Photo: IIHS on YouTube / edited
Back in May 2026, the Audi brand made some changes to the rear seats and seatbelts of the redesigned Q3 for the United States market. Even so, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave vehicles built after May 2026 a “poor” rating in the updated moderate overlap frontal crash test due to rear lap belts that may slip off the pelvis. The shoulder belts may also climb toward the passenger’s neck.
The safety cage itself earned a “good” rating, as does the driver’s protection across the feet, legs, thighs, hips, and head. Only the rear belts leave much to be desired in this particular scenario, where both the lap and the shoulder belt struggle to control the rear occupant’s movement. Pretty disappointing for a redesigned crossover, especially one that aced every other IIHS evaluation.
Said result adds insult to injury once you search the IIHS rating for the 2025 model, which earned “marginal” in the moderate overlap test. Although the shoulder belt of the previous generation remained in the ideal position on the chest, the lap belt moved up, increasing the risk of abdominal injuries.
Also worth noting, the rear dummy’s head remained a safe distance from the driver’s seatback in the 2026 and 2027 models. The previous generation’s rear belts allowed the rear passenger’s head to approach it, and such movement obviously increases the risk of head injuries during an impact.
Per the IIHS, chest protection isn’t worthy of anything but the “marginal” rating. Rear passenger restraints and dummy kinematics had to settle for “poor,” sinking the overall result in this test to “poor.” The Q3’s other crashworthiness scores look considerably better, with the nonprofit organization giving the small crossover “good” ratings in the small overlap and side tests.
Photo: IIHS on YouTube
The side test, however, isn’t spotless. Driver pelvis protection earns “acceptable,” and that’s hardly a surprise in a vehicle this compact. Active safety also gave the small Audi a strong showing, with its standard AEB system earning “good” ratings for vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention and pedestrian crash prevention to boot.
In said tests, the so-called pre sense front forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking system avoided collisions with car and motorcycle targets at 31, 37, and 43 miles per hour. It also performs as intended in several pedestrian scenarios, both in daylight and nighttime scenarios, including tests involving adults walking parallel to the road.
The headlights earn “good” marks across the board. Audi uses LED projectors with high-beam assist on the third-gen Q3 for the United States of America, which is sourced from the Gyor plant in Hungary. The most affordable crossover from Audi for the US market is now retailing at $44,400 before destination charge. Its main rivals are the Merc GLA and the BMW X1.
Quattro all-wheel drive is standard, as is the 12.8-inch MMI touch display for the infotainment system and 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats that also recline and slide. Under the hood, you will find a 2.0-liter turbo inline-four mill with an iron block and aluminum for the cylinder head. In optimal conditions, this engine makes 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet (370 Newton-meters).
