IIHS crash tests: Audi tops; Mercedes-Benz E-Class misses
Audi leads tougher IIHS crash tests as Mercedes-Benz E-Class falls short
IIHS crash tests: Audi tops; Mercedes-Benz E-Class misses
IIHS crash tests crown Audi Q5, Q5 Sportback and A6 Sportback e-tron with Top Safety Pick+, as Mercedes-Benz E-Class misses out amid rear-seat safety concerns.
2025-12-18T06:58:00+03:00
2025-12-18T06:58:00+03:00
2025-12-18T06:58:00+03:00
The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has published new crash-test results conducted under tougher protocols. Audi came out ahead among premium brands, while the Mercedes-Benz E-Class missed out on any top accolades.Top Safety Pick+ went to three Audi models: the Q5, Q5 Sportback and A6 Sportback e-tron. That brings Audi’s tally to seven vehicles with this award—more than any other luxury manufacturer. All three posted Good ratings in the key evaluations, including small- and moderate-overlap frontal impacts as well as the updated side crash. They also met the requirements for headlight performance and pedestrian crash-prevention systems. The consistency across such different body styles suggests the brand has tuned its safety package to the stricter IIHS playbook.IIHS also placed particular emphasis on a new test of rear-occupant protection in a 64 km/h frontal collision. In this assessment, Audi again earned high marks, confirming the effectiveness of its seatbelts and restraint systems—an area that increasingly separates leaders from the field.Mercedes-Benz E-Class, by contrast, did not pass the updated moderate-overlap test. Although the body structure was deemed strong, experts recorded the rear passenger’s belt shifting into the abdominal area, raising the risk of injury. As a result, the model received neither Top Safety Pick+ nor Top Safety Pick. It underlines how even a robust shell can be undermined if restraint performance falls short.IIHS notes that safety requirements will continue to tighten. From 2026, additional checks of electronic driver-assistance systems are planned, which will become an important factor in rating 2026 models.
IIHS, crash tests, Audi Q5, Q5 Sportback, A6 Sportback e-tron, Top Safety Pick+, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, rear-seat safety, moderate-overlap test, side crash, safety ratings, pedestrian detection
2025
Michael Powers
news
Audi leads tougher IIHS crash tests as Mercedes-Benz E-Class falls short
IIHS crash tests crown Audi Q5, Q5 Sportback and A6 Sportback e-tron with Top Safety Pick+, as Mercedes-Benz E-Class misses out amid rear-seat safety concerns.
Michael Powers, Editor
The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has published new crash-test results conducted under tougher protocols. Audi came out ahead among premium brands, while the Mercedes-Benz E-Class missed out on any top accolades.
Top Safety Pick+ went to three Audi models: the Q5, Q5 Sportback and A6 Sportback e-tron. That brings Audi’s tally to seven vehicles with this award—more than any other luxury manufacturer. All three posted Good ratings in the key evaluations, including small- and moderate-overlap frontal impacts as well as the updated side crash. They also met the requirements for headlight performance and pedestrian crash-prevention systems. The consistency across such different body styles suggests the brand has tuned its safety package to the stricter IIHS playbook.
IIHS also placed particular emphasis on a new test of rear-occupant protection in a 64 km/h frontal collision. In this assessment, Audi again earned high marks, confirming the effectiveness of its seatbelts and restraint systems—an area that increasingly separates leaders from the field.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class, by contrast, did not pass the updated moderate-overlap test. Although the body structure was deemed strong, experts recorded the rear passenger’s belt shifting into the abdominal area, raising the risk of injury. As a result, the model received neither Top Safety Pick+ nor Top Safety Pick. It underlines how even a robust shell can be undermined if restraint performance falls short.
IIHS notes that safety requirements will continue to tighten. From 2026, additional checks of electronic driver-assistance systems are planned, which will become an important factor in rating 2026 models.
