The Jeep Grand Cherokee L has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The XT6 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.
The Grand Cherokee L has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The XT6 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Grand Cherokee L Overland/Summit’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The XT6 doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.
The Grand Cherokee L Summit’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The XT6 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the Grand Cherokee L and the XT6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, night vision systems and around view monitors.
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Jeep Grand Cherokee L is much safer than the XT6:
|
Grand Cherokee L |
XT6 |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
POOR |
Structure |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Neck Tension |
312 lbs. |
357 lbs. |
Shoulder Force |
178 lbs. |
223 lbs. |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
96 |
170 |
Neck Tension |
67 lbs. |
156 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
134 lbs. |
178 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
POOR |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.38 in |
1.61 in |
Shoulder Force |
268 lbs. |
424 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.69 in |
2.2 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
11 MPH |
13 MPH |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The XT6 is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.