ANCAP has awarded a four-star safety rating to the SWB five-seat 3.6 litre petrol variant of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. A separate five-star rating is available for model year 2023 SWB PHEV and long wheelbase (LWB) petrol variants. All ratings are based on testing of left-hand-drive models conducted by sister organisation Euro NCAP.
According to ANCAP, testing identified a difference in the performance of the seat belts fitted to second row outboard seats on the SWB petrol compared to the LWB petrol and SWB PHEV, resulting in a nil score for rear passenger chest protection.
Under ANCAP protocols, a nil score for a critical body region automatically limits a vehicle’s overall rating to four stars regardless of the overall percentage score for adult occupant protection.
ADULT OCCUPANT PROTECTION
The passenger compartment of the Grand Cherokee remained stable in the frontal offset (MPDB) test. Protection of the driver’s chest and lower legs was adequate, with good protection offered to all other body regions of the driver and the front passenger.
The front structure presented a high risk to occupants of an oncoming vehicle in the MPDB test (which evaluates vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility), and the full 4.00-point penalty was applied.
In the full width frontal test, protection of the driver dummy was good for all critical body areas, but for the rear passenger a penalty was applied for high seat belt load. Protection of the rear passenger chest was therefore assessed as poor.
In the side impact and oblique pole tests, protection offered to all critical body regions was good and maximum points were scored.
A centre airbag to prevent contact between the heads of front seat occupants in side impacts is not available. Prevention of excursion (movement towards the other side of the vehicle) in the far side impact tests was assessed as adequate for both the vehicle-to-vehicle impact scenario and the vehicle-to-pole scenario.
A rescue sheet providing information for first responders in the event of a crash is available, but a multi-collision braking system is not fitted.
CHILD OCCUPANT PROTECTION
In the frontal offset and side impact tests, protection of the 10-year and six-year dummies was good and the Jeep Grand Cherokee scored maximum points in these tests.
The Grand Cherokee is fitted with lower ISOFix anchorages on all seating positions in the second row of seats, and top tether anchorages for all rear seating positions.
Installation of typical child restraints available in Australia showed most child restraints could be accommodated the rear seating positions, but the Type A capsule could not be correctly installed in the second-row centre seating position using the seat belt.
VULNERABLE ROAD USER PROTECTION
The bonnet provided good or adequate protection to the head of a struck pedestrian over most of its surface, with poor results recorded only on the stiff windscreen pillars and front edge of the bonnet surface. The bumper provided good protection to pedestrians’ legs and protection of the pelvis was also good.
Testing of the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system, which can detect and react to pedestrians and cyclists, showed good overall performance in forward pedestrian scenarios, including turning. However, AEB back-over was not standard on the tested vehicle and these tests were not conducted. Good performance was seen in cyclist test scenarios, with collisions avoided or mitigated in most instances.
SAFETY ASSIST
In addition to the AEB system, which can function at highway speeds, the Grand Cherokee is fitted with a lane support system (LSS) with lane keep assist and emergency lane keeping functionality, and blind spot monitoring.
Tests of the AEB (car-to-car) system showed mostly good performance with collisions avoided or mitigated in most test scenarios, but the AEB system does not react to turning across the path of an oncoming vehicle, so AEB junction assist tests were not conducted.
LSS functionality showed good performance, including in the more critical emergency lane keeping test scenarios.
A speed assistance system, which identifies the local speed limit allowing the driver to set speed accordingly, and a driver drowsiness monitor system are fitted as standard. A seat belt reminder system with occupancy detection is also fitted to all seating positions.