Audi’s smallest member of the crossover family, the new Q3, has scored a maximum five stars during recent Euro NCAP crash tests. The little soft-roader did well, scoring 94% for adult occupant protection, 84% for child occupant protection and 52% in case of pedestrian protection.
Despite not being a full-on SUV, the Q3 had enough engineering in its body to score well in both frontal and side impacts, even in the severe pole crash. The front seats and head restraints provided good protection against whiplash injuries in the event of a rear-end collision.
Child protection was good for both sets of dummies, and the seats properly contained the dummies, minimising the likelihood of dangerous head contacts.
“The dangers of using a rearward facing restraint without disabling the passenger airbag in that position are clearly explained in a permanently attached label. A switch is available as an option, and can be retro-fitted by an Audi dealer, which allows the passenger airbag to be disabled so that a rearward-facing child restraint can be used in that seating position. However, as the switch is not standard equipment on any model, it did not qualify for assessment by Euro NCAP,” the safety body stated.
The bumper scored maximum points for the protection offered to pedestrians' legs. However, the front edge of the bonnet was poor in all areas tested and scored no points. In those areas likely to be struck by a child's head, protection was predominantly good but was poor in most areas likely to be struck by the head of an adult, as this overlapped with the windshield, due to the short bonnet.
Child protection was good for both sets of dummies, and the seats properly contained the dummies, minimising the likelihood of dangerous head contacts.
“The dangers of using a rearward facing restraint without disabling the passenger airbag in that position are clearly explained in a permanently attached label. A switch is available as an option, and can be retro-fitted by an Audi dealer, which allows the passenger airbag to be disabled so that a rearward-facing child restraint can be used in that seating position. However, as the switch is not standard equipment on any model, it did not qualify for assessment by Euro NCAP,” the safety body stated.
The bumper scored maximum points for the protection offered to pedestrians' legs. However, the front edge of the bonnet was poor in all areas tested and scored no points. In those areas likely to be struck by a child's head, protection was predominantly good but was poor in most areas likely to be struck by the head of an adult, as this overlapped with the windshield, due to the short bonnet.