The 2022 Audi A7 stands out as a luxury car that doesn’t compromise on safety. For those prioritizing passenger protection, understanding vehicle safety ratings is crucial. This article delves into the comprehensive safety evaluations of the 2022 Audi A7, drawing upon the rigorous standards of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). We will explore how the Audi A7 performs in various crash tests and safety assessments, providing a detailed overview for potential buyers and safety enthusiasts.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side Performance
The small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts an object, like a tree or pole. This is a particularly challenging test, and the 2022 Audi A7 demonstrated robust driver-side protection.
The 2022 Audi A7 earned a “Good” rating in the driver-side small overlap front test. Key evaluation criteria and their respective ratings are:
- Overall Evaluation: Good (G)
- Structure and Safety Cage: Good (G)
- Driver Injury Measures:
- Head/Neck: Good (G)
- Chest: Good (G)
- Hip/Thigh: Good (G)
- Lower Leg/Foot: Acceptable (A)
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Good (G)
Technical measurements from the test provide further insight:
- Lower Occupant Compartment Intrusion:
- Lower Hinge Pillar Max: 4 cm
- Footrest: 7 cm
- Left Toepan: 3 cm
- Brake Pedal: 2 cm
- Rocker Panel Lateral Average: 0 cm
- Upper Occupant Compartment Intrusion:
- Steering Column: 0 cm
- Upper Hinge Pillar Max: 4 cm
- Upper Dash: 5 cm
- Lower Instrument Panel: 3 cm
Driver injury measures were also encouraging:
- Head: HIC-15: 491, No hard contact
- Neck: Tension: 1.7 kN, Extension Bending Moment: 8 Nm, Maximum Nij: 0.30
- Chest Maximum Compression: 32 mm
- Femur (Left/Right): 1.2 kN / 1.3 kN
- Knee Displacement (Left/Right): 1 mm / 1 mm
- Knee-Thigh-Hip Injury Risk (Left/Right): 0% / 0%
- Maximum Tibia Index (Left/Right): 0.38 / 0.47
- Tibia Axial Force (Left/Right): 3.7 kN / 4.1 kN
- Foot Acceleration (Left/Right): 122 g / 95 g
These measurements indicate a strong safety cage and effective restraint system, contributing to the “Good” rating and demonstrating the 2022 Audi A7’s ability to protect the driver in a demanding frontal crash scenario.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side Performance
Passenger-side protection is equally vital, and the 2022 Audi A7 underwent the passenger-side small overlap front test to assess its performance.
The 2022 Audi A7 mirrored its driver-side performance, achieving a “Good” rating in the passenger-side small overlap test. The detailed ratings include:
- Overall Evaluation: Good (G)
- Structure and Safety Cage: Good (G)
- Passenger Injury Measures:
- Head/Neck: Good (G)
- Chest: Good (G)
- Hip/Thigh: Good (G)
- Lower Leg/Foot: Acceptable (A)
- Passenger Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Acceptable (A) – The dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but rolled to the right, a point to note, although the side curtain airbag provided sufficient protection.
- Driver Injury Measures (Evaluated in this test for overall vehicle performance):
- Head/Neck: Good (G)
- Chest: Good (G)
- Hip/Thigh: Good (G)
- Lower Leg/Foot: Good (G)
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Good (G)
Technical measurements for passenger-side intrusion:
- Lower Occupant Compartment Intrusion:
- Lower Hinge Pillar Max: 2 cm
- Footrest: 5 cm
- Right Toepan: 2 cm
- Center Toepan: 1 cm
- Rocker Panel Lateral Average: 0 cm
- Upper Occupant Compartment Intrusion:
- Center Dash: 2 cm
- Upper Hinge Pillar Max: 1 cm
- Upper Dash: 3 cm
- Right Lower Dash: 3 cm
Passenger and driver injury measurements were as follows:
-
Passenger Head: HIC-15: 312, No hard contact
-
Passenger Neck: Tension: 1.4 kN, Extension Bending Moment: 13 Nm, Maximum Nij: 0.28
-
Passenger Chest Maximum Compression: 22 mm
-
Passenger Femur (Left/Right): 2.0 kN / 1.8 kN
-
Passenger Knee Displacement (Left/Right): 1 mm / 1 mm
-
Passenger Knee-Thigh-Hip Injury Risk (Left/Right): 0% / 0%
-
Passenger Maximum Tibia Index (Left/Right): 0.56 / 0.53
-
Passenger Tibia Axial Force (Left/Right): 4.5 kN / 3.1 kN
-
Passenger Foot Acceleration (Left/Right): 98 g / 105 g
-
Driver Head: HIC-15: 176, No hard contact
-
Driver Neck: Tension: 1.0 kN, Extension Bending Moment: 12 Nm, Maximum Nij: 0.25
-
Driver Chest Maximum Compression: 33 mm
-
Driver Femur (Left/Right): 0.9 kN / 0.2 kN
-
Driver Knee Displacement (Left/Right): 2 mm / 0 mm
-
Driver Knee-Thigh-Hip Injury Risk (Left/Right): 0% / 0%
-
Driver Maximum Tibia Index (Left/Right): 0.32 / 0.27
-
Driver Tibia Axial Force (Left/Right): 2.7 kN / 2.3 kN
-
Driver Foot Acceleration (Left/Right): 63 g / 90 g
These results confirm that the 2022 Audi A7 provides excellent protection for both the driver and front passenger in a small overlap frontal crash, maintaining structural integrity and minimizing injury risk.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
The moderate overlap front test involves a larger portion of the vehicle’s front impacting a deformable barrier. This test is more traditional and represents a significant portion of real-world frontal collisions.
