2026 Audi A3

midsize luxury car / 4-door sedan

2026 Audi A3 4-door sedan

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteriaRating
Small overlap front
G
Moderate overlap front: updated test
G

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Evaluation criteriaRating
Headlights
A
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0
Standard system
G
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Standard system
G

Seat belts & child restraints

Evaluation criteriaRating
Seat belt reminders
P
LATCH ease of use
G

Other available safety features

  • Standard blind spot detection
  • Standard lane departure warning & prevention
  • Standard rear automatic braking

Key

GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor

Small overlap front

The small overlap front evaluation consists of a driver-side and a passenger-side component. If the results of the two evaluations differ, then the combined small overlap rating is equal to the lower rating.

Driver-side

Tested vehicle: 2022 Audi A3 Premium 4-door
Rating applies to 2022-26 models

The Audi A3 was redesigned for the 2022 model year after a one-year absence from the market. Driver-side small overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a 2022 A3 conducted by Volkswagen/Audi.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall driver-side evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTN2204
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 11
Footrest (cm) 5
Left toepan (cm) 2
Brake pedal (cm) 5
Parking brake (cm)
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 0
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column 0
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 5
Upper dash (cm) 9
Lower instrument panel (cm) 7

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTN2204
Head
HIC-15 71
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.0
Extension bending moment (Nm) 8
Maximum Nij 0.19
Chest maximum compression (mm) 27
Femur (kN)
Left 0.9
Right 0.1
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 1
Right 0
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.53
Right 0.48
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 2.4
Right 0.9
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 59
Right 31

Passenger-side

Tested vehicle: 2022 Audi A3 Premium 4-door
Rating applies to 2022-26 models

The Audi A3 was redesigned for the 2022 model year after a one-year absence from the market. Passenger-side small overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a 2022 A3 conducted by Volkswagen/Audi.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall passenger-side evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP2212
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 11
Footrest (cm) 12
Right toepan (cm) 5
Center toepan (cm) 2
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 0
Upper occupant compartment
Center dash (cm) 5
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 6
Upper dash (cm) 7
Right lower dash (cm) 7

Passenger injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP2212
Head
HIC-15 125
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.1
Extension bending moment (Nm) 11
Maximum Nij 0.18
Chest maximum compression (mm) 22
Femur (kN)
Left 0.6
Right 0.9
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 1
Right 1
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.34
Right 0.29
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 2.5
Right 1.4
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 43
Right 35

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP2212
Head
HIC-15 107
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.9
Extension bending moment (Nm) 7
Maximum Nij 0.22
Chest maximum compression (mm) 37
Femur (kN)
Left 0.6
Right 0.3
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 0
Right 0
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.42
Right 0.22
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 0.7
Right 1.2
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 45
Right 42

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: updated test

Tested vehicle: 2026 Audi A3 quattro 4-door 4wd
Rating applies to 2022-26 models

The Audi A3 was redesigned for the 2022 model year after a one-year absence from the market.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Thigh/hip
G
Leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Thigh
G
Rear passenger restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test IDCEF2610
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm)4
Left (cm)6
Center (cm)6
Right (cm)2
Brake pedal (cm)3
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm)0
Right (cm)0
Steering column movement
Upward (cm)0
Rearward (cm)-3
A-pillar rearward movement (cm)0

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test IDCEF2610
Head
HIC-15185
Peak gs at hard contactnegligible
Neck
Tension (kN)1.0
Extension bending moment (Nm)8
Maximum Nij0.24
Chest maximum compression (mm)29
Femur (kN)
Left0.7
Right0.7
Knee displacement (mm)
Left0
Right1
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left0
Right0
Maximum tibia index
Left0.19
Right0.46
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left1.7
Right2.1
Foot acceleration (g)
Left56
Right50

Rear passenger injury measures

Test IDCEF2610
Head
HIC-15 for head contact during forward excursion
no contact
Peak gs at hard contactno contact
Neck
Tension (kN)1.3
Compression (kN)0.1
Maximum Nij for head contact during forward excursion
no contact
Chest
Chest index35
Shoulder belt tension (kN)4.0
Thigh (kN)
Left femur compression0.1
Right femur compression0.1

About the moderate overlap front test

February 2024 adjustment to rating criteria

Headlights

Trim level(s): All trims

Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeLED projector
High-beam headlight typeLED projector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
A
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on the left side of the road and inadequate on the right side. On curves, visibility was fair on the sharp left and both right curves and inadequate on the gradual left curve.

