2021 Top Safety Picks
Vehicles that perform best in our evaluations qualify for Top Safety Pick, which has been awarded since the 2006 model year, or Top Safety Pick+, which was inaugurated in 2013.
These awards identify the best vehicle choices for safety within size categories during a given year. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford more protection than smaller, lighter ones. Thus, a small car that qualifies for an award might not protect its occupants as well as a bigger vehicle that doesn't earn the award.
Midsize luxury cars
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Audi A4 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Audi A5 Sportback 4-door hatchback
with specific headlights
Large luxury cars
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi A6 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi A6 allroad 4-door wagon
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi A7 4-door hatchback
Midsize luxury SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi Q5 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi Q5 Sportback 4-door SUV
Large SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi e-tron 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi e-tron Sportback 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Audi Q8 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
2021 criteria
Top Safety Pick +
- G Good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests
- AdvancedSuperior Advanced or superior rating for available front crash prevention — vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations
- AGAcceptable or good headlights standard
Top Safety Pick
- G Good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests
- AdvancedSuperior Advanced or superior rating for available front crash prevention — vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations
- AGAcceptable or good headlights available