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2018 Jeep Wrangler scores 1 star in European crash tests

The Jeep Wrangler got a full redesign for the 2018 model year, and this Euro NCAP test we have here is the first official independent safety testing we've seen for the new model. Historically, the Wrangler has performed poorly in crash tests. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the previous generation a three-star rating. Euro NCAP testing puts a lot more weight on driver assistance systems in its testing, an area where the new Wrangler is somewhat lacking. It lost points for not having things like automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist — the Wrangler doesn't offer either of those things in Europe, even as an option. However, the 2019 model year Wrangler does (2018 does not) offer active braking for the U.S., a $795 package gives your Wrangler the ability to brake itself to a full stop if it senses the risk of a collision. This package includes adaptive cruise control, too, but lane-keep assist is not available. On top of the lack of active driver safety systems, its performance in NCAP's impact testing left a bit to be desired, as well. We did the math to see the raw Euro NCAP scores for a crash without it being dragged down by the driver assistance systems, and adult occupant safety came out to 56.7 percent. Child occupant safety was a tad better at 69 percent. These still aren't great numbers, so it's clear that the lack of driver assistance features isn't the only thing pulling the score down. We aren't particularly surprised by the Wrangler's numbers, but it's information potential buyers should know about the truck. For those wanting an even deeper dive, check out Euro NCAP's full testing results here. The Euro NCAP also released a video of its Jeep Wrangler crash testing, which you can watch above. None of it looks particularly egregious at first blush, especially compared to video of the Fiat Panda, which recently received a whopping zero star rating. Scoring zero stars in a crash test is always a red flag, but customers won't ever buy the Panda in the U.S. anyway. We'll be watching for crash test ratings from the NHTSA and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for U.S. market 2018 Wranglers to see if those tests produce different results. Related video:

FCA design chief Ralph Gilles uses Jeep to help couple in fiery wreck

Fiat Chrysler's head of design Ralph Gilles recently rendered assistance at a fiery crash scene that left one dead. Gilles helped two people trapped inside a vehicle following a pair of collisions that left them pressed up against a burning vehicle. He used his Jeep Wrangler to nudge a Ford Edge engulfed in flames across the road. The 57-year-old female passenger who was trapped inside the other car was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The first crash happened early Sunday, Feb. 18, in a rural area north of Detroit when a 2013 Ford Fiesta carrying the woman and her husband collided head-on with a 2013 Ford Edge that had crossed the center line. The driver of that vehicle sustained minor injuries; police said alcohol is believed to have played a role. Gilles was driving home with his wife, Doris, when they came upon the accident, stopped and called 911. He told the Oxford Leader he and the driver of the Edge tried to help the couple in the Fiesta, but none of the doors would open. After Gilles went to move his Wrangler out of the way, he saw a Buick LeSabre broadside the already-crippled Fiesta and push it up against the Edge, which then caught fire. With the couple still trapped inside the Fiesta, Gilles got the idea to put the Wrangler into four-wheel drive and push the Edge to the opposite shoulder using his Jeep. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. "I still have no idea where that (thought) came from," Gilles told the Leader. "The only thing I can remember thinking (is) I've got a Jeep, it's got a bumper on it, I think I can do this. All I could think about were the two people still inside the other car." Firefighters were later able to extract the couple from the Fiesta and transport them to a hospital. The woman was then airlifted to a second hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her husband was listed in stable condition. Gilles posted a short video of the burning vehicle on Instagram and wrote that he was "NOT a hero." "It made us appreciate the true heroes. The first responders, Firemen/women, EMS and Police who deal with this stuff every day," he wrote. Image Credit: Ralph Gilles / Instagram Jeep fire

EU finds Jeep Grand Cherokee and Suzuki Vitara break emissions rules

AMSTERDAM — Fiat Chrysler's Jeep Grand Cherokee and Suzuki's Vitara diesel models both break emissions rules and must be fixed or face a ban on sales across Europe, the Dutch road authority ruled on Thursday. The RDW authority, acting as the reference regulator for across the European Union, said Jeep had developed a software fix and that the authority had ordered the company to recall the model across Europe to roll it out. It added Suzuki had yet to find a credible solution for the Vitara. "Suzuki must come with adequate improvement measures or the RDW will begin the process of revoking its European type approval," the RDW said in a statement, adding it had also started the process of revoking approval for the Jeep Grand Cherokee as a "precautionary measure." Regulators across the world have been testing diesel models since Volkswagen admitted in 2015 that it used illegal software to cheat U.S. emissions tests. The RDW said it had found both the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Vitara had used "prohibited emissions strategies" that led them to emit higher levels of harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) on the road than under testing conditions. Dutch State Secretary for Infrastructure, Stientje van Veldhoven, said in a letter to parliament she would inform prosecutors of the RDW's findings. Fiat Chrysler and Suzuki could not immediately be reached for comment. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.