[Otto]

The Audi Q3 recently got the 2015 Top Safety Pick Award from the IIHS after going through the full gambit of crash tests. The award applies to both the FWD and AWD versions of the 2016 Q3.

To qualify for the award a vehicle must earn a "good" or "acceptable" ratings in the small overlap test, and "good" ratings in the other 4 crashworthiness tests. The 2016 Audi Q3 got a "good" in every test.

"The Q3's structure held up well in the small overlap test, with maximum intrusion of 4 inches at the lower door-hinge pillar," the IIHS said in a statement. "The driver dummy's movement was well-controlled. Measures taken from the dummy indicated a low risk of injury in a crash of this severity."

The Audi Q3 could still improve though. It did not get the highest award from the IIHS, the Top Safety Pick+ Award. To get that award a vehicle must have an optional front-crash prevention system. It's a little sad that the Q3 doesn't come with that option since many down market vehicles (like the Scion iA for example) come with a front-crash prevention system.

Still, its good news for the Q3. Right now the Audi Q3 can claim to have the best IIHS crash scores in the small luxury SUV segment.

 

[Quatto]

Audi has been working on self-driving vehicles so I can imagine that some time throughout the production cycle of the Q3 that we'll get some trickled down version of that tech with maybe a self-driving Q3 for next generation.