The Jeep Wrangler is a beloved favorite sport utility for many people thanks to its small rugged appearance and ability to handle rough terrain. Yet the 2022 Jeep Wrangler has a serious safety flaw – it can tip over under the right (or wrong, really) circumstances. Here’s what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found when it crash tested the new Jeep Wrangler, and what it means for you.

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler tipped over in crash tests

In the IIHS‘ most recent crash tests, the 2022 Jeep Wrangler tipped over. It happened in the driver-side small overlap crash test, which measures how well a vehicle does when the front left part of the vehicle strikes a five-foot-tall rigid barrier. This test simulates what happens when a vehicle hits something like a telephone pole or tree, according to the IIHS.

During the small overlap test, the Jeep Wrangler tipped over onto its passenger side when it struck the barrier. That meant the new 2022 Jeep Wrangler got just a marginal score for this test. And it isn’t the first time the Wrangler has tipped over in this test. The 2021 Wrangler tipped over too.

The IIHS tests vehicles to keep people safe

The IIHS is a nonprofit organization “dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle crashes through research and evaluation and through education of consumers, policymakers and safety professionals.” They test a whole bunch of vehicles and publish the results of their crash tests so that car shoppers can make informed decisions. In addition, they have Top Safety Pick and a Top Safety Pick+ awards which they give to the vehicles with the best crash test results. 

To conduct the small overlap frontal tests, the IIHS has a vehicle travel at 40 mph and the front left or right portion of the car (depending on whether it’s the driver or passenger test) strikes a five-foot barrier. The Jeep Wrangler is the first vehicle to ever tip over in these crash tests.

Does the Jeep Wrangler tip over?

SUVs tend to be more likely than other vehicles to tip over. This is largely due to the fact that they’re top-heavy. When a top-heavy vehicle is in a collision, it tends to tip. It isn’t just the IIHS that found that the Jeep Wrangler was likely to tip over. Another safety organization, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also has the Wrangler on its list of vehicles most likely to tip over. 

In addition, the Wrangler is also the Jeep model the most likely to tip over. This is partly due to factors like the short wheelbase and high center of gravity.

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler may have a lot going for it, but the fact that it is so likely to tip over makes it a dangerous choice. If you’re in the market for a small and sporty SUV, you might want to consider something like the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport instead.