The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), announced this week the results of crash tests carried out on full-size SUVs from the three major U.S. carmakers, Stellantis, General Motors (GM) and Ford.
In the end, it was the Jeep Wagoneer that came out on top, ahead of the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition.
The tests included those measuring performance during frontal and side collisions, as well as collision avoidance (with emphasis on pedestrian detection both day and night) and headlights.
In the moderate overlap frontal collision test, 40 percent of the vehicle’s front surface is impacted. The collision is carried out at a speed of 64 km/h. The Wagoneer performed well in this test, as the driver's space was not compromised. The other two vehicles didn't fare so well, particularly the Ford Expedition, where the space for occupants’ legs was damaged and compromised.
The same crash test did show that rear passengers remain somewhat at risk with all models, as restraint systems are not optimal, so occupants are moved around too much, so that the risk of chest and ribcage injury remains high. This is clearly visible on the video shared by the IIHS.
All three vehicles scored well on the side-impact tests.
The Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition fared less well than the Wagoneer in the headlight test, receiving marginal or mediocre marks.
When it came to pedestrian avoidance, the Jeep Wagoneer performed best again, along with the Ford Expedition. The Chevrolet Tahoe struggled, especially in the nighttime test when it hit a dummy.
Overall, the tests earned the Jeep Wagoneer the IIHS's second highest rating, that of Top Safety Pick. If rear occupant safety had been higher, the model could have received the highest distinction, Top Safety Pick+.
However, as you can see from the video, just because you're in a larger vehicle doesn't mean you're necessarily safe.