As opposed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety takes crash testing way more seriously. The nonprofit organization’s latest victim is the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, a three-row SUV based on the two-row Grand Cherokee we all know and love.
Applicable to 2021 through 2023 models, the Grand Cherokee L was deemed poor in the updated moderate overlap front crash test. What’s that? Simply put, a given vehicle strikes a barrier at 40 miles per hour (64 kilometers per hour) with 40 percent (the driver’s side) of said vehicle’s width.
Why the poor overall rating? As per the IIHS make that poor ratings for head, neck, and chest injuries. These ratings apply to the rear passenger, namely a crash test dummy the size of a child or a small woman. On the upside, the lap belt remained in the ideal position (on the pelvis). Had the lap belt moved onto the abdomen, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety would have added the risk of abdominal injuries to the list.
Speaking of belts, the IIHS also rated the seat belt reminders marginal.
What else could Stellantis improve? The safety boffins further note poor headlight performance for the LED reflector-style headlights of the Laredo and Altitude trim levels. The low beams create excessive glare, and highs were penalized for inadequate visibility on the left side of the road.
The IIHS uses three ratings for a vehicle’s auto emergency braking, said ratings being superior, advanced, and basic. The Grand Cherokee L scored advanced for daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash avoidance and mitigation, superior at night, and superior in the vehicle-to-vehicle scenario.
Photo: IIHS
Codenamed WL, the fifth generation of Jeep’s perennial best seller is manufactured at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant and the Mack Avenue Assembly Complex. Twinned with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio (on the Giorgio platform), the Grand Cherokee can be had with a front passenger touchscreen display, massaging front seats, and up to 950 watts of McIntosh surround sound audio.
The biggest change over its predecessor, however, is the introduction of a plug-in hybrid. 4xe is what Jeep calls this powertrain, which is currently exclusive to the two-row Grand Cherokee. Those in the market for the Grand Cherokee L will have to make do with either a free-breathing V6 (the 3.6-liter Pentastar) or the 5.7-liter HEMI (internally designated Eagle).
After the 2024 model year, the V8 is going the way of the dodo for good. Even the Ram 1500 will drop the 5.7 in favor of a 3.0 sixer, namely a twin-turbo I6 with BMW M3 Competition-rivaling power and torque in the 2024 model year Grand Wagoneer.
As opposed to $40,130 for the most affordable two-row Grand Cherokee, the Grand Cherokee L starts at $42,130 (excluding the $1,795 destination freight charge). Step up to the two-row Grand Cherokee 4xe, and you’re looking at $60k from the outset.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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