The low beams never exceeded glare limits.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair on the gradual left and both right curves and inadequate on the sharp left curve.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and all 4 curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Evaluation criteria Measurement
Trim level(s)
  • All trims
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2026 models
A
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 72.2 m None
Straightaway left edge 51.9 m None
250m radius right curve, right edge 60.0 m None
250m radius left curve, right edge 43.0 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 53.0 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 47.7 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 159.6 m
Straightaway left edge 156.1 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 74.7 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 69.4 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 60.9 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 50.9 m

About the headlight evaluation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0

System details

  • standard Active Front Assist
Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Rating applies to all 2026 models

Passenger car target

Test runSpeed reductionTimely warning?
31 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
31 mph/target off-centerCollision avoided
37 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
37 mph/target off-centerCollision avoided
43 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
43 mph/target off-centerCollision avoided

Motorcycle target

Test runSpeed reductionTimely warning?
31 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
31 mph/target off-centerCollision avoided
37 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
37 mph/target off-centerCollision avoided
43 mph/target centeredCollision avoided
43 mph/target off-center34 mph

Semitrailer

Only warning is tested with the semitrailer.

Test runTimely warning?
31 mph/target centered
37 mph/target centered
43 mph/target centered

About the front crash prevention test

Front crash prevention: pedestrian

System details

  • standard Active Front Assist
Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Includes high-beam assist credit
Rating applies to all 2026 models

Crossing child — day

  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.

Crossing adult — night

  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision when using its high beams. When using its low beams, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 19 mph when using its high beams. When using its low beams, impact speed was reduced by 17 mph.

Parallel adult — night

  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision when using its high beams. When using its low beams, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 37 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision when using its high beams and a warning was issued 2.5 seconds before impact. When using its low beams, impact speed was reduced by 28 mph and a warning was issued 1.5 seconds before impact.

About the pedestrian front crash prevention test

Seat belt reminders

Rating applies to 2022-26 models

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
P
Front row
Unbelted occupant alert (audible & visual)
Initiation time
DurationNegligible (under 8 seconds)
Volume
Audio frequency
Second row
Startup status alert (visual)
None
Technical measurements for this test
Evaluation criteria Measurement
Background cabin sound pressure level at 24 km/h 54 dB
Audible signal sound pressure level at 24 km/h 67 dB
Difference between background and signal 13.3 dB
Background cabin sound pressure level at 40 km/h 59 dB
Audible signal sound pressure level at 40 km/h 72 dB
Difference between background and signal 12.3 dB
Dominant audio frequency 1800 Hz

About the seat belt reminder evaluation

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2022-26 models

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Vehicle trim40 TFSI FWD
Seat type leather

This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware. It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.

1 2 3
Rating iconRating
GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol
Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol
Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

PositionRating
1
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
2
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
none available
3
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
Technical measurements for this test

Seat position 21

3

Lower anchor A
Open access rated Yes
Depth Visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 72
Lower anchor B
Open access rated Yes
Depth Visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 77
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 Yes
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

Seat position 22

2

Lower anchor A
No lower latch for this seat position
Lower anchor B
No lower latch for this seat position
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 Yes
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

Seat position 23

1

Lower anchor A
Open access rated Yes
Depth Visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 72
Lower anchor B
Open access rated Yes
Depth Visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 71
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 Yes
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

About the child seat anchor evaluation