The 2025 Audi Q7 stands as a paragon of luxury SUVs, but beyond its opulent features and refined performance, it’s also a fortress of safety. Prospective buyers in the English-speaking market are increasingly prioritizing vehicle safety, and the Audi Q7’s performance in rigorous crash tests solidifies its position as a leader in occupant protection. This article delves into the comprehensive safety evaluations of the 2025 Audi Q7, providing a detailed analysis of its crashworthiness and preventative safety technologies.
Small Overlap Frontal Crash Test: Driver and Passenger Side Excellence
The small overlap front test simulates a challenging real-world scenario where a vehicle impacts a narrow object like a tree or pole on the corner of the car. The 2025 Audi Q7, part of the 2021-25 model rating group, demonstrated “Good” performance in both driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal evaluations. This “Good” rating, the highest possible, signifies that the Q7 provides superior protection in this demanding crash scenario.
These ratings are based on tests conducted by Volkswagen/Audi and assessed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The data from the 2019 Audi Q8, which shares a platform with the Q7, is utilized for these evaluations. Despite the Q8’s sportier roofline and two-row configuration compared to the Q7’s three rows, the fundamental structural integrity and safety features are comparable.
Driver-Side Small Overlap Frontal Test Highlights:
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Driver-Side Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Driver Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/Thigh | G |
| Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Driver Restraints & Kinematics | G |
The technical measurements from the driver-side test (Test ID: VTN1815) reveal minimal occupant compartment intrusion. For instance, the maximum intrusion at the lower hinge pillar was only 2 cm, and the footrest intrusion was 5 cm. Crucially, driver injury measures were all rated “Good,” indicating low risk of significant injuries in a driver-side small overlap crash. Head Injury Criterion (HIC-15) was measured at a low 196, and chest compression at just 26mm.
Passenger-Side Small Overlap Frontal Test Highlights:
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Passenger-Side Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Passenger Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/Thigh | G |
| Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Passenger Restraints & Kinematics | G |
Similar to the driver’s side, the passenger-side test (Test ID: VTP1831) yielded “Good” ratings across all categories. Occupant compartment intrusion was slightly higher on the passenger side, with 5 cm at the lower hinge pillar and 7 cm at the footrest. However, passenger injury measures remained excellent, mirroring the driver’s side with low HIC-15 (194) and chest compression (26mm). These results demonstrate consistent and robust protection for both driver and front passenger in a small overlap frontal impact.
Moderate Overlap Frontal Crash Test: Updated Evaluation for 2025 Models
The moderate overlap frontal test, an updated evaluation for 2025 models, assesses occupant protection in a more traditional frontal collision scenario. The 2025 Audi Q7 again achieved a “Good” overall rating in this more stringent test. This updated test now includes a rear passenger dummy to evaluate rear occupant protection, reflecting the latest safety standards.
The image above illustrates the controlled deformation of the 2025 Audi Q7’s structure after the updated moderate overlap frontal crash test, showcasing the effectiveness of the airbags and the integrity of the occupant compartment.
Moderate Overlap Frontal Test (Updated) Highlights:
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Driver Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Thigh/Hip | G |
| Leg/Foot | G |
| Driver Restraints & Kinematics | G |
| Rear Passenger Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Thigh | G |
| Rear Passenger Restraints & Kinematics | A |
Technical data from the updated moderate overlap test (Test ID: CEF2502) shows minimal footwell intrusion and occupant compartment deformation. Driver injury measures remain “Good” across all categories, consistent with the small overlap tests. Rear passenger protection is also strong, with “Good” ratings for head/neck and chest injury measures. However, rear passenger restraints and kinematics received an “Acceptable” rating. IIHS notes that the rear passenger dummy’s head came close to contacting the front seatback, slightly increasing the risk of head injuries, as depicted in the image below.
This image highlights the proximity of the rear passenger dummy’s head to the front seatback during the updated moderate overlap frontal crash test, an area for potential improvement in rear passenger kinematics.
Despite this “Acceptable” rating in rear passenger kinematics, the overall “Good” rating for the updated moderate overlap test underscores the 2025 Audi Q7’s strong frontal crash protection for all occupants.