Again, the 2022 Audi A7 excelled, securing a “Good” rating in the moderate overlap front test. The evaluation highlights:
- Overall Evaluation: Good (G)
- Structure and Safety Cage: Good (G)
- Driver Injury Measures:
- Head/Neck: Good (G)
- Chest: Good (G)
- Leg/Foot, Left: Good (G)
- Leg/Foot, Right: Good (G)
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Good (G)
Technical measurements indicate minimal intrusion and effective energy absorption:
- Footwell Intrusion:
- Footrest: 0 cm
- Left: 0 cm
- Center: 0 cm
- Right: 0 cm
- Brake Pedal: 1 cm
- Instrument Panel Rearward Movement:
- Left: -1 cm
- Right: 0 cm
- Steering Column Movement:
- Upward: -1 cm
- Rearward: -3 cm
- A-pillar Rearward Movement: 0 cm
Driver injury measurements further support the “Good” rating:
- Head: HIC-15: 165, No hard contact
- Neck: Tension: 0.9 kN, Extension Bending Moment: 11 Nm, Maximum Nij: 0.22
- Chest Maximum Compression: 28 mm
- Legs (Left/Right): Femur Force: 0.5 kN / 0.5 kN, Knee Displacement: 1 mm / 0 mm
- Maximum Tibia Index (Left/Right): 0.26 / 0.35
- Tibia Axial Force (Left/Right): 1.5 kN / 1.8 kN
- Foot Acceleration (Left/Right): 47 g / 44 g
The 2022 Audi A7’s performance in the moderate overlap front test reaffirms its strong frontal crash protection for occupants.
Side Impact Crash Test: Original Test
Side impacts are a significant source of injury in accidents. The side crash test evaluates how well a vehicle protects occupants in a side collision.
The 2022 Audi A7 achieved the highest rating of “Good” in the side impact test, demonstrating excellent side-impact protection. The ratings are as follows:
- Overall Evaluation: Good (G)
- Structure and Safety Cage: Good (G)
- Driver Injury Measures:
- Head/Neck: Good (G)
- Torso: Good (G)
- Pelvis/Leg: Good (G)
- Driver Head Protection: Good (G)
- Rear Passenger Injury Measures:
- Head/Neck: Good (G)
- Torso: Good (G)
- Pelvis/Leg: Good (G)
- Rear Passenger Head Protection: Good (G)
Technical measurements for occupant compartment intrusion:
- B-pillar to Longitudinal Centerline of Driver’s Seat: -17.0 cm (Negative number indicates crush stopped short of seat centerline).
Driver injury measures in the side impact test:
- Head HIC-15: 291
- Neck: Tension: 0.9 kN, Compression: 0.1 kN
- Shoulder: Lateral Deflection: 40 mm, Lateral Force: 1.3 kN
- Torso: Maximum Deflection: 30 mm, Average Deflection: 27 mm, Maximum Deflection Rate: 2.83 m/s, Maximum Viscous Criterion: 0.41 m/s
- Pelvis: Iliac Force: 1.6 kN, Acetabulum Force: 1.1 kN, Combined Force: 2.6 kN
- Left Femur: L-M Force: 0.3 kN, L-M Moment: 96 Nm, A-P Moment: 60 Nm
Rear passenger injury measures in the side impact test:
- Head HIC-15: 126
- Neck: Tension: 0.4 kN, Compression: 0.5 kN
- Shoulder: Lateral Deflection: 22 mm, Lateral Force: 1.1 kN
- Torso: Maximum Deflection: 29 mm, Average Deflection: 22 mm, Maximum Deflection Rate: 3.05 m/s, Maximum Viscous Criterion: 0.29 m/s
- Pelvis: Iliac Force: 0.9 kN, Acetabulum Force: 0.7 kN, Combined Force: 1.6 kN
- Left Femur: L-M Force: 0.3 kN, L-M Moment: 64 Nm, A-P Moment: 38 Nm
These comprehensive “Good” ratings and measurements demonstrate the 2022 Audi A7’s effective side structure and airbag system, providing excellent protection for both front and rear occupants in side-impact collisions.
