The 2017 Audi A4 has earned top honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The luxury sedan was redesigned for the 2017 model year and has secured an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award by offering good protection in a small overlap front crash and a superior-rated, standard front crash prevention system.
The last-generation Audi A4 was rated poor in the small overlap evaluation. In that test, the structure of the A4 didn’t hold up, with intrusion into the driver’s space reaching 11 inches at the footwell and the instrument panel. In addition, the steering column moved toward the driver and to the right, while the dummy’s head slipped off the left side of the airbag. The driver door also opened, putting the driver at risk of ejection in a real crash.
SEE ALSO: 2017 Audi A4 Review
The new 2017 Audi A4 had very different results, with maximum intrusion of only three inches at the footrest. The dummy’s head also hit the front airbag and stayed there until rebound. On the other crash tests, the 2017 Audi A4 mirrored its predecessor, earning good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests.
The standard front crash prevention system helped the vehicle avoid a collision in the 12-mph IIHS track test. On the 25-mph track test, impact speed was reduced by an average of 22 mph. There is also a different, optional front crash prevention system that also earned a superior rating.
