3 Audi Cars Earn Safety Accolades

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 24 -- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety issued the following news release:

Three redesigned midsize cars from Audi -- the 2017-18 A4 Allroad, the 2018 A5 Coupe and the 2018 A5 Sportback -- qualify for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award.

To earn the 2017 Top Safety Pick award, a vehicle must have good ratings in five IIHS crashworthiness tests -- driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints -- and an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.

All three vehicles have a standard front crash prevention system that earns a superior rating. The system avoids a collision in the 12 mph IIHS track test and reduces impact speed by an average of 22 mph in the 25 mph test. The system also includes a forward collision warning component that meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.

The cars fall short of the highest award, Top Safety Pick+, which requires a good or acceptable headlight rating. The best available headlights on the A5 Coupe and the A5 Sportback are rated marginal. The headlights on the Premium Plus and Prestige trims of the A4 Allroad also are rated marginal, but IIHS hasn't had the opportunity to test that vehicle's base headlights.