Watch a Jeep Grand Cherokee fail Sweden's Moose Test
The Jeep Grand Cherokee has proven to be a rock-solid off-road-capable SUV with a dose of civility on public roads. But while the top Jeep has a terrific reputation and a long list of accolades, at least one model apparently didn't have the chops for the Teknikens Moose (or Elk) test over in Sweden.
The moose test is a lighting-fast emergency lane change maneuver that takes place at a relatively staid 40 miles per hour. While most vehicles clear the obstacle with little fuss, the below video shows that a Grand Cherokee Overland got up on two wheels and very nearly rolled. Teknikens Värld tester Linus Pröjtz points out in the Overland model comes standard in Sweden with 20-inch wheels, rollover protection and electronic stability control.
The Swedish car magazine (translation: "World of Technology") goes on to call on Chrysler to put a stop sale on the Grand Cherokee in Sweden until this issue is addressed, and they claim Chrysler has yet to provide an explanation as to why the vehicle performed so poorly.
Here in the States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Grand Cherokee four stars, including a five-star score for side impacts. However, in rating the SUV's rollover resistance, the GC only managed three stars in rear-wheel drive configuration, while four-wheel drive models netted four stars.
*UPDATE: Chrysler brand fan site Allpar has published an article that alleges that the rollover test was rigged, arguing the test was conducted in an intentionally overloaded vehicle. Further, it reports that the magazine conducted the test again – with Chrysler engineers standing by – in three different correctly loaded Grand Cherokees over eleven separate runs, but they were "unable to reproduce" the wheel lift condition.
Yeah, didn't Mercedes have to recall the first generation A-class before they went on general sale in order to re-design the suspension after it failed the "moose-avoidance test" and rolled over onto its roof?
Can't believe that it is encourage to swerve.
In the greatest land of Oz it is better to brake like crazy, hit the roo and we are encoraged not to swerve because it causes more damage and injury.
Spose its a bit different hitting something quite a bit larger.
Can't believe that it is encourage to swerve.
In the greatest land of Oz it is better to brake like crazy, hit the roo and we are encoraged not to swerve because it causes more damage and injury.
Spose its a bit different hitting something quite a bit larger.
Buell
Well said mate. I understand ESP and stability control systems are there to help the driver avoid an accident, but if you are swerving to avoid something on the road, then surely the load put onto the tyres in this manner could pinch the rim of the wheel and potentially cut the sidewall of the tyre which could flip the vehicle over. I think we in Australia have it right by braking as hard as possible allowing the driver to have full control of the car, rather than jerking the steering wheel and putting the car out of control. All electronic aids like ESP, EBC etc. are just aids and not to be relied on to save the driver.
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Watch a Jeep Grand Cherokee fail Sweden's Moose Test
The Jeep Grand Cherokee has proven to be a rock-solid off-road-capable SUV with a dose of civility on public roads. But while the top Jeep has a terrific reputation and a long list of accolades, at least one model apparently didn't have the chops for the Teknikens Moose (or Elk) test over in Sweden.
