[source: IIHS]
Five Audi vehicles earn 2023 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and two more qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK.
The winners of the higher-tier TOP SAFETY PICK+ include the 2023 Audi Q4 e-tron, the 2023 Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron, the 2023 Audi Q8, the 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron and the 2024 Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron. (Because only the name was changed and the vehicles are otherwise identical, the accolades for the 2024 Q8 e-trons also apply to the 2023 e-tron and 2023 e-tron Sportback.)
The two winners of the lower-tier TOP SAFETY PICK award are the 2023 Audi Q5 and Q5 Sportback.
To qualify for either IIHS award in 2023, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front and original moderate overlap front tests and come equipped with acceptable or good headlights across all trims.
For TOP SAFETY PICK, an acceptable or good rating in the updated side test is required, and a front crash prevention system that earns an advanced or superior rating in the daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluation must be available.
For TOP SAFETY PICK+, a good rating in the updated side test as well as advanced or superior ratings in both the daytime and nighttime pedestrian tests are necessary.
Among the vehicles that meet all the requirements for the “plus,” the Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron come with standard front crash prevention systems that earn advanced ratings in both the daytime and nighttime pedestrian tests. The standard crash avoidance systems on the Q8, Q8 e-tron and Q8 Sportback e-tron earn daytime ratings of superior and nighttime ratings of advanced.
The Q5 and Q5 Sportback only qualify for the lower-tier award because they earn acceptable ratings in the updated side test and receive no credit in the nighttime pedestrian evaluation.
