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The new-for-2019 Jeep Cherokee midsize SUV has earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The rating applies to 2019 Jeep Cherokees produced after April of this year, when equipped with Jeep’s available Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) technology – Forward Collision Warning-Plus – and LED projector headlamps with optional automatic high-beam control.
These are among more than 80 available safety and security features that carry over to model-year 2020.
“This latest award is solid recognition for the Jeep Cherokee, an SUV that is not only recognized for being the most capable vehicle in its class, but also packed with more than 80 advanced safety and security features and benchmark 4×4 systems to help consumers tackle any terrain in all weather conditions,” says Jim Morrison, Head of Jeep Brand – FCA North America. “Jeep Cherokee provides the confidence and security to handle any journey.”
High-strength-steel upgrades to the 2019 Jeep Cherokee’s A-pillar and hinge-pillar are among the key engineering changes that contribute to its Top Safety Pick rating. These factor into improved performance in the IIHS small-overlap tests, which simulate certain frontal impacts.
The Jeep Cherokee recorded “good” results – the highest possible crashworthiness rating – in all six crashworthiness tests, three of which simulate frontal impacts. The remaining tests inflict damage consistent with a side impact, rear impact and a rollover.
Forward Collision Warning-Plus was graded “superior,” the highest possible rating awarded by IIHS in front crash prevention. The optional feature boasts sensor-fusion technology, which blends camera capability with radar detection to determine when an impact is imminent.
The system initially warns the driver to take action to avoid a collision. If the driver does not act in a timely manner, the system may activate the vehicle’s brakes if collision risk remains.
The Top Safety Pick rating is also enabled by the Jeep Cherokee’s standard-equipment LED projector headlamps with optional automatic high-beam control. The available feature switches headlamp modes between high- and low-beam function – depending on traffic conditions – without driver intervention.
The launch of the 2019 Jeep Cherokee also marked the debut of a premium design language and the model line’s introduction of a 2.0-liter direct-injected inline four-cylinder engine that enhances performance and fuel efficiency.