The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle crashes through research and evaluation and through education of consumers, policymakers and safety professionals. It is wholly supported by auto insurers and insurance associations.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Jeep Wrangler Finally Fixes Crash-Test Tipping
Click for more
The 2026 Jeep Wrangler 4-door remained upright during the driver-side small overlap crash test, resolving a longstanding issue with the popular SUV, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) said today. The improved result came after changes were made to the frame rail.*
“Wranglers built after October 2025 earn an acceptable small overlap rating, which combines results from the driver-side and passenger-side tests. While the vehicle provides solid protection overall, in the passenger-side test, it showed a high risk of injury to the front passenger’s right foot and leg,” IIHS said.**
“Stellantis made the same modifications to the frame rail on the 2026 Jeep Gladiator. The pickup also earns an acceptable rating for vehicles built after October 2025,” IIHS said.
IIHS assigns ratings of good, acceptable, marginal or poor in each of its tests. A good small overlap front rating for both the driver and passenger side is required for an IIHS safety award.
Stellantis made the same modifications to the frame rail on the 2026 Jeep Gladiator. The pickup also earns an acceptable rating for vehicles built after October 2025.
In earlier tests, the Wrangler tipped onto its passenger side after striking the barrier, resulting in a marginal rating. The issue was first identified in a test of the 2019 model and happened again with the 2022 model despite an earlier round of modifications.
*AutoInformed on
**The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle crashes through research and evaluation and through education of consumers, policymakers and safety professionals. It is wholly supported by auto insurers and insurance associations.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.