Audi A6 Aces IIHS Crash Tests

2016 Audi A6 European model (Credit: Audi )

If you or someone you know is looking for an incredibly safe luxury sedan, know that the 2016 Audi A6 just aced the tests administered by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The midsize sedan picked up the safety organization’s highest honor of Top Safety Pick+, earning an overall rating of “stellar.”

In the past, the A6 struggled with the notorious small overlap crash test. Some automakers have gone so far as to call the test irrelevant, ridiculous, or any number of other things. The test simulates what would happen if a vehicle were to strike a pole, tree, or similar object with only the front corner. Instead of trying to dismiss it, Audi worked hard to ensure the new A6 could handle the brutal punishment, which has netted an excellent result, with IIHS noting that the only intrusion into the driver’s space was about four inches in the foot well. You can see a video of the test below.

Despite the great overall results, there was one test that gave the Audi A6 some fits. The new crash prevention/mitigation test is designed to measure how well forward collision assistance systems work (if a vehicle is so equipped). Passing the test is necessary if a vehicle is to be named a Top Safety Pick+ versus just a Top Safety Pick. During low-speed testing, the Audi slowed down an average of about 10 mph. When it came to higher speeds, the tech only cut the car’s speed by about 1 mph, which pretty much does nothing. Despite that hang-up, IIHS says the A6 earned the credit because of its “warning component.”

The 2016 Audi A6 is loaded with all kinds of technological goodies that are designed to keep people safe. Among them is adaptive cruise control, a side blind zone monitoring system, corner and top view cameras, and a night vision system.