For several years now, Jeep had been unable to address a major structural flaw in its Wrangler SUV lineup. A collision with a partial overlap (25%) would always send it tumbling, or at least falling sideways. In the latest crash test conducted by the IIHS (see video), it has surprised everyone by staying planted. Mostly.
As you can see for yourself, the 2026 Jeep Wrangler seems to lift its rear axle off the ground during the head-on collision test, but it’s no longer high enough to throw it completely off-balance. This is in line with the company’s own findings: Jeep said it had improved the frame of the latest Wrangler lineup in many places compared to the models issued in 2022 and 2019.
While this is quite an accomplishment in itself, the Wrangler continues to be a fairly poor choice of a vehicle to crash in. Featuring removable doors and roof with no side airbags to keep the occupants in their seats, it’s still liable to cause injury. However, it now goes with the overall safety rating of Acceptable (A), as opposed to the earlier models’ Marginal (M).
