To allow off-road and deep snow capability, Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Wrangler. But it costs extra on the 4Runner.
Both the Wrangler and the 4Runner have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, available front seat side-impact airbags and head airbags.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is safer than the 4Runner:
Wrangler |
4Runner |
|
Driver |
||
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Chest forces |
40 g's |
43 g's |
Passenger |
||
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Head Injury Index |
452 |
524 |
Chest forces |
43 g's |
52 g's |
More stars indicate a better overall result. Lower numbers indicate better individual test results. Not comparable with post-2010 results.
A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is safer than the 4Runner:
Wrangler |
4Runner |
|
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Head Neck Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head injury index |
102 |
142 |
Steering Column Movement Rearward |
2 cm |
12 cm |
Chest Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Hip & Thigh Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Femur Force R/L |
2.2/1.3 kN |
3.9/2.4 kN |
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L |
0%/0% |
1%/0% |
Lower Leg Evaluation |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Tibia index R/L |
.86/.8 |
.95/.85 |