Side Crash Test: Updated Side 2.0 Evaluation
The side crash test has also been updated to the Side 2.0 test, representing a more severe side impact scenario. The 2025 Audi Q7, evaluated as part of the 2017-25 model range using a 2023 Audi Q7 test (Test ID: VTS2313), achieved a “Good” overall rating in this updated side impact assessment.
Side Crash Test (Updated Side 2.0) Highlights:
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Driver Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis | A |
| Driver Head Protection | G |
| Rear Passenger Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis | G |
| Rear Passenger Head Protection | G |
In the Side 2.0 test, the 2025 Audi Q7 demonstrated “Good” protection for most critical body regions for both driver and rear passenger. Driver pelvis protection was rated “Acceptable,” while all other driver and rear passenger injury measures and head protection were “Good.” This indicates a high level of side impact protection for occupants in the Q7.
Headlight Performance: “Good” Rating for Prestige Trim
Headlight performance is a critical safety feature, particularly for nighttime driving. The 2025 Audi Q7 offers different headlight variations depending on the trim level. The Prestige trim, equipped with LED projector low and high beams and high-beam assist, achieves a “Good” overall headlight rating.
Headlight Evaluation (Prestige Trim):
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam Headlight Type | LED projector |
| High-beam Headlight Type | LED projector |
| Curve-Adaptive? | No |
| High-beam Assist? | Yes |
| Overall Rating | G |
The “Good” rating for the Prestige trim headlights signifies effective illumination in various driving scenarios, including straightaways and curves, with acceptable glare levels. Lower trims, Premium and Premium Plus, with LED projector low beams and LED reflector high beams, achieve an “Acceptable” headlight rating, still providing adequate but slightly less optimal illumination compared to the Prestige trim.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Pedestrian
The 2025 Audi Q7 comes standard with “Pre sense front,” an advanced front crash prevention system. In vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention tests, the Q7 demonstrated “Collision Avoided” in multiple scenarios at speeds up to 37 mph. At higher speeds, the system effectively reduced speed, mitigating the severity of potential impacts. However, the overall vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention rating is “Poor” (P). This seemingly contradictory rating is likely due to the system’s performance against motorcycle and semitrailer targets, where autobrake performance was limited or not tested.
In pedestrian front crash prevention tests, the 2025 Audi Q7 earns an “Advanced” rating (A). The system effectively avoided collisions with a crossing child in daytime tests and performed well in crossing adult scenarios, both day and night, often avoiding collisions or significantly reducing impact speed. The system also showed strong performance in parallel adult pedestrian scenarios at night.
Pedestrian Front Crash Prevention Rating: A (Advanced)
Additional Safety Features: Seat Belt Reminders and Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Beyond crashworthiness and collision prevention, the 2025 Audi Q7 excels in other safety aspects. Seat belt reminders receive a “Good” rating, with effective audible and visual alerts for unbelted occupants in both front and second rows.
Child seat anchor (LATCH) hardware is rated “Good++,” the highest possible rating, indicating exceptional ease of use and accessibility. The Q7 boasts 5 rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware, offering outstanding flexibility for securely installing child seats.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH) Rating: G+ (Good + extra LATCH positions)
Conclusion: The 2025 Audi Q7 – A Safety Leader in the Luxury SUV Segment
The comprehensive safety evaluations of the 2025 Audi Q7 reveal a vehicle engineered for exceptional occupant protection. With “Good” ratings in small overlap front, updated moderate overlap front, and updated side crash tests, along with a “Good” headlight rating for the Prestige trim and an “Advanced” rating for pedestrian front crash prevention, the Q7 prioritizes safety across multiple domains. While the vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system rating is “Poor,” the system demonstrated collision avoidance in many passenger car scenarios. Coupled with top-tier seat belt reminders and child seat anchor ratings, the 2025 Audi Q7 stands as a compelling choice for safety-conscious buyers seeking a luxurious and secure SUV. These safety ratings provide valuable insights for consumers in the English-speaking market, reinforcing the Audi Q7’s commitment to passenger well-being and solidifying its position as a leader in automotive safety.
