The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback is a vehicle that seamlessly blends sporty aesthetics with hatchback practicality. For prospective buyers and current owners alike, understanding its safety performance is paramount. This comprehensive analysis delves into the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) ratings for the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback, providing a detailed breakdown of its crashworthiness and safety features. These ratings are particularly relevant as they also apply to the structurally similar Audi A4 sedan and allroad wagon models redesigned in 2017.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side Evaluation
The small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a barrier. This is a challenging test that assesses how well the car’s structure protects the driver in such a severe impact. The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback, mirroring the Audi A4 sedan’s performance, achieved a “Good” rating in this demanding evaluation.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Small overlap front: driver-side | 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 |
This “Good” rating signifies robust protection across all measured categories, including structural integrity, safety cage robustness, and injury measures for the head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot. Furthermore, the driver restraints and dummy kinematics were also rated “Good,” indicating effective occupant control during the crash.
Action shot during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test, demonstrating the impact dynamics on the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback.
The technical measurements from the driver-side small overlap test further reinforce the “Good” rating. Minimal intrusion into the occupant compartment was recorded. For instance, the lower hinge pillar maximum intrusion was only 4 cm, and the footrest intrusion was 7 cm. Crucially, there was zero intrusion in the steering column area, highlighting the vehicle’s ability to maintain crucial driver space.
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 4 |
| Footrest (cm) | 7 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 4 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 4 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 1 |
| Steering column | 0 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 3 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 3 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 3 |
Driver injury measures were also minimal. The Head Injury Criterion (HIC-15) was a low 171, and there was no head contact with hard surfaces. Neck tension was 1.0 kN, and chest compression was 30 mm, all well within acceptable safety limits. Leg and foot injury risks were also assessed as low, with minimal femur forces and tibia index values.
Post-crash dummy position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel, illustrating the maintained survival space for the driver in the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback.
Deployment of frontal and side curtain airbags during the driver-side small overlap crash test, showcasing head protection in the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback.
Driver’s space maintained well with low injury risks to legs and feet, as evidenced in the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback small overlap frontal crash test.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side Evaluation
The passenger-side small overlap test mirrors the driver-side test but evaluates protection for the front passenger. The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback again earned a “Good” rating, indicating consistent safety performance across the front occupant space.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Small overlap front: passenger-side | 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 the passenger side test showed slightly more intrusion in some areas compared to the driver’s side, but still within the “Good” rating threshold. The lower hinge pillar maximum intrusion was 7 cm, and footrest intrusion was 13 cm. Similar to the driver’s side, head and neck injury measures for the passenger were minimal, with a HIC-15 of 106 and no head contact.
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 7 |
| Footrest (cm) | 13 |
| Right toepan (cm) | 7 |
| Center toepan (cm) | 3 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 0 |
| Center dash (cm) | 2 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 3 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 3 |
| Right lower dash (cm) | 3 |
Interestingly, driver injury measures are also recorded in the passenger-side test, and these also received “Good” ratings, reflecting the overall structural integrity of the vehicle.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Evaluation
In the moderate overlap front test, a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a deformable barrier. This test is designed to represent a common type of frontal collision. The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback continued its streak of “Good” ratings in this assessment.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Moderate overlap front: original test | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Leg/foot, left | G |
| Leg/foot, right | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Occupant compartment intrusion was minimal in the moderate overlap test. Footwell intrusion measurements were consistently at 1 cm across various points, and instrument panel and steering column movement were also negligible.
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Footrest (cm) | 1 |
| Left (cm) | 1 |
| Center (cm) | 1 |
| Right (cm) | 1 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 1 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement Left (cm) | 0 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement Right (cm) | 0 |
| Steering column movement Upward (cm) | -1 |
| Steering column movement Rearward (cm) | -3 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
Driver injury measures remained low, with a HIC-15 of 161 and chest compression of 25 mm. Leg and foot injury risks were also minimal, reinforcing the robust protection offered by the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback in frontal collisions.
Side Impact Crash Test: Original Evaluation
The side impact test assesses how well a vehicle protects occupants in a side collision. The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback again demonstrated “Good” performance, both for driver and rear passenger protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Side: original test | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
Intrusion into the occupant compartment in the side impact test was measured as -19.0 cm (B-pillar to driver’s seat centerline), indicating that the structural crush stopped short of the driver’s seat centerline, a positive indicator of occupant space preservation.
