Remember the video we brought you a few weeks ago in which the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee repeatedly failed the evasive maneuver or ‘Moose test’, in dramatic fashion? Well, Jeep now has something to back up their claim, as the Cherokee succesfully completed the same test in the hands of the renowned German magazine Auto Motor und Sport.
Previously, Chrysler claimed the Swedish magazine Teknikens Värld hadn’t conducted the tests as per industry standards, while Teknikens Värld claimed otherwise and, as seen in their video below, even used a second vehicle and invited Chrysler themselves to have a go at completing the test.
According to the latest report from the Germans, the Jeep Grand Cherokee completed the test multiple times without fail. The test was performed by an Auto Motor und Sport driver, at a VDA (Verband der Deutschen Automobilindustrie) sactioned facility where the course dimensions and layout were all to ISO standards.
Jeep Grand Cherokee passes the moose test; Jeep does not roll over.
The new Jeep Grand Cherokee does not roll over even at high speed, with sharp steering maneuvers, maximum passengers and fully loaded. During the Auto Motor und Sport moose test, the vehicle remained safely on the road and none of the four wheels lost contact with the road.
With this, Auto Motor und Sport puts into perspective the results of the Swedish magazine, Teknikens Varld, that alleged a danger of the SUV tipping during fast direction change towards the last of the three pylon lanes. Even though the Jeep Grand Cherokee had already passed the first test performed by Auto Motor und Sport, including an avoidance test with releasing the accelerator pedal provoking a load shift, the test was repeated once more by Auto Motor und Sport after the result in Sweden.
Under standardised conditions for road surface and with pylon lanes set depending on vehicle width in accordance to the guidelines determined by the VDA (Verband der Deutschen Automobilindustrie; German Automotive Manufacturer Association), the Jeep remained safely on the road during the magazine’s test. Whether loaded with 2 people on board or with the maximum permissible total weight, all four wheels maintained contact with the ground to the greatest possible extent. The tested Jeep did not demonstrate one-sided uplift or, let alone, tipping. This confirms the theory that the Cherokee in Sweden was overloaded.
While this latest news is in favour of the Jeep, it’s clear that something doesn’t add up, either on the part of the Swedes or Chrysler. Until somebody else puts the Grand Cherokee through another Moose test and arrives at a different result, we assume the error lies with the former.
