2007 Audi A4 Safety Review [ 2009 , 2008 ]
Audi A4 Safety Review
Safety - 9.6 (Excellent)
The 2007 A4 includes a long list of active safety systems to help avoid an accident, and excellent protection in the event of one. It has performed well on all crash tests completed on vehicles in the United States.
In federal government crash testing, this generation of A4 achieved four out of five stars for protecting both the driver and front passenger in frontal crashes. In a side impact crash tests, it earned five out of five stars for protecting front seat passengers, and four out of five stars for protecting backseat passengers. The A4 received four out of five stars for its ability to prevent a rollover. It is important to note that, while these tests were performed on a 2006 model, the car tested was mechanically the same as the 2007 A4.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the A4 sedan its highest rating, "good," in both frontal offset and side impact tests. The car earns an "acceptable," the second-highest rating, for protecting occupants in rear impacts. These high scores led the IIHS to name the A4 sedan a "Top Safety Pick" in its class for 2007. Shoppers should note that these scores apply only to the sedan. A4 Cabriolet convertibles have a separate set of scores.
Accident Avoidance
Audi's Electronic Stability Program with integrated Traction Control performs well on skid tests, and includes a unique feature designed to keep the brakes performing well in wet conditions. Motor Trend explains, "This ESP system features a brake disc wiping function that keeps the rotors dry on wet roads even if the brakes haven't been applied for a long distance. The brake linings are pressed against the disc at regular intervals, although the driver never knows or feels it."
To enhance driver awareness during night driving, the A4 includes bixenon headlights that actually turn their beams with the car's steering. "If you're expecting to delight your friends with these amazing swiveling beams, forget it," says Car and Driver, "the effect is so subtle no one will notice. But the light pattern nicely illuminates far to the sides even when going straight ahead, which is the whole point of high-performance lights."
A standard Tire Pressure Monitoring System warns the driver of dangerously underinflated tires.
Crash Protection
Sedan versions of the A4 include a full suite of air bags as standard equipment. Occupant-sensing front air bags in front of both driver and front passenger inflate only if the seat is occupied, and can inflate at varying speeds depending on occupant size and crash severity. Roof-mounted head curtain air bags protect all passengers in side impacts. In addition, seat-mounted side air bags, which protect passengers' torsos in a side-impact crash, are standard in front and optional for rear seats.
Cabriolet models of the A4 must use a different air bag system, since the crash dynamics of convertibles are very different than those of sedans. As Cars.com explains, "Audi used the redesign as an opportunity to upgrade the Cabriolet's safety features, integrating side air bags into the front seats to protect occupants' heads. The automaker reinforced the Cabriolet's A-pillars to protect occupants in the event of a rollover, which also causes two protective bars to deploy upward, behind the rear passengers' heads." The IIHS awarded the Cabriolet a rating of "good" in frontal impacts, but only "marginal" (just one level above the Institute's worst score) in side-impact testing. The federal government has not performed crash tests on the A4 Cabriolet.