Driver and rear passenger injury measures were well within acceptable limits. For the driver, the Head HIC-15 was 453, and torso deflection was 32mm. For the rear passenger, the Head HIC-15 was 129, and torso deflection was 30mm. All other injury metrics were also low, contributing to the overall “Good” side impact rating for the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback.
Roof Strength Evaluation
Roof strength is a critical factor in rollover crashes. The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback achieved a “Good” rating in this test, with a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.34. This indicates that the roof can withstand over five times the vehicle’s weight before significant crush, providing strong protection in rollover scenarios.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,471 lbs |
| Peak force | 18,540 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.34 |
This robust roof strength contributes to the overall safety profile of the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback.
Head Restraints and Seats Evaluation
Whiplash protection in rear-end collisions is assessed through head restraint and seat evaluations. The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback, equipped with power leather seats, earned a “Good” rating for both dynamic performance and seat/head restraint geometry.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
Technical measurements showed a backset of 25mm and a distance below the top of the head of 14mm, indicating good head restraint positioning. Maximum neck shear force was 0N and maximum neck tension was 429N, demonstrating effective whiplash protection.
Headlight Ratings
Headlight performance is crucial for nighttime driving safety. The IIHS evaluates headlights based on visibility and glare. For the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback, headlight ratings vary depending on trim level and headlight type.
Prestige Trim with Driver Assistance Package
This trim level features LED projector low beams and LED reflector high beams with high-beam assist but is not curve-adaptive. The overall headlight rating for this configuration is “Marginal”.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | M |
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
Low beam visibility was rated fair on the left straightaway and inadequate on the right. High beam visibility was good on the right straightaway but inadequate on the left. While glare was not exceeded, the overall illumination performance resulted in a “Marginal” rating.
Premium Plus and Prestige Trims (Standard LED Headlights)
These trims also feature LED projector low beams and LED reflector high beams, but without high-beam assist or curve-adaptive functionality. This configuration also received a “Marginal” overall headlight rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | M |
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
Performance metrics were similar to the Prestige trim with the Driver Assistance Package, resulting in the same “Marginal” rating due to limitations in visibility, particularly on curves.
Premium Trim (HID Projector Headlights)
The Premium trim of the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback is equipped with HID projector headlights for both low and high beams, without curve-adaptive or high-beam assist features. This headlight configuration received a “Poor” overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | P |
| Low-beam headlight type | HID projector |
| High-beam headlight type | HID projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
Visibility was rated fair to inadequate across various scenarios for both low and high beams. High beam performance was particularly weak on curves, leading to the “Poor” rating.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems are crucial for mitigating or avoiding frontal collisions. The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback offers two front crash prevention system variations.
Optional Audi Pre Sense Front (Driver Assistance Package)
When equipped with the optional Driver Assistance Package, the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback features Audi Pre Sense Front, which earned a “Superior” rating.
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| System details | Optional Audi Pre Sense Front |
| Package name | Optional Driver Assistance Package |
This system meets forward collision warning requirements and successfully avoided a collision in the 12 mph test and reduced impact speed by 22 mph in the 25 mph test.
Standard Audi Pre Sense City
The standard Audi Pre Sense City system also earned a “Superior” rating for front crash prevention in the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback.
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| System details | Standard Audi Pre Sense City |
Similar to the optional system, Audi Pre Sense City meets forward collision warning criteria, avoided a collision in the 12 mph test, and reduced impact speed by 22 mph in the 25 mph test. This highlights the effectiveness of both available front crash prevention systems.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Child seat anchor ease of use is important for families. The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback received a “Good” rating for its LATCH system.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Vehicle trim | 2.0T Prestige |
| Seat type | leather |
The vehicle has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor. The lower anchors were noted as easy to access and maneuver around, contributing to the “Good” rating for child seat anchor usability.
Conclusion
The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback demonstrates excellent crashworthiness, achieving “Good” ratings in all IIHS crash tests, including small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side impact, and roof strength. Its front crash prevention systems are rated “Superior,” providing significant collision avoidance capabilities. Headlight ratings are “Marginal” to “Poor” depending on trim level, indicating an area for potential improvement. Overall, the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback offers a high level of safety for occupants, making it a strong contender in its class for safety-conscious buyers.
