See 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee Crash Its Way To IIHS Top Safety Pick + Rating

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee received the highest award offered by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Both the standard Grand Cherokee and the three-row Grand Cherokee L garnered an IIHS Top Safety Pick + rating, though there are some caveats to note.

The current-generation Grand Cherokee debuted back in 2020, with the longer Grand Cherokee L following in early 2021. However, the IIHS awards only apply to 2023 models, and to get even more specific, Grand Cherokees built after March 2023. For Grand Cherokee L versions, the production date bumps up to May 2023.

Why is this? According to IIHS, Jeep made structural changes to the SUV's undercarriage that addressed a major fuel leak on earlier versions, resulting from sheet metal puncturing the tank in previous crash tests. That contributed to poor ratings on prior models, and IIHS also mentions changes in how Jeep adjusts the headlights across all Grand Cherokee trims.

As a result, 2023 models built after the aforementioned dates earn good ratings in all IIHS crash tests. That includes overlap front crash tests on both driver and passenger sides, and side-impact testing. As for lighting, changes made by Jeep give the Grand Cherokee either good or acceptable ratings for all trim levels.

Vehicles receiving Top Safety Pick + awards must have standard-issue frontal crash prevention systems that earn advanced or superior ratings for vehicle-to-pedestrian collisions. The 2023 Grand Cherokee in standard and L format received an advanced rating in daytime operation, and a superior rating when the sun goes down. Jeep offers this system on all Grand Cherokee trim levels, thus leading to the Top Safety Pick + award.

For 2023, Jeep offers the Grand Cherokee in no less than eight trims. The entry point is the Grand Cherokee Laredo with a starting price of $41,330, including Jeep's $1,795 destination fee. That gets you a very specific SUV, namely a two-wheel-drive model with a white exterior as all other colors are a $595 option. Opting for four-wheel drive adds $2,000 to the price, and the cheapest three-row Grand Cherokee (2WD) is $43,330. At the other end of the price spectrum, the range-topping Grand Cherokee L costs $72,735 and comes standard with 4WD. However, any exterior color other than white is still a $595 upcharge.