Audi Dominates Latest IIHS Safety Tests as Mercedes E-Class Falls Short

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released its latest round of safety results for new models. These tests have become tougher in recent years and provide consumers with the peace of mind that the vehicle you’re purchasing will hold up well if the worst happens. 

The new results will make Audi fans smile, as the luxury brand picked up another three of the safety agency’s Top Safety Pick+ awards, the highest recognition given only to vehicles that perform exceedingly well in multiple tests. Perhaps surprisingly, one Mercedes-Benz missed out on this top accolade.

Audi Leads All Luxury Brands

The Top Safety Pick+ award was attained by Audi’s Q5, Q5 Sportback, and A6 Sportback e-tron. Seven Audi models have now attained this award, leading all luxury brands. 

All three models achieved the agency’s maximum ‘Good’ rating for crucial tests like the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and the tougher side-impact tests. To qualify for the top award, models tested also need Acceptable or Good ratings in the pedestrian front crash prevention test and similar ratings for the headlights, across all trim levels. The Q5 and Q5 Sportback’s headlights were rated as Acceptable, while top A6 Sportback e-tron trims with more advanced LED headlights got the top Good rating.

All three Audis meet new criteria from the IIHS that focuses on rear-passenger safety during the moderate overlap collision test. This test now simulates a head-on collision at 40 mph, where the test vehicle strikes a vehicle of the same size and weight, with 40% of the front widths overlapping. An extra test dummy in the back seat specifically evaluates the protective measures for smaller occupants in such a crash.

Mercedes E-Class Leaves Room For Improvement

One of Merc’s larger sedans would be expected to pass new crash tests with flying colors, but it wasn’t to be for the latest E-Class. It missed out on the Top Safety Pick+ award and the lower-tier Top Safety Pick award. 

While the BMW 5 Series rival attained Good marks for the small front overlap and updated side tests, it surprisingly got only a Marginal score for the updated moderate overlap front test—exactly the test where the three Audis excelled. The IIHS noted that the rear passenger dummy’s belt moved from the ideal position on the pelvis to the abdomen, increasing the chances of an abdomen-related injury. There was also found to be a moderate risk of injury to the head or neck of passengers seated at the back.

The structural integrity of the E-Class is sound, but we expect Mercedes to make improvements to the seat belt design based on these results. For the most part, this is still a safe and secure sedan.

Final Thoughts

Continuous improvements to crash-testing procedures have kept manufacturers on their toes in recent times. The tougher moderate overlap front test is a particular challenge, as the latest Ram 1500 and Volkswagen Tiguan both scored a Poor rating for this test.

Later this decade, achieving a Top Safety Pick+ award will be even more difficult, as the agency will introduce new tests focusing on crash prevention and the evaluation of driver distraction. There will be a focus on speed limit warnings and driver impairment monitoring, specifically. These changes align with international standards, as Euro NCAP also announced a series of tougher tests, set to be implemented in 2026.