2016 Audi A6 Named IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus

The Audi A6 has received a top safety rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). 

Audi had to modify the 2016 A6 to make sure it would perform well in the small overlap crash test, so rating only applies to cars built after January of 2015. Top marks across the board mean that the 2016 A6 has been named a Top Safety Pick Plus by the IIHS.

In the small overlap test, the maximum intrusion was four-inches at the foot rest, leaving plenty of space for the driver. The airbags controlled the dummy’s movement easily and overall, the IIHS says there is a low risk of injury in this type of crash.

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The small overlap test replicates what would happen if a car strikes a tree or telephone pole with only 25 percent of its face overlapping the obstacle.

Audi’s front crash prevention system on the A6 allows it carry the ‘plus’ moniker. The IIHS says that the vehicle reduced its speed by 10 mph in the lower-speed test thanks to automatic braking, but only reduced speed by 1 mph in the high-speed test, not enough to earn any credits. Still, the A6 earned an advanced rating for its front-crash avoidance technology.

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