When it comes to driving a safe SUV, size matters, but some larger models offer more protection than others, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Case in point: The Jeep Wagoneer is the only one of the three popular large SUVs to qualify for a Top Safety Pick award for 2024, which is a step down from its top ranking, IIHS said Thursday in releasing new ratings.
The Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition, also best-sellers, fell short due to factors including underperformance in the small overlap front crash test, the Arlington, Virginia-based nonprofit said. More than 90% of new models have passed evaluation with good ratings since 2021, according to IIHS.
All three vehicles are designed to carry people and tow boats and RVs, but none provide proper protection for rear-seat passengers, an issue that kept the Wagoneer from earning the higher Top Safety Pick+ award.
“The sheer mass of these large SUVs provides some additional protection in collisions with smaller vehicles, but that also means they pose more danger to other road users,” IIHS President David Harkey said in a news release. “The downside to their large size is that much more force must be applied when they collide with a solid obstacle, such as a tree, a bridge abutment or the barrier we use in our frontal crash tests.”
Good review
The Wagoneer did a good job of maintaining survival space for the driver and front passenger in the small overlap evaluation. It performed slightly worse in the driver’s side test: a mild intrusion into the footwell carried a modest risk of injury to the driver’s left foot and ankle, IIHS found. In both driver-side and passenger-side tests, the front and side curtain airbags prevented the crash dummies’ heads from hitting the vehicle’s rigid structures.
Acceptable rating
The Tahoe retained sufficient survival space for the driver, but had a significant risk of lower leg injuries. Performance was worse in the passenger-side test, with IIHS finding a high risk of injury to the passenger’s right foot and a moderate risk of injury to the passenger’s left leg.
Marginal rating
The Expedition did not perform well in either side’s tests. In the driver’s side test, the steering column partially separated from the instrument panel, and in both tests the A-pillar separated from the side sill panel. Excessive intrusion into the footwell contributed to a high risk of injury to the driver’s right leg and a moderate risk to the left. In the passenger-side test, footwell intrusion was also observed to a lesser extent, IIHS found.
The vehicles received different ratings in other tests, including avoiding pedestrian crashes. The frontal collision avoidance systems in the Expedition and Wagoneer received good marks, while the Tahoe received a marginal ranking.
