New 2007 Audi A3 Safety Review [ 2009 , 2008 ]
Audi A3 Safety Review
Safety - 9.5 (Excellent)
A number of features and Audi's reputation for safety have most reviewers convinced that the 2007 Audi A3 will prove to be a secure ride. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the A3 an overall rating of "good" (the best possible rating) in its frontal offset and side impact crash tests, and named it a "Top Safety Pick." Government crash tests have not yet been conducted on the A3.
Although government crash tests have not yet been conducted on the A3, Newsday points out that "Audis have tended to do well in the front- and side-impact tests done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration." "Audi certainly didn't scrimp on safety," says the Detroit News. Edmunds praises the A3's "wealth of safety technologies," while About.com claims, "Safety is paramount in Audi's universe."
Accident Avoidance
"It's hard for me to recommend many small cars to families because the companies tend to cut corners by making too much of the safety hardware as an extra-cost option," writes the Detroit News. "The A3 gets a hearty endorsement on the safety front." Standard features include anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control. Some features, however, do cost extra, such as the adaptive headlamps, which are part of the optional technology package.
Crash Protection
About.com says that the A3 comes with features "to keep you out of trouble, and front-seat mounted torso air bags and two-row side curtain 'bags should you manage to find trouble anyway." Active front head restraints and an electronic stabilization program are also standard. All five seats have three-point belts with automatic tension and adjustable headrests. Front seat belts can be adjusted for height and are equipped with belt-force limiters. Rear side-impact air bags are optional.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the A3 an overall rating of "Good" (the best possible rating) in its frontal offset and side impact crash tests, and named it a "Top Safety Pick." Newsday points out that "Audis have tended to do well in the front- and side-impact tests done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration."