Roof Strength Test
Roof strength is critical for rollover protection. The roof strength test assesses how well the roof can withstand forces in a rollover scenario.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 4,209 lbs |
| Peak force | 22,702 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.39 |
The 2022 Audi A7 achieved a “Good” rating for roof strength. With a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.39, the roof of the Audi A7 can withstand over five times its own weight, indicating robust rollover protection.
Head Restraints & Seats
Effective head restraints and seats are essential for preventing whiplash and other injuries in rear-end collisions.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
The 2022 Audi A7 with its power leather seats received a “Good” overall rating for head restraints & seats. Both dynamic rating and seat/head restraint geometry were rated as “Good,” signifying excellent design for rear-impact safety.
Technical measurements include:
- Geometry: Backset: 23 mm, Distance below top of head: 15 mm
- Seat Design Parameters: Pass, Max T1 acceleration: 10.8 g, Head contact time: 58 ms, Force rating: 1
- Neck Forces: Max neck shear force: 0 N, Max neck tension: 311 N
These results confirm that the 2022 Audi A7’s seat and head restraint design is effective in minimizing neck injury risk in rear-end collisions.
Headlights
Visibility is a key component of safety, and headlight performance is assessed by the IIHS. The 2022 Audi A7 offers different headlight variations depending on the trim level.
For Premium Plus and Prestige trims, equipped with LED projector headlights, the overall headlight rating is “Acceptable” (A).
- Low-beam headlight type: LED projector
- High-beam headlight type: LED projector
- Curve-adaptive? No
- High-beam assist? Yes
For the Premium trim, featuring LED reflector headlights, the overall headlight rating is also “Acceptable” (A).
- Low-beam headlight type: LED reflector
- High-beam headlight type: LED reflector
- Curve-adaptive? No
- High-beam assist? Yes
While both headlight systems achieve an “Acceptable” rating, indicating good performance overall, there is room for improvement to reach the “Good” rating level in future models.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Crash prevention systems are increasingly important for avoiding accidents altogether. The vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system of the 2022 Audi A7 was evaluated.
| System details | Standard Audi Pre Sense Front |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
The standard “Audi Pre Sense Front” system in the 2022 Audi A7 earned a “Superior” rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. The system successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests, demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing or mitigating frontal impacts with other vehicles.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian safety is also a crucial aspect of vehicle safety. The pedestrian front crash prevention system of the 2022 Audi A7 was tested during daytime conditions.
| System details | standard Pre sense front |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
The 2022 Audi A7’s “Pre sense front” system again achieved a “Superior” rating for pedestrian front crash prevention (daytime). The system showed excellent performance in various pedestrian scenarios:
- Crossing Child: Impact speed reduced by 11 mph in the 12 mph test; collision avoided in the 25 mph test.
- Crossing Adult: Collision avoided in the 12 mph test; impact speed reduced by 23 mph in the 25 mph test.
- Parallel Adult: Collision avoided in the 25 mph test; impact speed reduced by 36 mph in the 37 mph test.
These results demonstrate the robust pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking capabilities of the 2022 Audi A7, significantly enhancing safety for vulnerable road users.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
For families, child seat anchor ease of use is a vital safety consideration. The LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) in the 2022 Audi A7 was evaluated for its usability.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
The 2022 Audi A7 received a “Good” rating for its LATCH system. It has 2 rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and one additional position with a tether anchor. The system was found to be easy to use, with anchors that are easy to locate and maneuver around.
Conclusion
The 2022 Audi A7 demonstrates a strong commitment to safety, achieving top “Good” ratings in most IIHS crash tests and “Superior” ratings for its front crash prevention systems. While the headlight rating is “Acceptable,” the overall safety performance of the 2022 Audi A7 is undeniably impressive. For buyers seeking a luxury vehicle that prioritizes safety, the 2022 Audi A7 is a compelling choice, offering excellent protection for occupants and pedestrians alike. These safety ratings underscore Audi’s dedication to engineering vehicles that meet high safety standards, making the 2022 Audi A7 a leader in its class for safety performance.
