Sporty, top performance and some off-roading fun make the Jeep Grand Cherokee an attractive vehicle. For most people, you also need to take into consideration the safety rating for this SUV. Is it the safest option for your family to use for work or play?
How safe is the Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee received a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating from NHTSA and mixed ratings in creditworthiness by IIHS. Combine this with a 4.8-Star Owner Rating and 4.3/10 Star Expert Review rating for a strong performer in safety on the road.
These ratings can be somewhat misleading and don’t provide a lot of detail. That’s why we’ll break down the test results and reveal which safety features the Jeep Grand Cherokee has on board to make this a safe (or maybe not so much) vehicle.
2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Crash Test Rating
Crash test ratings come from organizations assessing vehicles for overall safety. These tests give insight into what happens when a collision does occur to the car and those within it. Here’s how these tests broke down for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Test Results
The IIHS had some key concerns with the safety of the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. In Crashworthiness testing, it gave the driver-side small overlap front test a “Marginal” rating and the passenger-side ranging a “Poor” rating. All other areas, such as roof, side, and seats, got a “Good” rating.
Also notable are the “Acceptable” and “Poor” ratings for crash avoidance in the area of headlights (in standard and optional, respectively). It also only gave the child seat anchor LATCH system a “Marginal” rating for ease of use. The front crash prevention, vehicle-to-vehicle received a “Superior” rating.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Test Results
The NHTSA gives the 2020 Grand Cherokee an overall 5-Star Rating. That’s as good as it gets, but there are a few notes within that rating. The Overall Front Star Rating is only 4-stars due to the impact damage to the front driver side in tests. The Overall Side Star Rating is 5.
Another concern comes in the Rollover Star Rating. That’s just a 4 as well. The key here is that, while the vehicle did not tip over in the Dynamic tip testing, it did have a rollover risk of 16.9%, which is a bit high, especially for this vehicle’s class and competitor ratings.
2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Available Safety Tech
Tech is everywhere. You may not spot all of those sensors on the mirrors and grille of your Jeep, but they’re there to respond to potential accident risks. That’s helpful to know when you’re on an adventure, like driving the kids to school.
Jeep does this in a suite of vehicle tech upgrades. The following are some of the key available features for the 2020 model.
Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Path Detection
A solid start is with Blind Spot Monitoring, which alerts you if there is a vehicle that is traveling next to you in your blind spot. It also offers Rear Cross Path Detection that warns you if there are vehicles driving behind you when you’re trying to get out of that parking spot.
Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking
Probably the best level of safety protection comes from the Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning. If you’re approaching another vehicle, object, or person, the car will alert you to the risk of a collision. It has a visual and audible chime.
If you don’t stop, the Active Braking goes into play – slowing and even applying the full brake force – in an effort to reduce the risk of the collision.
LaneSense Lane Departure Warning System
Whether you reached for something or dozed a bit, getting outside of your lane is a big reason why accidents happen, especially at high speeds. LaneSense aims to fix this by giving you an audible and visual warning if your car goes outside of the marked lands.
If you don’t correct this soon enough, the vehicle will apply some steering control to guide you back into the lanes.
Electronic Stability Control
Another key feature works using a network for sensors located throughout the exterior of the car. If you’re driving the vehicle and veering off the path, or otherwise driving less in control, the car recognizes this and aims to fix it.
It can correct any oversteering or understeering that occurs. This may help you to avoid collisions and stay in the proper lane on the roadway.
People Also Ask
Is a Jeep Grand Cherokee really a safe car?
As noted, there are some concerns with the IIHS rating and the rollover risk noted by NHTSA. Overall, it does have a strong safety tech setup. Compared to the 2019 model, the 2020 model has added more features and better safety across the board.
Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee a reliable car?
Reliability matters not just in avoiding costly repairs but also in safety (no one wants to breakdown on the side of the road). The good news is that there are few concerns about the Grand Cherokee’s overall reliability, and it does not seem to have too many significant problems.
Is it safer to buy a Jeep Cherokee or the Grand Cherokee?
The differences really come down to size. As a full-size SUV, the Grand Cherokee gives you more room and power. Larger vehicles also tend to be safer to drive (when they are well made), especially in cases of a collision or impact.
Buying a Used Jeep Grand Cherokee? Do So Safely
Safety comes from information, and at Vehicle History, we’ve made that easy. Using data from 140 million owner comments, we’ve compiled a list of resources for the make, model, and year you’re considering. Check out the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s Vehicle History to learn more.
