The crossover earned Top Safety Pick Plus honors, thanks to ‘good’ ratings in all five crash scenarios and available front-crash prevention technology. The 2014 model year had achieved ‘good’ ratings in four categories, but was not put through the challenging small-overlap test.
The latest model years are not significantly different from the 2014 edition, however Audi reinforced the frontal structure and occupant compartment for Q5s built after January 2015. The changes are said to have been specifically designed to ace the small-overlap trial.
The IIHS notes that the driver dummy’s movement was well controlled in the test, cushioned properly by the airbags. The side curtain airbag deployed and provided enough coverage to protect the head from contact with the side structure and outside objects.
“Measures taken from the dummy indicate a low risk of injuries in a crash of this severity,” the report notes.
Other Top Safety Pick Plus winners in the midsize luxury SUV segment include the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Volvo XC60, Lexus NX and Acura MDX.
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